CIS prof known fo rhis Net-work

Professor David FarberProfessor David Farberhas been recognized forProfessor David Farberhas been recognized forhis ground-breakingProfessor David Farberhas been recognized forhis ground-breakingInternet projects. Computer and Information Science Professor David Farber, a self-described "techno-yenta," is quickly gaining name recognition on a national level. When he is not teaching classes at the University, Farber may be advising President Clinton or providing the Central Intelligence Agency with technological information. According to Computer and Information Science Professor Jonathan Smith, Farber has done ground-breaking work with computer networks. In addition, the professor plays a major role in developing the future of computing. "He's a visionary," said Engineering graduate student Sanjay Udani, one of Farber's advisees. Recently, Farber's "Interesting Persons" list has won him special recognition. The IP list includes technological snippets, reviews and briefings that Farber collects and disseminates to his subscribers via e-mail. With a readership of approximately 25,000, including high-level government officials and computer gurus, Farber's list is quite highly regarded, Smith said. According to Farber, whenever he hears something interesting, he immediately sends it out to his readers. "It's a media suited to the network environment," he explained. Farber's technical successes have chiefly dealt with high-speed networking systems. Farber and Smith pioneered the Aurora Gigabit Testbed, which allows information on the Internet to travel at much higher speeds than its present capacity. Farber referred to the University's current speed capacity as "a paved country road." He added that the Testbed's speed is the equivalent of "an eight-lane freeway." Farber's expertise has also led him to play an advisory role on technological issues. Senior officials like Clinton have sought Farber's counsel on occasion. During his speech at Tuesday's Hill Field rally, Clinton referred specifically to Farber as a "pioneer of the Internet." Farber is a founding member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which plays a role in defining computer ethics nationally. Udani praised Farber's commitment to preserving privacy and liberties in the electronic age. "Basically, most of these issues haven't been dealt with," Udani said. "[The foundation] is trying to create order out of chaos to make sure that freedom of speech is not ignored." Farber's involvement with the foundation prompted his "Computers, Ethics and Society" class at the University, the first of its kind to deal with societal, ethical and legislative issues raised by computers. Because this class and much of his work overlaps in areas like law, business and communications, Farber said he deals with and benefits from various schools within the University. He praised the University for its continuous commitment to technology without "going overboard" or "ignoring it altogether." Farber predicted that in the future, students at the University will be able to take virtual classes with experts overseas and will rely on mobile communication. According to Udani, Farber's wide range of contacts contributes to his teaching and benefits his students. Udani explained that Farber is often able to bring prestigious guests to his classes. "Having [Farber] on the faculty helps Penn's stature in networking research nationwide, raises our visibility and most importantly, gives Penn faculty and students the opportunity to work with him," Smith said. Farber said despite his work outside of academia, he has a strong commitment to the classroom. "Teaching is good for the soul," he said. "It keeps you alive and keeps you thinking."