Penn prof takes top FCC job

Noted Telecommunications Professor David Farber was appointed chief technologist of the Federal Communications Commission earlier this month. Farber, the Alfred Fitler Moore professor of telecommunications systems in the Engineering School, will serve as one of several experts who advise the FCC. Farber, 65, said his principal duty as chief technologist will be to "advise the commission on technological issues and? bring technical realities to the decision making process." During his more than 40 years at Penn, Farber has designed several operating systems and helped pioneer the development of the Internet. "This is the person in the country in charge of telecommunications -- one of the fastest changing areas -- one that has the most impact on the economy," Engineering Dean Eduardo Glandt said. Farber has been named one of the 25 most influential people in computer networking by Network World magazine and is on the board of more than a dozen technology-related organizations. He also testified for the government in the Microsoft antitrust trial. But Farber is perhaps best known for his "Interesting People" list, a listserv he maintains of more than 25,000 select subscribers with whom he shares his thoughts on a variety of issues. In a written statement, FCC Chairman William Kennard said the organization was pleased with Farber's appointment. "The FCC, and, indeed, the entire country, are very fortunate to have the services of such a distinguished, world-class technology expert as Dave Farber, at this time, as the FCC continues to tackle the complicated and increasingly technical issues involved in ensuring universal broadband access," he said. While Farber is working with the FCC, he and his wife will be living in Washington, D.C. The University granted Farber leave in order to take the one- or two-year appointment, but he will still be advising the graduate students who work in his lab at Penn. Farber said he hopes to help influence "the future of the communications industry" in his new position. He added that he sees the "sole replacement of communication systems with the Internet," meaning that in the future the Internet will be used instead of telephones or television. At Penn, Farber has also been the director of the Center for Communications and Information Science and Policy as well as the Laboratory for Distributed Systems.