Thomas Weigert, Motorola Fellow and vice president of the company’s Global Software Group, became UMR’s first Daniel C. St. Clair Chair of Computer Science on Sept. 1.
The chair is named for Daniel C. St. Clair, former chair of computer science at UMR, who died in 2006.
One of only 12 Motorola Fellows, Weigert has created innovative software development tools that are used to build a wide variety of Motorola telecommunications products, such as network elements or cellular telephones. Weigert’s tools leverage advances from basic computer science research.
His research includes modeling languages and design methods, the derivation of efficient programs from abstract models, and the use of automated theorem-proving in program generation and verification. He holds leadership positions in international standards organizations focusing on software development notations.
Funding for the chair was provided in large part by the UMR Academy of Computer Science, UMR computer science faculty members and alumni, including major contributors John R. Lovitt, CSci’70, Carol, CSci’86, and Brian, ME’81, Matthews, Cynthia Tang, Econ’85, and Gary, CE’72, and Sherry Forsee. The $1.1 million endowment receives an annual match from the 2004 University of Missouri Endowed Chairs Program.
“Dan St. Clair had a vision for strengthening and improving the department,” says Lovitt, who is a past president of the UMR Academy of Computer Science. “I think for a lot of us who gave, it was from a commitment to help realize that vision.” The combined effort of faculty, staff and alumni to create the endowment illustrated the broad base of support for St. Clair’s vision, Lovitt says.
“Seeing the faculty come together and be committed to this was very important,” Lovitt adds.