2020 ACM Council Elections Candidate

Further to my recent work as a Member (and now Vice-Chair) of the ACM Europe Council, I’ve been invited to stand as one of the eight candidates for five Member-at-Large positions on ACM Council in the 2020 elections (to be appointed for a four-year period from 1 July 2020). ACM Council, the association’s highest governing authority, comprises 16 ACM members, five of which form the Executive Committee. You can view my biography in the May issue of Communications of the ACM (or see the full election slate), but also presented here:

TOM CRICK
Professor of Digital Education & Policy
Computational Foundry and School of Education
Swansea University, UK

While Crick’s disciplinary background is in computer science and informatics, his academic interests are naturally interdisciplinary and sit at the research/policy interface, solving data-driven and computationally intensive problems across a range of domains: data science, intelligent systems, cyber security, smart cities, software sustainability and reproducibility, as well as STEM education, science/innovation policy, digital public services, and skills/infrastructure for the digital economy. His research and policy work have been funded by the UK Research Councils (EPSRC, ESRC, Innovate UK), the European Commission and the Welsh Government. He was previously the Nesta Data Science Fellow (2013–2015), developing approaches to embedding data science capability into government for more effective data-driven policymaking; a Fellow of the UK Software Sustainability Institute (2014); an HEA National Teaching Fellow (2014) for his work in computer science education; and a Science Media Fellow (2011) with the BBC. In 2017, he was appointed MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for “services to computer science and the promotion of computer science education”.

Crick has significant experience of non-executive governance, advisory roles and influencing at senior levels in government and industry. He has chaired national curriculum reviews in the UK over recent years, especially reforming computer science, digital skills and STEM education in Wales. He is an inaugural Commissioner of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales (2018–present), as well as a Vice-President of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT (2017–2020). He is Vice-Chair (2019–present) of the ACM Europe Council, having been elected in 2017, and a member of the ACM Europe Technology Policy Committee.

My ACM Council election statement is as follows:

I am honoured to be nominated as a potential Member-at-Large of ACM Council. While I have supported a variety of ACM conferences, activities, and initiatives over recent years, especially through the ACM Europe Council, I am enthusiastic about serving ACM more widely to further support and develop a diverse and impactful international computing community. It is clear we face a number of challenges — and opportunities — as a discipline and community over the coming years. There are broad social, cultural and economic imperatives; for example: the widespread impact of technology, data and computational processes on our lives; digital innovation, automation and the future of work; shifting legal, ethical and professional responsibilities; national and international collaborative research agenda (funding, industrial strategies, mobility, open access/data/ research); dramatic changes to our education systems: curriculum reform, qualifications, accreditation and certification, and a range of challenges for universities; and supporting the careers and professional development of a diverse global computing/IT profession.

In a rapidly shifting political and policy landscape, much is possible — but this requires more explicit international collaboration with national academies and professional bodies, as well as with industry and the general public. Building on my previous experience and networks as an academic, policy advisor and extensive industry non-executive roles (including multi-billion pound utilities and public services), I would relish the opportunity to serve as a Member-at-Large on ACM Council.

If you are a professional member of the ACM, I would appreciate your vote; all votes must be received online no later than 22 May 2020 (16:00 UTC). I am very happy to discuss any questions related to my candidate statement or this election — please contact me through this blog, or via Twitter: @ProfTomCrick.