Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan (KSAZ-TV)
PHOENIX - From the classroom to formerly leading the National Science Foundation, ASU's Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, known as Dr. Punch, has dedicated his career to advancing science and technology. Now he is being selected for the prestigious Arthur M. Bueche Award, honoring an engineer with an active involvement in tech progress.
What they're saying:
"I'm honored and humbled to receive this award … it's the forging of partnerships between academia, industry, and government," Panchanathan said. "What it takes is evidence of having contributed to the advancement of science, technology and policy for our country in significant ways."
And one of his biggest focuses now is the future of artificial intelligence.
"Let's take an example of technology that we have today – AI … tremendous opportunities for people to be able to express their talent and ideas," Panchanathan said. "Clearly, there are concerns about the safety, privacy and bias, and it's important therefore to have a responsible approach to addressing these challenges."
But despite all of his accomplishments, Dr. Panch says his success isn't his alone.
"I'm most thankful to my parents, who instilled in me that spirit of curiosity. For my wife, children, who challenge me constantly every day. I'm grateful to my students, faculty, and colleagues. These awards are never about an individual. It's about a community of people contributing," Panchanathan said.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, professor at Arizona State University and former leader of the National Science Foundation; Arizona State University; and Irene Snyder.