Bryant York's Abridged Biography:

A Lifetime of
Strong Mentors and Positive Role Models
(in progress)

Ó Copyright Bryant W. York 2007

Bryant joins Boston University Computer Science Department as associate professsor in January 1986

In collaboration with Art Karshmer, Bryant builds the PBE System for blind programmers (1986 - 1988)

Learns to program the Connection Machine CM-2

Tracks orangutans in the jungles of Borneo as part of a one-month Earthwatch Expedition to work with Birute Galdikas (1987) see video [wmv][mpg]

Bryant shoots video of Curly [wmv][mpg], the alpha male orangutan visitng base camp (1987)

With Art Karshmer, develops "PBE: Programming by Ear", a system for Blind C Programmers

Has the opportunity to work with Lewis Stiller, Roscoe Giles, Richard Brower, and Bill Klein of Boston University

Jamie Frankel, Denny Dahl, Robert Putnam of Thinking Machines

Monica Alayne York graduates from Brandeis University in June 1988

Marries Diane Palermo in September 1988

Portia Marie York graduates from Clark University in June 1989

Co-organizes with Ephraim Glinert the first NSF-sponsored workshop on computers and persons with disabilities at Boston University (1989)

In August 1990 at the urging of Bill Wulf and Larry Oliver, Bryant joins the National Science Foundation Computer Information Science and Engineering Directorate (CISE) as a program director in the Office of Cross Disciplinary Activities

Works for Dr. Harry Hedges as a rotator for one year

Meets Peter Freeman, Walter Massey, and Neal Lane

Manages special projects for women, minorities, and persons with disabilities, the Presidential Young Investigators (PYI) program, the Research Experiences for Undergraduates Sites (REU sites) program, the CISE portion of Undergraduate Course and Curriculum Development (UCCD) program

During a visit to D-Q University Bryant meets Jack D. Forbes who gives him a copy of his manuscript, A World Ruled by Cannibals.
Bryant attends his first pow-wow. Other works by Jack D. Forbes.

Meets Oscar Moreno, Ramon Vasquez, and Domingo Rodriguez of the University of Puerto Rico

Runs the Computer Programming Contest at Benjamin Banneker High School, Washington, DC (6 min video) [wmv][mpg](April 1991)

Wins the NSF Equal Opportunity Prize ($5,000.00) in June 1991

Wins the Association of Department Heads of Minority Institutions (ADMI) Award for Service to Minorities in Computing twice (1991, 1997)

Serves on the CISE Advisory Committee under A. Nico Habermann, Paul Young, and Juris Hartmanis

Some NSF Colleagues and friends (John Cherniavsky, Caroline Wardle, Rita Rodriguez, Kamal Abdali,Mike Foster, Bruce Barnes, Rachelle Hollander, Margaret Tolbert, Roosevelt Calbert, Mike Louie, Dave Staudt, Rich Hirsh, Larry Brandt, Maria Zemankova, YT Chien, Mike Foster, Tom Weber, Roosevelt Johnson, Luther Williams

Son, Chandler Everett York, born June 27, 1991

Chandler and Bryant have early alphabet bath (Sep 1993, 86 secs, wmv)

Bryant homeschools Chandler part-time (1995 - 1999), full-time (1999 - 2003).

Chandler's Kindergarten Science Fair Project - The Knight's Exchange (April 1997, 5 minutes 15 seconds, wmv)

Chandler's first violin recital (April 1997, wmv, 2 minutes and 51 seconds)

Chandler's Dino-Robo War Movie (December 1997, wmv, 27 seconds)

Chandler and Coconut read a book (July 1998, wmv, 1 minute 23 seconds)

Chandler's First Grade Science Fair Project - Reflection of Infrared Rays (April 1998, wmv, 58 seconds)

Bad Boys Jam Take 1(Fall 1999, wmv, 2 minutes 40 seconds)

Bad Boys Jam Take 2(Fall 1999, wmv, 8 minutes 44 seconds)

Chandler and Alex make a scary movie (December 1998, wmv, 4 minutes 20 seconds)

Chandler's tribute to his grandmother, Mabel York (March 4, 1999, wmv, 6 minutes 24 seconds)

Chandler's Homeschool report at the end of his first year of homeschooling The video is broken into 7 parts to minimize file size(June 8, 2000)

• Chandler's Homeschool report 1 - Karate Demo (wmv, 1 minute 37 seconds)
• Chandler's Homeschool report 2 - Karate Accomplishments(wmv, 2 minutes 11 seconds)
• Chandler's Homeschool report 3 - Reading (wmv, 4 minutes 40 seconds)
• Chandler's Homeschool report 4 - Spelling, Reading Comprehension, Grammar(wmv, 2 minutes 33 seconds)
• Chandler's Homeschool report 5 - Analogies, Vocabulary, Math, Trip Reports(wmv, 2 minutes 36 seconds)
• Chandler's Homeschool report 6 - Board Games (wmv, 3 minutes 30 seconds)
• Chandler's Homeschool report 7 - R2D2 Robot, Mindstorms, WAO-G Robot programming, Logo programming(wmv, 4 minutes 13 seconds)

Some of Chandler's Book Reports (1999 - 2000)

• Killer Robot(Sep 1999)
• The Magician's Nephew (Sep 1999)
• The Secret of the Underground Room (Sep 1999)
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone(Oct 1999)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Nov 1999)
• The Prisoner of Azkaban (Dec 1999)
• The Drum, the Doll, and the Zombie (Jan 2000)
• Tollbooth (Jan 2000)

Some of Chandler's writings in 2000

• Letter for Dad's Birthday (May, 2000)
• How I Learned to Hit a Baseball (July 2000)
• My Swim at Walden Pond (July 2000)
• My Trip to Washington, DC (Sep 1999)
• My Trip to Supercomputing 99 Conference in Portland, OR(Nov 1999)

Chandler Takes the SAT Exam March 31, 2001 in Belmont, MA and March 16, 2002 in Beaverton, OR

Chandler competes in the New England Karate Championship Tournament, May 20, 2000

Chandler earns First Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate, October 6, 2001

Chandler earns Second Degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate, December 14, 2002

Chandler York's resume up through March 2004

Some the missing videos:

• Chandler almost gets Cal Ripken Jr.'s autograph at Fenway Park
• Chandler's field trip to Philadelphia (Liberty Bell), Washington DC (Supreme Court, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Congress, Smithsonian), and Rockville, MD (birthplace)
• Chandler's field trip to Supercomputing 99 Conference in Portland, Oregon
• Chandler's trip to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure in Orlando, FL (Spiderman, Terminator II)
• Chandler's preparation for the Calculus BC Advanced Placement examination
• Chandler learns to hit a baseball

Bryant joins Northeastern University as associate professor of computer science under the leadership of President, Jack Curry(August 1991)

Conducts research with Richard Tolimieri, Myoung An, and Joe Rushanan

In 1996 David Hall becomes Provost of Northeastern University under President Richard Freeland

The College of Computer Science is led by Dean Larry Finkelstein and Associate Dean Agnes Chan

A member of the ACM Education Board (1991 - 1996) under the leadership of Joe Turner and John Werth

Chair, ACM Committee on Minorities (1994)

Interim Eastern Regional Representative to the ACM Council (1994)

A member of the US ACM Public Policy Committee (1993 - 1998)

Meets Dr. Richard Tapia for the first time (1992)

Has the opportunity to meet Jim West of AT&T Bell Laboratories (1998)

Bryant is appointed to the NSF Computer Information Science and Engineering Directorate (CISE) in June 1992 by A. Nico Habermann

Is re-appointed to the NSF Computer Information Science and Engineering Directorate (CISE) in June 1994 by Paul Young

Is re-appointed to the NSF Computer Information Science and Engineering Directorate (CISE) in June 1996 by Juris Hartmanis

Is appointed to the NSF Computer Information Science and Engineering Directorate (CISE) in June 2002 by Peter Freeman

Is re-appointed to the NSF Computer Information Science and Engineering Directorate (CISE) in June 2004 by Peter Freeman

Bryant's thinking was greatly impacted by being exposed to the broad array of people who have been members of the NSF CISE Advisory Committee over the years (including but not limited to: Ed Hayes, Barbara Grosz, Valerie Taylor, Bob Sproull, Barbara Liskov, Jim Gray, Fred Schneider, Dave Farber, Gene Spafford, Dave Patterson, Janie Irwin, Ed lazowska, Bob Sproull, Al Spector, Michael Rabin, Ravi Sethi, David Tennenhouse, Dan Reed, Randy Katz, Ruzena Bajcsy, Peter Freeman, Jim Foley, Al Aho, Andy Van Dam, Bobby Schnabel, Margaret Wright, John L. King, Juris Hartmanis, Paul Young, Diedre Allen, Debra Estrin, Larry Peterson,...)

Collaborates with Professor Carmelo Giacovazzo (1993 - 1997) and lectures at Universita di Bari, Bari Italy (June 1995)

Is diagnosed with type II Diabetes in May 1995

Monica Alayne York earns her J.D. from Suffolk Law School (1995)

Organizes the first NSF-sponsored Workshop on Increasing Participation of Minorities in Computing Disciplines (Airlie House, Airlie VA 1995)[report,slides]

Co-founds, with Roscoe Giles and Badi Foster, African American Scholars for Citizenship and Community (AASCC) in 1997

Monica Alayne York is admitted to the Massachusetts Bar (1997)

Co-chairs the SC97 Education Program with Roscoe Giles

Wins Computing Research Association's A. Nico Habermann Award for service to underrepresented groups in the computing disciplines (1998) [acceptance speech] [citation]

Co-founds Institute for African American
e-Culture (IAAeC) in 1999 with Roscoe Giles, Valerie Taylor, et al.

Bryant has collabroated with Valerie and Roscoe on many projects over the years

Bryant gives presentation on "Nonabelian Groups, Unitary Transforms and Imagre Processing" at the the Conference of African American Researchers in the Mathematical Sciences (CAARMS 5) at the University of Michigan, July 1999

A minority mentor for the New England Board of Higher Education (1992 - 2000)

Wins the ADMI Award for service to minority instutions twice (1991, 1997)

Meets Jorge Diaz-Herrera

Develops strong friendships and is greatly influenced by many women in computing (Anita Borg, Barbara Simons, Maria Klawe, Nora Sabelli, Telle Whitney and Jan Cuny)

Letter encouraging Ben Shneiderman to join the faculty at the College of Computer Science of Northeastern University, February 2000

An historic National Science Foundation grant (5 African American co-PIs, plus 14 African American senior researchersNew Approaches to Human Capital Development through Information Technology Research

Grandson, Jordan Eley born September 21, 1997, (wmv, 5 minutes 41 seconds)

Jordie and Chandler make music, March 1999, (wmv, 4 minutes 58 seconds)

3G Balloon Wars, March 2000 (wmv, 7 minutes 33 seconds)

Bryant helps Valerie Taylor establish a new conference celebrating diversity in computing named after Dr. Richard Tapia (2001)

Article in Black Issues in Higher Education (2002)

Letter to Richard Tapia encouraging him to allow the conference to be named after him

Bryant presents work on new unitary transforms for image processing at Portland State University

Bryant joins Portland State University as a professor in the Computer Science Department (2001)

Has the opportunity for the first time in his life to work for an institution headed by a Black President, Dan Bernstine (2001). President Bernstine welcomes the NSF site visitors in April 2002.

Has the opportunity to work with Cynthia Lanius of Rice University and now of the Math Forum on math tools and games for children

Wins first Richard Tapia Award for Scientific Scholarship, Civic Science, and Diversifying Science (October 2001)

Bryant named one of Top 50 Blacks in Technology by the editors of blackmoney.com (August 2001)

Collaborates as an affiliate member of the LIFE Center, an NSF Sciences of Learning Center headed by Johns Bransford (UW), Nora Sabelli (SRI), and Roy Pea (Stanford) (2003)

Bryant meets and works with Scot Osterweil formerly of TERC and now at the MIT Center for Media Studies, who is co-creator of Logical Journey of the Zoombinis

Letter to Project Head Start students in Beaumaont, TX, January 2004.

Serves as expert consultant to NSF on Broadening Participation in Computing(2004) at request of Peter Freeman

The passing of Ronnie Janey (2004)

Bryant gives presentations on the ZGame System at the LIFE Center (an NSF Sciences of Learning Center situated at the University of Washington, Stanford University and Stanford Research Institute, November 2004

Bryant delivers "Saxena Invited lecture", April 2005

Bryant gives proposal writing workshop at Texas A&M University (Sept 2005, 2006)

Bryant gives presentation on Clifford Algebra Neural Networks and Chaotic Times Series (October 2005)

Bryant delivers President's Breakfast Lecture for the city fathers of Rochester, NY at Rochester Institute of Technology, August 2005

Billy York dies June 26, 2005 of complications due to diabetes at age 67

Has the opportunity to meet Warren Washington, head of the National Science Board (2005)

Bryant named one of 100 most important Blacks in Technology by the editors of US Black Engineer and Technology Magazine (2006)

Elected to the CRA Board for a three year term (2006 - 2009)

Gave (belated) Black History Month presentation to Intel Minority Employees Association Hillsboro, OR (March 2006)

Bryant named to Fulbright Senior Specialist status (May 2006).

Elected Chair of Section T Information, Computing, and Communications of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2006

Chair, Coalition to Diversify Computing (CDC) for 2006 - 2007. CDC has been generously supported over the years by the ACM, CRA, and IEEE-CS, led by John White, Andy Bernat and Gerry Engel (2005)

The CDC executive committee has benefited from volunteers, Barbara Simons, Gerald Engel, Elaine Weyuker, Phil Bernstein, Maria Klawe, John Fernandez, Sandra Johnson, Jan Cuny, and many others over the years.

Nominated for a Presidential Award for Science, Mathematics, and Enginering Mentoring (2006)
Has mentored over 60 grade school students, high school students, undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty of all races and from many countries.

Is divorced from Diane Palermo (November 2006)

A proposal idea whose time had come (January 2007)

Begins to learn Mandarin (January 2005)

Bryant meets Lu Yu Mei (March 2005)

Bryant gives lecture to undergraduates at Fuzhou University , April 6, 2005

Bryant visits Shanghai, Suzhou, Beijing, Xi'an and Fuzhou in China (Mar-Apr 2005)
Sees Terra Cotta Warriors, Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, ... Gives talks at Tsinghua University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Northwest Polytechnical University - Xi'an, Fuzhou University

Visits Shanghai, Fuzhou, Wuyishan, Xiamen, and Gulangyu in China (June 2005)

60 year old Professor York goes one-on-two against two FuDa students (June 2005)

Visits Shanghai, Beijing, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Hangzhou in China (Nov 2005)

Invited to participate in first US-China Computer Science Summit in Beijing, China (May 2006)

Bryant's presentation

Meets Andy Yao and attends grand opening of the NSF Beijing Office headed by Bill Chang (May 2006)

Meets Lionel Ni (HKUST), Xingshe Zhou (NWPU), Jianguo Huang (NWPU), Xiaodong Wang (Fuzhou U), Harry Shum (MSRA), Thomas Li (IBM CRL)

Visits Shanghai, Nanjing, Fuzhou in China (Aug 2006)

Visits Shanghai, Fuzhou in China (Sep - Oct 2006)

Visits Shanghai, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Kunming, Dali, Lijiang in China(Nov-Dec 2006)

The Later Middle Years (1986 - 2006)

Click here to see The Later Years (2007 - )