[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 129 (Friday, October 4, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1759]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF DANIEL JURAFSKY

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                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 3, 2002

  Mr. UDALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments 
of Daniel Jurafsky and to submit for the Record a recent article from 
the Rocky Mountain News describing these accomplishments. Dr. Jurafsky 
recently was one of twenty-four scholars chosen as MacArthur fellows, 
awards granted annually by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur 
Foundation.
  Daniel Jurafsky is an associate professor of linguistics and computer 
science at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Dr. Jurafsky focuses 
on designing computer and other systems that use everyday language to 
communicate with their users. A major part of his research is 
concentrated on identifying patterns in syntax that are relevant to the 
underlying semantic structure of communications. With the help of his 
colleagues, Dr. Jurafsky has found that by recognizing these patterns, 
computers can be more efficient and accurate in their interpretation of 
language because they can connect what is heard to what is most likely 
meant by that language.
  Every year the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation rewards 
a small group of exceptionally creative individuals by naming them 
MacArthur Fellows. The foundation gives fellowship awards to those 
individuals who are pursuing unique approaches to their fields of study 
and those taking intellectual, scientific, and cultural risks. Jonathan 
Fanton, president of the MacArthur Foundation, has said it is ``a vital 
part of the Foundation's efforts to recognize and support individuals 
who lift our spirits, illuminate human potential, and shape our 
collective future.''
  Clearly, these criteria describe the University of Colorado's 
awardee. Dr. Jurafsky's research is all about enabling better 
communications between people and computers, which is so important in 
our 21st century technology-driven lives.
  Dr. Jurafsky is an incredibly talented and dedicated individual who 
is well liked and respected by his colleagues. I am certain that the 
foundation made an excellent choice in awarding Dr. Jurafsky this 
prestigious fellowship. I am honored to represent such an exemplary 
individual.

                CU Professor Chosen for ``Genius Award''

       MacArthur Fellow to receive $500,000 to spend as he likes

       (By Bill Scanlon, Rocky Mountain News--September 25, 2002)

       One day, you're working 70 hours a week and playing the 
     drums in your spare time.
       The next day, you're awarded a half-million dollars for 
     being one of the 24 most creative and intellectually 
     brilliant scholars in the nation.
       ``I was shocked,'' University of Colorado linguistics 
     professor Daniel Jurafsky, 39, said Tuesday, after hearing 
     that he was one of 24 Americans chosen as MacArthur Fellows.
       The no-strings-attached awards are to nur-ture geniuses who 
     are ``a source of new knowledge and ideas'' and have ``the 
     courage to challenge inherited orthodoxies'' and to take 
     intellectual, scientific and cultural risks.
       For Jurafsky, that means time to pursue his passion for 
     helping computers communicate better with people--and vice 
     versa.
       No-strings-attached means he could use some of the money to 
     buy a hot tub for his funky century-old Boulder house, or to 
     buy a Corvette or Jaguar.
       ``No, that's not my style,'' Jurafsky said Tuesday. ``If it 
     doesn't involve work or music, I'm not interested. And I have 
     a nice old set of drums--Ludwig.''
       It's a good thing Jurafsky likes to travel, because 
     otherwise he'd have a tough time deciding how to spend the 
     half-million dollars.
       ``I may spend some of it on research expenses or to help 
     pay for graduate students or postdocs,'' Jurafsky said. ``If 
     the department said, ``If only we had a big computer,' maybe 
     I could buy them one. But really, computers are so 
     inexpensive now. And unlike the sciences, we in the 
     humanities don't have big expenses for equipment.''
       The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has been 
     presenting the awards since 1981--to 635 scholars in all. The 
     board searches for extraordinary originality, dedication, 
     self-direction, exceptional creativity and promise for 
     important future advances.
       Linguistics chairwoman Barbara Fox said the MacArthur 
     Fellow award is perfect for Jurafsky.
       ``He's brilliant and creative and wonderfully unique. He's 
     generous and kind and a wonderful person.''
       Fox said Jurafsky ``makes the department a community. He 
     knows how to get people to work with others.''
       Part of the mystique of the MacArthur awards is that the 
     nomination process is secret--the winners are caught 
     completely by surprise.
       ``They call you up,'' Jurafsky said. ``They say, `Sit 
     down.' They ask you if you're alone.'' After he heard on 
     Friday, they told him he'd have to keep it to himself for 
     four days. ``They told me I could tell my parents, but no one 
     else,'' said Jurafsky, who is not married.
       Jurafsky wants to improve on Google and other search 
     engines. Now, someone who wants to know who shot Abraham 
     Lincoln can type in ``Lincoln'' and ``assassination,'' and 
     get back references to 1,000 Web sites.
       ``But suppose you want to ask an entire question and get 
     back one short answer?'' Jurasksy said. ``You type in, `Who 
     assassinated Abraham Lincoln,' and you get back, `It was 
     Booth.' ''
       He's on sabbatical this year, but starting in January 
     Jurafsky will teach an introductory course in linguistics and 
     a graduate course in psycholinguistics.
       When he's not jamming with some of his fellow scholars and 
     jazz lovers, you can sometimes see him in the chorus at CU 
     musicals. ``I'm a baritone,'' he said.
       Jurafsky's optimistic about today's students and the future 
     of the human race. ``The freshmen today know a lot more about 
     computers than most faculty,'' he said.
       ``They're completely capable of carrying on five instant-
     messaging conversations while doing their homework.
       ``We do want to teach them programming, but their comfort 
     level is there. Seven years ago, incoming students were 
     afraid of computers. It's like night and day.''
       Jurafsky foresees a day when computers can assist 
     translation.
       People from around the world can communicate, typing in 
     whole sentences that the computer can instantly translate 
     ``close enough so the other person can understand it. It's 
     definitely possible.''

     

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