[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 58 (Monday, April 23, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E611-E612]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING DAVID WALTZ

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 23, 2012

  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I ask the House to consider the life of David 
L. Waltz, who died of brain cancer last month in Princeton, NJ, at age 
68. David Waltz was one of the world's leading experts and creative 
forces in computer science, and a fine example of a researcher, a 
teacher and mentor, and a life well lived. He was what we talk about 
when we talk about America's creative spirit and educational excellence 
and path-breaking industry.
  A pioneer in artificial intelligence, David produced early research 
that led to Internet search engines that we all use. He also invented 
techniques that allow designers to look at two dimensional data from 
three dimensional perspectives, and he showed how to extend those 
constraint-propagation techniques beyond visualization to optimization 
of scheduling, routing, or building. His ideas and computer techniques 
of neural networks and machine learning are eagerly applied by computer 
companies, power companies, medical researchers, and healthcare 
providers. David's advances made it possible for computers to move 
beyond laborious bit-by-bit checking and referencing to a fixed 
checklist and to begin to recognize patterns, whether applied to images 
or speech or music.
  Taught by the renowned Marvin Minsky at Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology, where David received his Bachelor's and Ph.D. degrees, he 
went on to teach at the University of Illinois and Brandeis University. 
As head of the software division of the iconic company Thinking 
Machines he produced software innovations that have long outlasted that 
computer company. A decade ago David founded the Columbia University 
Center for Computational Learning Systems, where he worked until his 
death.
  Surely more important than all the computer ideas, big and small, 
that he spawned are the many creative people he inspired, taught, and 
mentored. People who worked with him said everyone can remember a 
meeting, a conversation, or a simple thoughtful word when David changed 
one's research direction, career, or entire course of life for the 
better. In recent weeks his colleagues and students recorded their 
admiration for David and their sorrow at his death. Phrases like 
``amazing mentor'', ``mentor with unreserved support and 
encouragement'', ``amazing colleague and boss'', and ``wise and 
understanding'' appear over and over in their remembrances.
  David's colleagues called him a listener who inspired attention, 
someone who was as eager a listener as a talker, and someone who 
carried his great stature in the field gently and with genuine 
humility. He imbued his research teams with optimism by always drawing 
out merit of the work of others. And he built teamwork by sharing his 
interests in art, literature, music, and culture well beyond the 
immediate concerns of the research team. He encouraged his students and 
colleagues not to narrow their thinking; as a result the group could 
contribute as much to the treatment of epilepsy as to power grid 
blackouts. Everything was food for thought and an opportunity for an 
amusing or inventive insight.
  Probably the greatest praise for David's leadership came from women 
who have worked with him. Some credited him with providing the greatest 
opportunities for career advancement for women of anyone in the field. 
David recruited and promoted women not as a crusader for equal rights 
but because it was for him obviously the right and wise thing to do.
  The lessons that teachers, researchers, supervisors--in fact any of 
us here in this House or elsewhere--can draw from David Waltz are not 
primarily about computer science and artificial intelligence. They are 
that the greatest creativity comes from inspiring others; the greatest 
technique of team-building is listening; the greatest innovation comes 
from devoting time to others' ideas; and the greatest wisdom is 
kindness.
  I know all this to be true about David Waltz because he was a good 
friend of mine, and I personally also know he brought all of his 
wonderful qualities of uplifting and inspiring and nurturing others to 
his wonderful wife Bonnie and his two children, Jeremy and Vanessa.

[[Page E612]]



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