Fall 2007 Outstanding CS Alumni
The 2007 Computer Science Outstanding Alumni visited Purdue University on Friday, September 7. Recipients Eric Meyer, Nok Viravan, and Anne Schowe were honored for their exceptional professional achievements and their success in advancing world technology with the application of computer science. During their visit to Purdue they addressed the CS faculty, staff, and students. They also went on a tour of the campus, and had lunch with College of Science Dean, Jeffrey Vitter.
Eric Meyer, Chairman and COO of BeJane, Inc., the first online community and multi-media provider servicing the $50 billion women's home improvement and "do-it-yourself" marketplace. Meyer also serves on the Advisory Council of Seventymm, India’s largest movie rental service. Meyer was the founding member and served as Chief Information Officer at NetFlix for the first four years of the company's growth and helped to establish that brand as one of the industry's most successful and enduring online ventures. In addition to his entrepreneurial role with NetFlix, Meyer's resume also includes organizations such as LowerMyBills.com, KPMG LLP, Harry's Farmers Market, and Oracle. Meyer holds a Masters of Computer Science from Brown University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University (1987).
Nok Viravan serves the international community as President of the International Federation of Business and Professional Women (BPW), while at the same time holds a senior leadership position in the United Overseas Bank of Thailand—serving as Vice President, E-Business. Nok has had a varied and stellar career since receiving her PhD in Computer Science from Purdue University in May 1994. Her dissertation was entitled, Enhancing Debugging Technology, and her advisor was Professor E.H. Spafford. Viravan has served as a Special Advisor to former Deputy Prime Minister Trairong Suwannakiri, Head of Software and Language Engineering Laboratory, in addition to many senior level banking positions.
Anne Schowe graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Purdue in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree with Honors in Computer Science. From 1972 until 2000, she built a wide-ranging career in the computer industry culminating in her position as Vice President for Major Account Quality at Sun Microsystems. Anne serves on the Advisory Board of the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, the Science Women of Purdue Steering Committee and, with her husband, Tom, on the Purdue Parent’s Campaign Committee. In addition to her B.S. degree from Purdue, Anne was awarded an M.S. in Computer Science from Northwestern University in 1974, and an M.B.A. from the College of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Mn. in 1979.
CS Department Head, Aditya Mathur presented the CS Outstanding Alumni with engraved awards at a formal presentation. The department also held a reception in honor of the three honorees.