Professor Ananth Grama named Distinguished Professor of Computer Science
12-16-2024
At their last meeting, the Purdue University Board of Trustees ratified faculty appointments, approved a new degree program, resolutions of appreciation and various namings. Among the four exceptional faculty members ratified, Ananth Grama was officially appointed as Distinguished Professor of Computer Science.
This prestigious appointment recognizes Grama’s distinguished career as a researcher and educator. Throughout his tenure at Purdue Computer Science, he has made impactful contributions to the development of software systems and methodologies for resource management and the execution of complex scientific applications across a range of platforms—from small embedded controllers to large-scale cloud-powered data centers. Grama is also known for authoring widely used textbooks and materials that have become foundational references within the computing community.
Grama’s extensive accolades include serving on editorial boards for prominent journals such as Parallel Computing and IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Computing. He has been an active member of program committees for leading conferences and has chaired study sections for the National Institutes of Health, as well as review and advisory boards for the National Science Foundation and Department of Energy. A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Grama’s honors include a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, Purdue’s Faculty Scholar Award, College of Science Outstanding Teacher Award, and College of Science Distinguished Research Award. Additionally, he has been recognized as a University of Minnesota Distinguished Alumnus and received the Amazon Research Award, among other distinctions.
“Professor Ananth Grama's numerous contributions to parallel and distributed computing encompass architectures, algorithms, and software, with broad applications in data science and machine learning,” said Petros Drineas, professor and head of the Department of Computer Science.
“His dedication to research and education shapes the future of Purdue's Department of Computer Science and enhances our global reputation. We are very proud to celebrate his appointment as a Distinguished Professor of Computer Science.”
About the Department of Computer Science at Purdue University
Founded in 1962, the Department of Computer Science was created to be an innovative base of knowledge in the emerging field of computing as the first degree-awarding program in the United States. The department continues to advance the computer science industry through research. US News & Reports ranks Purdue CS #8 in computer engineering and #19 and #16 and #18 overall in undergraduate and graduate computer science, respectively. Additionally the program is ranked 6th in cybersecurity, 8th in software engineering, 13th in systems, 15th in programming languages and data analytics, and 18th in theory. Graduates of the program are able to solve complex and challenging problems in many fields. Our consistent success in an ever-changing landscape is reflected in the record undergraduate enrollment, increased faculty hiring, innovative research projects, and the creation of new academic programs. The increasing centrality of computer science in academic disciplines and society, and new research activities—centered around foundations and applications of artificial intelligence and