Happy 90th Birthday to Founding Chair Jack Minker

In his first email to the department since being named interim chair of Computer Science on July 3rd, 2017, Professor Larry Davis sent the following email celebrating Emeritus Professor Jack Minker:

"Congratulations to Professor Emeritus  Jack Minker on celebrating his 90th birthday tomorrow, July 4.  Jack joined the University of Maryland in 1971 and was the founding chair (1974) of our department. Through his hard work both as chair, and as a pioneer in the logical foundations of artificial intelligence, he set the high standards that we have all strived to maintain for nearly 50 years.  Jack generously endowed the first Professorship in the department and has relentlessly worked on human rights issues during his career.  Jack has stressed the importance of working towards a diverse environment throughout his career.  He has been a source of inspiration and guidance (not necessarily requested, in my case, but always delivered and on the mark!) for all of us.

Congratulations Jack on reaching 90 in good health and high energy, and we all hope you have many more."

Minker sent an email to the department thanking Davis for his good wishes, and adding that he was originally invited to visit Maryland in 1967 and was offered a position in 1968. Of his time at the university, Minker said, " I came to Maryland as a visitor in 1967, was offered a position in 1968 and stayed. It is the best decision I have made in my career."

Minker was born on July 4, 1927 in Brooklyn, New York. He received his BA from Brooklyn College in 1949, MA from the University of Wisconsin in 1950, and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1959. He started his career in industry in 1951, working at the Bell Aircraft Corporation, RCA, and the Auerbach Corporation. He joined the University of Maryland in 1967, becoming Professor of Computer Science in 1971 and the first chair of the department in 1974. He became Professor Emeritus in 1998.

Best wishes to Professor Emeritus Jack Minker, and here is to many more years being associated with the University of Maryland.