Dr. Jeff Gray, a Distinguished University Professor in the department of computer science and director of the Randall Research Scholars Program in the Honors College at The University of Alabama, has been awarded 嘿嘿视频鈥檚 McMahon-Pleiad Prize.
The McMahon-Pleiad Prize recognizes a member of the UA System faculty or staff who has made significant contributions through teaching, research and service in alignment with the UA System鈥檚 missions, values and core principles.
鈥淚t is an honor to receive this year鈥檚 McMahon-Pleiad Prize,鈥� said Gray. 鈥淭he prize鈥檚 support of UA System faculty is special for me because I started as a faculty member at the University of Alabama at Birmingham before moving to UA, while collaborating with several University of Alabama in Huntsville faculty on various projects along the way.鈥�
Gray鈥檚 research interests are in the areas of software engineering, computer science education, programming languages, and human-computer interaction 鈥� with a specific interest in opportunities to support interdisciplinary research. Throughout his career, he has mentored students ranging from high school to doctoral-level students. Gray鈥檚 research has been supported by government and private entities, including the National Science Foundation, U.S. Air Force, and Google, among others.
While at UAB, Gray received an NSF CAREER award, one of the nation鈥檚 most prestigious recognitions of top-performing young scientists in disciplines ranging from nanoscience and engineering to biological sciences. In 2008, he was named the Alabama Professor of Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
The McMahon-Pleiad Prize honors Trustee Emeritus John J. McMahon Jr. and recognizes his family鈥檚 contributions to the UA System and the state of Alabama, including a generous gift that funds the prize. The honoree receives a $75,000 award, half of which is earmarked to further the recipient鈥檚 contributions through teaching, research or service.
Gray plans to use part of the funds to support K-12 outreach programs supported by the College of Engineering.
鈥淎s a first-generation college student from a small town in West Virginia, I benefited from mentors who provided experiences that introduced me to the pathway that I eventually selected for a career,鈥� said Gray. 鈥淢y goal in offering K-12 events to Alabama students is the hope that some student who is unaware of their potential and interest in STEM-focused fields might discover and develop the passion that leads them on their own journey.鈥�
Gray serves as chair of the Governor鈥檚 Advisory Council for Computer Science. The group aims to create high-quality academic K-12 computer science standards to guide the implementation of courses and allocate funding to enable all schools to offer computer science through the professional development of teachers. He is also the co-chair of the College Board鈥檚 AP Computer Science Principles development committee and editor-in-chief of the 鈥淛ournal of Software and Systems Modeling,鈥� one of the top journals in software engineering.
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