Faculty and Pupils Pay back Tribute to Application Engineering Pioneer Barry Boehm – USC Viterbi

Arranged by the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, the Barry W. Boehm Memorial Tribute took location at the USC Hotel, Sep. 14, to bear in mind Boehm who passed away on Aug. 20, 2022.

Boehm was 87 at the time of his dying and had served as a distinguished professor of computer science, industrial and units engineering and astronautics until finally his retirement from USC in May possibly 2022.

The memorial incorporated a myriad of anecdotes and tributes for Boehm as effectively as a amount of lectures by USC faculty on cutting-edge investigate in the subject. School customers, current PhD college students, and previous college students of Boehm have been among the the viewers. 

“His enthusiasm and passion would be skipped. His legacy would be carried on by his pupils,” said Sherry Stukes, a application systems engineer at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). 

A mild unique and passionate researcher

A pioneer in the field of software program engineering, Boehm was regarded as a light individual and passionate researcher. A prolific author, he authored far more than 900 publications, which includes his acclaimed book “Software program Engineering Economics.” He was also credited as the creator of a number of software engineering products, which include the Constructive Price tag Model (COCOMO), a program charge estimation model, and the Spiral Design.

“His research and his get the job done use to what I am doing right now.” Souti Chattopadhyay

Boehm’s job involved several influential roles in the authorities, non-earnings, and industrial industries just before he joined USC as school in 1992. His arrival led to the formation of the Heart for Software Engineering at the University, which grew to become the Center for Techniques and Software Engineering in 2006. In 1996, Boehm was elected into the Nationwide Academy of Engineering.

The memorial, which started with a welcome lunch, was opened with an introduction by Nenad Medvidović, professor and chair of the Thomas Lord Office of Pc Science. Medvidović shared how Boehm performed a big role in supporting him begin his vocation at USC.

“He was instrumental in creating confident that I received an provide,” Medvidović said. “And the relaxation is background. I have been at the division for 25 several years, 23 of which I put in in this article with him.”

A visionary who anticipated marketplace requirements

Azad Madni, a professor of astronautics, aerospace and mechanical engineering and education, explained he remembers Boehm as a visionary who expected marketplace desires and was continually lively in discovering the convergence of software methods. 

Meanwhile, other school users shared how they ongoing to teach Boehm’s work in the classroom.

“Barry is a legend in the area of software engineering,” said Chao Wang, an affiliate professor of computer system science. “I’m training the undergraduate computer software engineering class and just about every year I speak about Barry’s get the job done to the youthful era of pupils.”

In addition to anecdotes about Boehm, the memorial also integrated technological shows and lectures by USC professors who shared their exploration and talked about the latest developments in software engineering. This incorporated a presentation on minimizing friction in between cognitive bias and failures in deep mastering, among other individuals. College acknowledged how their latest do the job experienced been motivated by Boehm. 

“His investigate and his do the job utilize to what I am performing now,” explained Souti Chattopadhyay, a Intelligent Gabilan assistant professor of computer system science. “I’m standing on the shoulders of massive giants.”

A great advisor

Outside the house of his get the job done, Boehm was also remembered as a “wonderful advisor.” Through his tenure, Boehm experienced mentored around 40 doctoral pupils, like existing and past USC professors. This contains Neil Siegel, the USC IBM professor of engineering administration and former USC investigation assistant professor Raymond Madachy.

His colleagues and friends shared that he experienced a fascination for Richard Halliburton’s Book of Marvels, a collection of travel stories that influenced Boehm’s very own traveling journey, which he would normally share with many others. 

“We would send out e-mail to each other that mentioned issues like, ‘I just arrived again from chapter 37. I’m planning a vacation to chapter 42,’” Siegel explained. “He was excellent pleasurable.” 

“He modified the world for the greater.” Neil Siegel

Further than the classroom, Boehm was a staunch athlete with a competitive spirit who opened his Santa Monica household to participate in tennis with his PhD learners. 

“The second he knew I performed tennis, he invited me to engage in tennis against him,” claimed his previous PhD university student Ricardo Valerdi, now the department head of techniques and industrial engineering at the College of Arizona. “I was genuinely intimidated due to the fact now I’m participating in with my PhD advisor.”

“Barry in no way dressed tremendous contemporary, especially on the tennis courtroom,” Valerdi ongoing. “He kind of strolls all-around to the baseline and to the web. But once the ball is in perform, the gentleman is a beast.”

Following his loss of life, the Boehm loved ones established the Boehm Middle for Techniques and Software package Engineering to proceed Boehm’s legacy. The center was inaugurated in Might and will carry on to assist exploration in system and computer software progress practices as perfectly as estimation of cost for all things linked to computer software engineering and its growth.

“He altered the environment for the greater,” Siegel said. “He improved it profoundly. Just about every practitioner on the earth, the route of what they do, has been transformed by Dr. Boehm’s operate.”

Released on September 28th, 2023

Past up-to-date on September 28th, 2023