Conference Chair: Brent Hailpern, IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
Program Chair: Linda Northrop, Software Engineering Institute, CMU

Keynote Address ^_ Colorado Convention Center ^_ Ballroom

James Burke, Science Historian, Author, Television Host/Writer/Producer

James Burke has been called "one of the most intriguing minds in the Western world." ( Washington Post ). Thanks to satellite and cable technology, his audience is global. His influence in the field of public understanding of science and technology is acknowledged in citations by, among many others, Vice President Al Gore and Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. His work is on the curriculum of universities and schools across the United States.

In 1965 James Burke began work with BBCTV on Tomorrow's World and went on to become the BBC's chief reporter on the Apollo Moon missions. For over thirty years he has produced, directed, written and presented award-winning television series on BBC, PBS and the Learning Channel. These include historical series such as Connections (aired in 1979 it achieved the highest ever documentary audience), The Day the Universe Changed , and Connections 2 ; a one-man science series: The Burke Special ; A mini-series on the brain: The Neuron Suite ; a series on the greenhouse effect: After the Warming ; a special for the National Art Gallery on Renaissance painting: Masters of Illusion , and many others.

A best-selling author, his publications include: Tomorrow's World , Tomorrow's World II , Connections , The Day the Universe Changes , Chances , The Axemaker's Gift (with Robert Ornstein) and The Pinball Effect . Burke has also written and hosted a best-selling CD-ROM titled: Connections: A Mind .

Burke is a frequent keynote speaker on the subject of technology and social change to audiences such as NASA, MIT, Microsoft, US Government Agencies and the World Affairs Council.

He writes monthly column for Scientific American . His most recent television work is the ten-hour technology history series for the Learning Channel: Connections3 . His latest book: The Knowledge Web will be published by Simon & Schuster in Spring 1999. He is at present working on a large interactive knowledge system which he hopes to introduce to the educational curriculum in the next few years.

Burke was educated at Oxford and also holds honorary doctorates for his work in communicating science and technology.