Saul Amarel
Encyclopedia
Saul Amarel was professor of computer science at Rutgers University
, and best known for his pioneer work in Artificial Intelligence
. He also had a distinguished career as a scientist
, engineer
, and teacher
. He was a pioneering contributor to advanced computing and AI methodologies. Both applied to scientific inquiry as well as engineering practice.
, Greek
Jewish family in 1928. He served in the Greek Resistance
movement during World War II
as the Germans
invaded Greece. He was forced to flee with his family to Gaza
, which was then in British Palestine.
He graduated from Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in 1948 with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and worked for the Israeli Ministry of Defense before heading to the United States
. There he obtained his master’s degree in 1953 and then a doctorate in Electrical Engineering in 1955 from Columbia University
in New York
.
In 1957 he took a position at RCA Sarnoff Labs Computer Theory Group
, which he created, in New Jersey, as the Alan M. Turing Professor of Computer Science, pioneering research in the new field of AI. While serving as head of RCA's Computer Theory Research Group. In 1984, he served as Director for DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), the agency that does research and development for the United States Department of Defense
.
In 1995, he returned to Rutgers to teach, where he also continued to conduct more research work. Amarel received the Award named after Allen Newell
from the Association for Computing Machinery
(ACM) for his wide-ranging contributions to Artificial Intelligence, especially in advancing our understanding of the role of representation in problem solving, and of the theory and practice of computational planning. He became an IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Fellow.
He lived in Princeton, New Jersey
, where he died in 2002 from a heart attack following a six-year battle with cancer. This occurred just as the celebration of his retirement from Rutgers University, after more than 40 years of leadership in computer science nationally and internationally, was under preparation for December 20, 2002.
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, and best known for his pioneer work in Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
. He also had a distinguished career as a scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
, engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, and teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
. He was a pioneering contributor to advanced computing and AI methodologies. Both applied to scientific inquiry as well as engineering practice.
Biography
Amarel was born into a ThessalonikiThessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Jewish family in 1928. He served in the Greek Resistance
Greek Resistance
The Greek Resistance is the blanket term for a number of armed and unarmed groups from across the political spectrum that resisted the Axis Occupation of Greece in the period 1941–1944, during World War II.-Origins:...
movement during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as the Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
invaded Greece. He was forced to flee with his family to Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
, which was then in British Palestine.
He graduated from Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in 1948 with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and worked for the Israeli Ministry of Defense before heading to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. There he obtained his master’s degree in 1953 and then a doctorate in Electrical Engineering in 1955 from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
In 1957 he took a position at RCA Sarnoff Labs Computer Theory Group
RCA (disambiguation)
RCA may refer to:* Radio Corporation of America* RCA Records* RCA Red Seal Records* RCA/Jive Label Group* RCA clean, a process invented at Radio Corporation of America* RCA connector* RCA Dome, a football stadium in Indianapolis, USA* RCA...
, which he created, in New Jersey, as the Alan M. Turing Professor of Computer Science, pioneering research in the new field of AI. While serving as head of RCA's Computer Theory Research Group. In 1984, he served as Director for DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), the agency that does research and development for the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
.
In 1995, he returned to Rutgers to teach, where he also continued to conduct more research work. Amarel received the Award named after Allen Newell
Allen Newell
Allen Newell was a researcher in computer science and cognitive psychology at the RAND corporation and at Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science, Tepper School of Business, and Department of Psychology...
from the Association for Computing Machinery
Association for Computing Machinery
The Association for Computing Machinery is a learned society for computing. It was founded in 1947 as the world's first scientific and educational computing society. Its membership is more than 92,000 as of 2009...
(ACM) for his wide-ranging contributions to Artificial Intelligence, especially in advancing our understanding of the role of representation in problem solving, and of the theory and practice of computational planning. He became an IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Fellow.
He lived in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, where he died in 2002 from a heart attack following a six-year battle with cancer. This occurred just as the celebration of his retirement from Rutgers University, after more than 40 years of leadership in computer science nationally and internationally, was under preparation for December 20, 2002.
External links
- AI Article
- Article from Smart Computing
- Oral history interview with Saul Amarel, Charles Babbage InstituteCharles Babbage InstituteThe Charles Babbage Institute is a research center at the University of Minnesota specializing in the history of information technology, particularly the history since 1935 of digital computing, programming/software, and computer networking....
, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.