A computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University has been named one of three winners of the Turing Award, recognized as the Nobel Prize for computing, for his pioneering work in creating an automated method for finding design errors in computer hardware and software.

Edmund M. Clarke, CMU's FORE Systems Professor of Computer Science, will share the $250,000 prize with E. Allen Emerson, a student of Dr. Clarke and collaborator at the University of Texas at Austin, and Joseph Sifakis, who worked independently on the problem at the University of Grenoble in France.

Model Checking is the most widely used technique for detecting and diagnosing errors in complex hardware and software design. It has helped to improve the reliability of complex computer chips, systems and networks. Intel and IBM, among many other companies, currently use Model Checking to avoid errors in their products.

The Turing Award, presented annually, is considered to be the most pretigious award in computing. It is named for British mathematician Alan M. Turing.

Dr. Clarke said he celebrated his award this morning with colleagues, with a reception planned this afternoon at CMU.

"It's very gratifying knowing that something I came up with 26 years ago and have been working on ever since has become a useful technique," Dr. Clarke said. "But I still would say that the first research I did on this, realizing it would be something important, was more rewarding than getting the award. Doing the research makes you feel great when you realize it will be very useful."

Dr. Clarke said he celebrated his award this morning with colleagues, with a reception planned this afternoon at CMU.

"It's very gratifying knowing that something I came up with 26 years ago and have been working on ever since has become a useful technique," Dr. Clarke said. "But I still would say that the first research I did on this, realizing it would be something important, was more rewarding than getting the award. Doing the research makes you feel great when you realize it will be very useful."

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.