Professor’s tech industry contribution recognised

The University of Queensland’s Research Computing Centre director has received a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to Australia’s information and communications technology industry.

Professor David Abramson received the 2019 Pearcey Medal at the Pearcey Foundation’s national awards dinner in Melbourne last week.

UQ Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Bronwyn Harch congratulated Professor Abramson and said the award was testament to his innovative approach.

“David has been instrumental in ensuring UQ’s research computing infrastructure is at the cutting edge of technology,” Professor Harch said.

“His work underpins important research across many areas.

“Discoveries built on this vital computing support have impact nationally and internationally.”

The Pearcey Foundation identified Professor Abramson as a world leader in the design, implementation and application of parallel and distributed computing systems including supercomputers.

Professor Abramson said winning the medal was a great honour.

“It is named after Australian ICT pioneer Dr Trevor Pearcey, someone I greatly admire,” he said.

“I never knew Dr Pearcey, but he has always been an exemplar for me of what is possible in Australia.”

The Pearcey Foundation chairman Wayne Fitzsimmons said three outstanding Australians joined the Pearcey Hall of Fame each year; the Pearcey Medal recipient is chosen based on nationwide votes from their peers.

“These are the ‘best of the best’ in our industry and our Hall of Fame is a permanent recognition of the contribution they have made to the ICT sector over many years,” Mr Fitzsimmons said.

Professor Abramson was inducted into the Pearcey Hall of Fame alongside Sonja Bernhardt OAM, technology communicator and Director and CEO of software development house ThoughtWare, and Bob Beaumont, a significant investor and supporter of Australian ICT.

The Pearcey Foundation is a non-profit organisation created in the memory of Dr Pearcey who led the project team that built one of the world's earliest digital computers, the CSIR Mark 1, later known as CSIRAC, built between 1947 and 1949.

Media: Professor David Abramson, david.abramson@uq.edu.au, 0417 375 635; UQ Communications, Shannon Lindsay, s.lindsay@uq.edu.au, 0420 524 392.