Dr. Ken Ford
Founder and CEO, Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition
Dr. Ken Ford served as a faculty member in the UWF Department of Computer Science before founding IHMC. He is the author of six books and hundreds of articles. His honors include the 2008 Robert S. Englemore Memorial Award for his work in artificial intelligence and the 2015 Distinguished Service Award from the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence.
What do your responsibilities at IHMC entail?
I have the privilege of leading a great team of researchers and staff at IHMC as we explore new ways that science and technology can amplify and extend human cognition, perception, locomotion and resilience. This involves staying abreast of emerging areas of science, medicine and technology as well as continually building collaborations that promote IHMC on a national and international level. It’s an ongoing challenge and one that I enjoy. Every day brings new challenges, ideas and opportunities.
You have served on numerous boards, committees, councils and the sort. Which one stands out for what it accomplished and what were those accomplishments?
Two that stand out include service on the National Science Board and serving as chair of the NASA Advisory Council. The National Science Board is the governing board of the National Science Foundation and plays an important role in advising the president and congress on science policy issues. In 2007, I became a member of the NASA Advisory Council and in 2008 was named as chairman, a capacity in which I served until October 2011.
What do you most remember about your years at UWF as a student and professor?
I have many fond memories of UWF as a gutsy student-oriented University willing to encourage and support interdisciplinary perspectives to teaching and research, well before it was trendy. Of course, I made many lifetime friends among faculty, staff and students during my many years as a professor.