Association for Computing Machinery

The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) is an international learned society for computing founded on September 15, 1947, and headquartered in New York City. It is a non-profit group that brings together students and professionals who are interested in computers and technology.

With nearly 110,000 members, the ACM works to support learning and sharing in the field of computer science and informatics. It publishes important research papers, organizes conferences, and offers awards to recognize outstanding achievements in computing.

The ACM’s motto, “Advancing Computing as a Science & Profession,” shows its goal to help make computing a respected and growing field. It plays a big role in shaping how we understand and use technology today.

History

In 1947, a group of people who were interested in computers sent out a notice. They believed there was a need for a group where people who worked with computers could share ideas and learn from each other. This group included experts from different places like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Raytheon Manufacturing Co., and Bureau of Standards.

The group officially started the Association for Computing Machinery on September 15, 1947. At first, it was called the Eastern Association for Computing Machinery, but the next year it was changed to its current name. Over time, the group has grown to include many people who are interested in computers and technology.

Activities

The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) has many local groups called chapters and special interest groups, known as SIGs. These groups host important meetings and publish journals about different areas of computer science.

Some famous groups, like SIGGRAPH, SIGDA, SIGPLAN, SIGCSE, and SIGCOMM, organize big events where experts share their ideas. The ACM also supports fun competitions, such as the worldwide ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest, and even helped organize a famous chess match between a player and a super-smart computer.

Services

The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) shares many useful things for people who study and work with computers. It publishes over 50 journals and two magazines for computer experts. One journal is the Journal of the ACM, which is very important in the field. The magazines are Communications of the ACM, also called Communications or CACM, and Queue.

ACM also has other publications, like ACM XRDS, a popular magazine for students, and ACM Interactions, which looks at how people use technology. There are many other journals on different topics in computer science.

The ACM has an online service called the ACM Portal. It includes the ACM Digital Library, which has all the articles, magazines, and conference papers the ACM has published since the 1950s. The Digital Library also has a guide to computing literature with over one million entries. In 2022, ACM made its publications from 1951 to 2000 free to read to celebrate its 75th anniversary. The ACM is working toward making all its publications open access by 2026.

Membership grades

Main category: Members of the Association for Computing Machinery

The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) offers different levels of membership to recognize people who have been members for many years and have done excellent work in computing. These levels help highlight those who stand out for their achievements.

Fellows

Main article: ACM Fellow

For a more comprehensive list, see List of fellows of the Association for Computing Machinery.

The ACM Fellows Program started in 1993 to honor members who have made important contributions to computer science and technology. As of 2020, there were 1,310 Fellows among about 100,000 members.

Distinguished Members

For a more comprehensive list, see List of distinguished members of the Association for Computing Machinery.

In 2006, ACM introduced a new group called Distinguished Members. These include Distinguished Engineers, Distinguished Scientists, and Distinguished Educators. They must have at least 15 years of professional experience and 5 years of continuous membership in ACM, and they must have made a big impact on the computing field.

Senior Members

Also in 2006, ACM began recognizing Senior Members. These are members with at least 10 years of professional experience and 5 years of continuous membership who have shown leadership and made important contributions. They also need three letters of support.

Professional Members

Professional Membership is for people who have:

1. A Bachelor’s degree (in any subject),
2. Or, a similar level of education,
3. Or, two years of full-time work in the IT field.

Professional members are the main group of non-student members in ACM.

Student Members

ACM also offers membership to students studying computing-related subjects. Student members pay less and get help with their learning.

Distinguished Speakers

Although not a membership level, ACM also has Distinguished Speakers. These are experts in computer science chosen to speak for three years. There are about 125 Distinguished Speakers, and they come from schools, companies, and governments. They share their knowledge on different topics in computing. This program has existed for over 20 years and helps bring experts to talk about their expertise.

Code of Ethics

The ACM has a special set of rules called the Code of Ethics to help computer experts make good choices. In 2018, they updated these rules to include new ideas from artificial intelligence and Big Data. The rules talk about being good to people, not hurting others, being honest, treating everyone fairly, respecting others' work, keeping private information safe, and keeping secrets unless they need to tell someone about a problem.

The rules start with seven big ideas: help society, don’t cause harm, be honest, be fair, respect others’ creations, protect privacy, and keep secrets safe. These ideas guide computer experts in making decisions that are good for everyone.

Chapters

The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) has three types of groups: Special Interest Groups, Professional Chapters, and Student Chapters. These groups help members share ideas and learn together.

As of 2022, ACM had professional and Special Interest Groups in 56 countries, and student chapters in 41 countries.

Main category: Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Groups

Conferences

Main category: Association for Computing Machinery conferences

The ACM and its Special Interest Groups organize many conferences around the world. These conferences are important places for sharing new ideas in computing. Each year, many people come to these events to learn and talk about their work.

For example, a big conference in 2007 had around 30,000 visitors. Some conferences are also held by student groups, which helps students learn from each other. The ACM also works with other groups to support women in computing through special events. There are many other computer science conferences too.

Awards

The ACM gives out many awards for great work in computer science and information technology. These awards recognize people who have made important contributions to the field.

Many of the ACM's Special Interest Groups also give out their own awards to honor individuals who have done excellent work in their areas of focus. Some of these awards are listed below.

Leadership

The Association for Computing Machinery is led by a group called the Council. The current President is Yannis Ioannidis, who has been in this role since 2022. The Council includes the president, vice-president, treasurer, past president, and several other leaders who help guide the organization.

Infrastructure

The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) has many groups that help it run smoothly. These include the ACM Council, ACM Executive Committee, Digital Library Board, and Education Board.

Other important groups are the Practitioner Board, Publications Board, SIG Governing Board, ACM Technology Policy Council, and ACM Representatives to Other Organizations. The ACM also works closely with the Computer Science Teachers Association.

ACM Council on Women in Computing

Main article: ACM Council on Women in Computing

The ACM Council on Women in Computing, known as ACM-W, works to support and celebrate women who are involved in computing. It helps women take part in computing activities around the world through special events, student groups, and scholarships. ACM-W works with groups like the Anita Borg Institute, the National Center for Women & Information Technology, and the Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research. Every year, ACM-W gives out the Athena Lecturer Award to honor women who have done important research in computer science. This award started in 2006.

Partner organizations

The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) works closely with the IEEE Computer Society, a large group within the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. While the IEEE focuses more on building computer hardware and setting standards, it shares many goals with ACM. Together, they organize conferences, publish important papers, and give out awards. Two big awards in computer science, the Eckert–Mauchly Award and the Ken Kennedy Award, are given by both ACM and the IEEE Computer Society.

ACM also teams up with other groups, such as the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, to hold events and share ideas.

Criticism

In December 2019, the ACM joined with many other publishers to write a letter to President Donald Trump. They were worried that a plan to share research online right after it was published might cost more money or make things harder for people who do research. This plan was just a rumor, and it wasn’t clear where it came from. Many members of the ACM didn’t agree with the letter, so the ACM later said they still supported sharing research freely and wanted to talk more with people about the idea. Not everyone was happy with how the ACM handled this situation.