The University of Colorado at Boulder's chief technologist has won one of the highest individual awards given by a national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the use of technology in higher education.
Kenneth J. Klingenstein received the EDUCAUSE Award for Leadership in Information Technologies recognizing his achievements in identifying and advancing technology directions for the various needs of higher education.
He will be honored Nov. 6 at the organization's annual conference in Anaheim, Calif., and will receive a commemorative trophy custom-designed by Colorado artist John Haertling. As part of the award, EDUCAUSE will make a $2,000 contribution in Klingenstein's name to a scholarship supporting Native American education.
A recognized Internet pioneer in the higher education information technologies community, Klingenstein was one of the first people in the country to recognize the importance of community and school networking, according to EDUCAUSE.
He received the first National Science Foundation grant issued to systematically network a school district and create professional development opportunities for teachers. Consequently, his vision helped the Boulder Valley School District become a national leader in K-12 networking.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration awarded him another first-of-its-kind community network grant to develop the successful Boulder Community Network.
Klingenstein became CU-Boulder's director of information technology services in 1985 after a four-year tenure as director of computing services at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. In 1999, he was named CU-Boulder's chief technologist and began directing the Internet2 Middleware Initiative.
Klingenstein's work on the Middleware Initiative has drawn together a thriving community of international technical talent that could have a profound impact on how campus technology systems interact.
According to the EDUCAUSE award selection committee, Klingenstein has been especially notable for leading information technologies architects to a consensus on standards that are becoming the global reference model for Internet authentication. He is widely respected for his breadth and depth of knowledge, visionary abilities and skill in identifying and communicating problems within complex networks.
The EDUCAUSE Leadership in Information Technologies Award is part of a program that honors outstanding professionals for their achievements. Winners are chosen by the EDUCAUSE Recognition Committee, consisting of higher education technology professionals selected for their breadth of experience and understanding in their fields.
Polley Ann McClure, vice president for information technologies at Cornell University, also was recognized for excellence in leadership. Martin Ringle, chief technology officer at Reed College, was honored for leadership in the profession.
With a membership of nearly 1,900 colleges, universities, and education organizations and more than 180 corporations, EDUCAUSE is one of the pre-eminent associations addressing the complex issues of incorporating information technologies and resources into the higher education mission. The association has offices in Washington, D.C., and Boulder. For more information about EDUCAUSE, visit .