Geoffrey E. Hinton named first recipient of the $100,000 David E. Rumelhart Prize for analysis of human cognition

PITTSBURGH--The Glushko-Samuelson Foundation and the Cognitive Science Society have announced that Geoffrey E. Hinton is the first recipient of the David E. Rumelhart Prize for contemporary contributions to the formal analysis of human cognition.

Hinton, the director of the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit at University College, London, was chosen from a large field of outstanding nominees because of his seminal contributions to the understanding of neural networks.

"Hinton's insights into the analysis of neural networks played a central role in launching the field in the mid-1980s," said Psychology Professor James McClelland of Carnegie Mellon University, who chairs the prize selection committee.

"Geoff also played a major role in conveying the relevance of neural networks to higher-level cognition." Lawrence Barsalou, a professor at Emory University and president of the Cognitive Science Society, agreed. "Hinton's contributions to cognitive science have been pivotal. As the first recipient he sets a great example for future awards."

Hinton will receive the prize, which includes a monetary award of $100,000, at the annual meeting of the Society in Edinburgh, Scotland, in early August, 2001.

The Rumelhart prize acknowledges intellectual generosity and effective mentoring as well as scientific insight. "Dave Rumelhart gave away many scientific ideas, and made important contributions to the work of many of his students and co-workers" said Robert J. Glushko, president of the Glushko-Samuelson foundation.

"Hinton stands out not only for his own contributions but for his exemplary record in mentoring young scientists," he added Eighteen graduate students have received their doctoral degrees under Hinton's supervision.

In conjunction with naming Hinton as the first recipient of the David E. Rumelhart Prize, the Glushko-Samuelson foundation announced that the prize will be awarded on an annual basis, instead of biennially.

"This change reflects the number of outstanding scientists who were nominated for the award," noted Glushko. "I am pleased that my foundation can play a role in honoring their contributions to cognitive science." The second recipient of the prize will be announced at the Edinburgh meeting of the society, and will give the prize lecture at the next annual meeting, which will be at George Mason University in August, 2002.

For further information, please visit the David E. Rumelhart Prize web site:

http://www.cnbc.cmu.edu/derprize/DerPrize2001.html

or contact:

Robert J. Glushko, 415-644-8731
James L. McClelland, 412-268-3157