Executive Summary
Saul Greenberg is a Faculty Professor in the Faculty of Science and Emeritus Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Calgary. He was inducted as an ACM Fellow in 2013 for his contributions to computer supported cooperative work and ubiquitous computing, and was also elected to the prestigious ACM CHI Academy in April 2005 for his overall contributions to the field of Human Computer Interaction. He received the Canadian Human Computer Communications Society Achievement Award in May 2007. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Research Excellence Award from the University of Calgary, and has held a University Professorship - another distinguished award from the University recognizing research excellence.
Dr. Greenberg is a prolific author with a high impact factor: Google Scholar reports over 31,000 citations to his work, with an H-index of 93.
Research Overview
While he is a computer scientist by training, the work by Saul Greenberg and his talented students typify the cross-discipline aspects of Human Computer Interaction, Computer Supported Cooperative Work, and Ubiquitous Computing. His many research contributions are bound by the common thread of situated interaction, which considers how computer technology fits within the fabric of people’s day to day activities. This includes how such technology blends naturally in the flow of people’s work practices, how people socialize and work together through technology, and how that technology fits within people’s physical environment. He and his crew are well known for various significant contributions to the field, all necessary to pursue the broad goal of situated interaction:
- Articulation of design-oriented social science theories that serve as a requirements specification;
- Innovative and seminal system designs based on observations of social phenomenon;
- Toolkits enabling rapid prototyping of innovative groupware and ubiquitous appliances, and that exploit capabilities of rich input mechanisms such as provided by multi-touch surfaces and proximity sensors;
- Refinement of evaluation methods, where a plethora of methods have been developed to help researchers and developers rapidly evaluate the systems they were building.
Education
- PhD Computer Science, 1989, The University of Calgary
- MSc Computer Science, 1984, The University of Calgary
- Diploma of Education, 1978, McGill University
- BSc Microbiology and Immunology, 1976, McGill University
Appointments and Employment
- Emeritus / Faculty Professor in Computer Science, University of Calgary (previously Full Professor).
- President, Greenberg Consulting, Inc.
- Expert consultant / witness on patent infringement / trade secret cases (various times)
- Independent consultant applying Human Computer Interaction to contract work (1989 - present)
- Course instructor in Continuing Education, University of Calgary, Many times since 1991
- Researcher (post-doctorate position), Alberta Research Council, 1988-1990
- Software designer and research assistant at various times
- Teacher for High School and Wilderness School, Montreal, 1978-1980
Publications
6 books, 51 articles in refereed journals, 137 refereed full conference papers, 36 fully refereed videos, 44 refereed short conference papers, 19 refereed or invited book chapters (excludes reprints), 9 edited journals/proceedings/video proceedings, 20 other invited publications, 25 refereed/invited workshops, 69 non-refereed publications, 43 theses, 28 independent papers produced by people under my supervision, 1 patent application (currently in process), and various software and research data releases.
Teaching and Supervision
Dr. Greenberg has taught numerous undergraduate and graduate courses in the Department of Computer Science. As an independent consultant, he has also taught external courses for continuing education and for industry. He has received a teaching award. Student evaluations consistently rate him as well above our department's norm.
Over the years, he has supervised or co-supervised postdoctoral fellows, graduate students including PhD, MSc, and Diplome candidates, interns and undergraduate students, researcher employees, and administrative assistants. He regularly participated as an advisor and/or an examiner in PhD supervisory committees, thesis defenses, candidacy examinations and PhD transfer committees.
Major Recent Grants
Dr. Greenberg holds a joint NSERC/AITF Research Chair worth $4,000,000 (Fall 2006 - ~beginning 2019). He recently held an individual NSERC Discovery Grant worth $370,000 over 5 years ($74,000 yearly), and was part of the $5,000,000 / 5 year SURFNET NSERC Strategic Network Grant. Various industries have funded his research in the past, e.g., Smart Technologies, Inc., Microsoft Research, and Intel.
Major Service Roles
Academic
- Editorial or Advisory board member for ACM Trans. Computer Human Interaction (TOCHI), International Journal of Human Computer Studies (IJHCS) and the CSCW Journal (JCSCW).
- Extensive affiliation with ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, including Papers Chair, Associate Chair of the technical papers program committee (several times), regular member of the technical papers and video review committee, member of the Doctorial Colloquium
- Extensive affiliation with ACM CSCW Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, including: Program Co-Chair (twice), Associate Chair of the technical papers program committee (several times); and Co-chair and Chair of the video program committee.
- Served on technical program committees for many other conferences
- Refereed for many well known journals related to Human Computer Interaction
Grants
- Panel member of the EPSCRC International Review of ICT in the UK (2006-2007)
- Chaired the NSERC GSC-330 Grant Selection Committee, 2002 - 2003
University
- Associate Department Head / Research and Planning, 2012 (Jul-Dec)
- Associate Department Head / Graduate Director, 2003-2006
- Co-chair, Ethics Committee Faculty of Science / Management, 1997 - 2005
- Member, myriads of other committees over time
Last updated July, 2021