Lenore Blum

Lenore Blum (PhD, MIT) is Distinguished Career Professor of Computer Science, Emerita at CMU and Visiting Chair Professor at Peking University. Lenore’s research, from her early work in model theory and differential algebra to her work in developing a theory of computation and complexity over the reals has focused on merging seemingly unrelated areas. Her book, Complexity and Real Computation, with Cucker, Shub and Smale, develops a theoretical basis for scientific computation in continuous domains akin to the Turing-based theory for discrete domains. Her current research with Manuel and Avrim Blum, inspired by theoretical computer science and advances in cognitive neuroscience, lays designs for a conscious AI.

Lenore is internationally known for her work in increasing the participation of girls and women in STEM and is proud that CMU has gender parity in its undergraduate CS program. Over the years, she has been active in the mathematics community: as President of the Association for Women in Mathematics, Vice-President of the American Mathematical Society, Chair of the Mathematics Section of the AAAS, Deputy Director of MSRI and as Inaugural President of the Association for Mathematical Consciousness Science. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Mathematical Society, the Association for Women in Mathematics and was recently elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.