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June 18, 2002--Matthew Huenerfauth, a 2001 graduate of the University of Delaware, was honored during a ceremony for George J. Mitchell Scholars held May 29 in Dublin, Ireland.
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| Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern presents a Mitchell Scholar ring to Matthew Huenerfauth. |
Huenerfauth, who is studying for a master’s degree in computer science at University College Dublin, was one of 12 students to receive a Mitchell Scholar ring from Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern.
The Mitchell Scholarships are awarded to American students who have demonstrated the highest standards of academic excellence, leadership and community service. The scholarships are administered by the U.S.-Ireland Alliance, which is based in Washington, D.C.
Huenerfauth graduated from UD with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science, focusing on natural language processing and artificial intelligence. His 4.0 grade point average made him one of three top graduates recognized at 2001 Commencement ceremonies.
Huenerfauth said the focus of his master’s degree work in Ireland is the interaction between humans and computers.
“I’ve had a wonderful time in Ireland. I’ve made some great friends among the other Mitchell Scholars and the Irish students I’ve met,” he said.
While attending University College Dublin as a Mitchell Scholar, Huenerfauth also had the opportunity to spend about two months traveling throughout Europe, which has helped him gain international perspective allowing him to think beyond U.S. borders, he said.
This summer at the American Association of Artificial Intelligence conference, Huenerfauth will be presenting his thesis on designing computer programs and websites that could be used by persons who are fully or partially illiterate.
He will begin working towards his Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania this fall, with the help of a grant he received from the National Science Foundation during his senior year at UD.
Article by Tracy Ortiz
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