Colloquia Room Named for Harut Barsamian

A few days before the Thanksgiving holiday, Samueli School Dean Gregory Washington was giving thanks to Harut Barsamian at a gathering of his family, friends and colleagues.  The occasion was the ceremony to name the Colloquia Room after Barsamian, in recognition of his gift to the school, and to celebrate his 27 years of teaching at UC Irvine.

An adjunct professor of electrical engineering and computer science, Barsamian is an internationally recognized engineer in information technologies. His work has been noted by numerous scientific engineering communities, both nationally and internationally.  An IEEE Life Fellow, Barsamian has made outstanding contributions to computer architecture, dynamic microprogramming, and associative search algorithms. 

“It is a great occasion when a faculty member can give back in such an impressive way to benefit our school, faculty and students,” said Washington, at the naming ceremony on the second floor of Engineering Hall.

During Barsamian’s professional career, he worked at Raytheon, a defense and aerospace technology company, where he was one of the project leaders in the design of the first computerized air traffic control system that was later successfully applied in all US airports. He also worked as director of advanced studies at National Cash Register, where he explored the concepts of dynamic microprogramming, associative search algorithms, mathematical modeling and evolving large scale integrated technology to enhance computer performance and functionality. At Sperry Univac, Barsamian’s research department was a hub of innovation. He served as technology spokesman and was appointed co-chairman of the corporate task force on technology planning.

At UC Irvine, he brought a valuable combination of theory and practical experience, with an intimate knowledge of cutting-edge technology. Since the early 1990s, Barsamian, on a volunteer basis, has organized and conducted colloquia on advanced electronics and information technologies. These required courses were well appreciated by the graduate students in electrical engineering and computer science.

“Thank you for coming and sharing in this special sentimental moment with the dean, myself and my colleagues,” said Barsamian.” I feel very rewarded by the interesting and exciting programs I’ve been involved with at UC Irvine, including the graduate course I teach. It provides intellectual satisfaction more than anything else, and I don’t need to be paid for that.”

Barsamian added that his gift is a way to show his dedication, involvement and contributions to the university in a way future generations will be able to see and appreciate.