Grosz Gives First Lecture As Dean

Sounding a note of tradition, Barbara J. Grosz, a professor of natural sciences, gave her first lecture as the permanent dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study in a crowded Radcliffe Gymnasium, yesterday.

Grosz, who is the Radcliffe Institute’s second dean since its creation in 1999, was introduced by her predecessor, University President Drew G. Faust. In her introduction, Faust expressed nostalgia for her own first lecture in which she was introduced by then University President Neil L. Rudenstine.

Grosz assumed the deanship of the Radcliffe Institute on an interim basis in July 2007 after Faust was tapped to lead the University as president. In April, Faust announced that Grosz would continue in the position permanently.

In her speech yesterday, Faust said that Grosz had been dedicated to Radcliffe for many years as dean of science.

“She has always seen Radcliffe as leading the way at Harvard, for women in science, and for interdisciplinary study,” Faust said.

Since becoming dean in April, Grosz has had less time to focus on the sciences, but she said that she is still deeply committed to continuing her research.

An expert on artificial intelligence, Grosz explained how systems should decide when to interrupt their users. She cited first responders as computer users who, because of the critical nature of their jobs, need computers to know when to interrupt them with important information.

“Interrupting at the wrong time is costly but not interrupting at the right time is also costly,” she said.

Scott D. Kominers ’09, a Mathematics concentrator and self-described economics enthusiast, said that Grosz’ studies are useful in many disciplines.

“Having computers is helpful, but they can get in the way,” he said, adding that in the economy, wasted seconds can cause thousands of dollars in losses.

Grosz said that a movement to improve systems will be led, at least in part, by those who buy them.

“It’s time for all of you to take back control,” she said. “Insist on better systems.”