Vic DiCiccio has been designated an Honorary Member of the University of Waterloo at the 2019 Fall Convocation for his outstanding service to the University.
Vic’s career Waterloo began in 1978, after he completed a bachelor’s degree then master’s degree in electrical engineering. During the four decades he has been at Waterloo, Vic worked tirelessly to further innovative research, foster external partnerships, and secure funding to support research, primarily in computer science and its applications.
Vic DiCiccio (second from right) and his son Paul and daughters Laura (left) and Jess (right) at his retirement party in December 2018.
Since 2001, Vic has directed the Institute for Computer Research, an organization whose mission is to promote industrial interactions and enhance research environments. He has expanded ICR beyond its initial focus on researchers in the Faculties of Mathematics and Engineering, to promote and forge partnerships across all faculties at the University of Waterloo. He has conceptualized and written many multipartner grants and industry agreements, and has promoted and expanded participation of Waterloo researchers in provincial and national research networks.
University of Waterloo President Feridun Hamdullahpur presents Vic DiCiccio with an Honorary Member of the University certificate at the Fall 2019 Convocation.
“Vic has been at the centre of so many large-scale interactions between researchers and industry that simply would not have come to be without his initiation, encouragement and mentorship,” said Mark Giesbrecht, Director of the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science.
“His efforts, connections and grantsmanship have secured millions of dollars in research support, and many now-prominent Waterloo researchers credit him with helping them launch successful careers through the research support he secured and the projects he helped initiate. We are extremely pleased that Vic’s extensive record of public service, public policy development, and his tireless service to the University of Waterloo and wider academic community have been recognized.”
About Vic DiCiccio
Vic received his bachelor’s (1976) and master’s (1979) degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Waterloo. He started as Manager of the Institute of Computer Research in 1981 and became its Director in 2001. Vic developed ICR into a focus for large-scale interactions between Waterloo researchers and industry in the area of computing. These collaborations brought in millions of dollars in research support from both industry and government alike, fostering countless innovative projects and helping to launch many research careers.
