Feb 18, 2020

CENIC Honors David Reese for Lifetime of Creating & Developing R&E Networks in CA, the US, & Abroad

CENIC Announces Recipient of 2020 Christine Haska Distinguished Service Award

La Mirada, CA & Berkeley, CA — Feb. 18, 2020 — In recognition of his work as a pioneer, enabler, and leader in the research and education community, David Reese is being recognized posthumously with CENIC’s 2020 Christine Haska Distinguished Service Award, which honors individuals who have provided extraordinary leadership and service to the CENIC community.

Prior to his passing last fall, Reese held the position of Vice President for Regional and International Initiatives at CENIC. He had worked with CENIC since it began in 1996. In his remarkable career spanning more than three decades, he helped propel innumerable important networking projects at the regional, national, and international scale. His knowledge and understanding of how to define and run research and education networks served as a guiding light for many networks around the US and the world.

Before CENIC, Reese led the creation of the California State University system's network in the early days of the Internet. He was one of the original creators of the shared backbone network (CSUnet) used by all CSU campuses. In addition, Reese was key in bringing broadband network connections to K-12 schools in California, and he played a major role in bringing the California Community Colleges system onto the network. Reese was also integral to enabling commercial peering on a global scale and defining international exchange capabilities.

An inimitable contributor to the research and education community, Reese created a legacy that will last a long time. He had an unparalleled ability to envision the possibilities and understand the actual opportunities for community-owned fiber-optic infrastructure, and millions of people in California and beyond are better off for his work. But Reese was not only a brilliant and imaginative engineer with an astounding depth and breadth of knowledge on networks. Perhaps most importantly, he was also known for his generosity, his respect for others, and his warm and dynamic personality.

“Dave Reese contributed significantly in the development and advancement of regional, national, and international networks in support of education and research,” said CENIC President and CEO Louis Fox. “As we go forward with our commitment and passion for the work that we do, he will be remembered for his contributions and will remain an inspiration in the years ahead.”

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CENIC Christine Haska Distinguished Service Award

Established in 2018, the CENIC Christine Haska Distinguished Service Award honors individuals who have provided extraordinary leadership and service to the CENIC community and its partners. The award is named in honor of Dr. Christine Haska (1951-2017), a treasured member of the CENIC community with an exuberant personality, boundless energy, and wide-ranging interests. She brought foresight, grace, and an innovative spirit to all her work, and remains an inspiration to colleagues working in research and education institutions across the nation. Haska had a long career in higher education and in 2002 joined the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, California, where she served as vice president of information resources and chief information officer. She played a vital role in establishing both NPS and the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center as CENIC members. Retiring from NPS in 2013, Haska went on to successfully lead an initiative to connect the major health care institutions in Monterey to the CENIC network.

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The CENIC Innovations in Networking Awards are presented each year at CENIC’s annual conference to highlight exemplary people, projects, and organizations that leverage high-bandwidth networking. The CENIC conference will be held March 16 – 18, 2020, in Monterey, California. Learn more and register to attend.

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