R. Benjamin Knapp honored with emeritus status
R. Benjamin Knapp, professor of computer science in the College of Engineering and founding executive director of the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT) at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the title of professor emeritus and executive director emeritus by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The emeritus title may be conferred on faculty members who are specially recommended to the board by Virginia Tech President Tim Sands in recognition of exemplary service to the university. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board receive a copy of the resolution and a certificate of appreciation.
A member of the Virginia Tech community for more than 13 years, Knapp made significant contributions to ICAT. He created and hosted the ACCelerate Festival at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, engaging more than 100,000 attendees. In addition, he helped establish a seed grant program that supported faculty and students across the university, resulting in millions of dollars of externally funded research.
He was principal investigator or co-investigator on National Science Foundation grants and on several pan-European grants and was granted 12 patents.
Knapp authored or co-authored more than 100 refereed journal articles, book chapters, conference presentations, and reviews in fields ranging from gerontechnology to human-computer interaction to music technology. Knapp co-created and performed new music and presented invited keynote presentations around the world.
Knapp served as principal investigator on a National Endowment for the Arts Research Lab, the only such lab in the history of Virginia Tech. He also advised numerous students on master's degree theses and doctoral dissertations, helping them develop successful careers in both academic and industrial settings.
Knapp received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from North Carolina State University and a master’s and doctoral degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University.
Written by Emily Southern, a senior majoring in multimedia journalism and student writer for Virginia Tech Marketing and Communications
