NEWS RELEASE

1/23/96

Gates to speak at dedication of computer science building

STANFORD -- Bill Gates, chairman and chief executive officer of Microsoft Corp., will speak at dedication ceremonies for Stanford's Gates Computer Science Building, for which he provided the lead gift, on Tuesday, Jan. 30.

The ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. outside the main entrance to the building, facing the Serra Mall. A crowd of about 1,000 people is anticipated. The ceremony is open to the community but seating will be limited. A camera platform and press seating area will be provided.

In August 1992, Gates made a $6 million gift to complete the funding for the project, which had been on the drawing boards since the mid-1980s. Gates said he chose Stanford for the gift "because I want to invest in the future of the industry, and Stanford is one of the five best computer science schools in the country, one where many fundamental breakthroughs have occurred."

Also scheduled to make remarks are Stanford President Gerhard Casper; John Freidenrich, chairman of the Board of Trustees; Jim Gibbons, dean of the School of Engineering; and computer science Professor and Chairman John Hennessy, who will take over as dean this fall.

After the dedication ceremonies, Gates will take part in an invitation-only academic symposium, "Future of Computer Science Technology," from 1:45 to 3 p.m. The symposium also will feature noted robotics researcher Raj Reddy, dean of the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University. Reddy earned his doctorate in computer science in 1966 from Stanford. Hennessy will moderate.

The symposium is closed except for invited faculty, students and guests. However, media representatives can watch the proceedings live via closed-circuit television at the auditoriums in the Skilling, Terman and Thornton buildings. Press seating will be in the Thornton venue, but reporters are welcome to view the event at any campus television.

Earlier in the day, Gates will speak on "Personal Computing and the Intra/Internet," at a private event sponsored by the Stanford Alumni Association's Professional Education department. Tickets are required.

The one-hour event is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. in Dinkelspiel Auditorium. Tickets are $33 for non-alumni, non-members; $28 for Stanford alumni and Stanford staff; $22 for members of the Stanford Alumni Association; and $5 for students. As of Monday, Jan. 22, the event was nearly sold out.

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