During my years as USACM Chair and ACM President I worked effectively with a wide range of constituencies to develop thoughtful solutions to emerging policy issues. I know how to work with volunteers, develop consensus, and build coalitions.

I have been using the Internet and its predecessor, D/ARPANet, since the late '70s, when I was a graduate student in computer science at U.C. Berkeley, from which I received a Ph.D. in computer science in 1981 after solving a major open problem.

ICANN responsibilities

I have been involved in the ICANN policy arena for some time. As President of ACM and together with Kathryn Kleiman and Randy Bush, I created ACM’s Internet Governance Project (ACM-IGP) in early 1999. The goal was to bring ACM’s traditional concerns for technology, public policy, and democratic process into the ICANN arena.

ACM-IGP has played a pivotal role in ICANN since its formation. At the ICANN Berlin Meeting (May 1999), ACM-IGP was instrumental in organizing ICANN’s Noncommercial Constituency and dedicating its mission to protecting noncommercial activity. At the Santiago Meeting in August, ACM-IGP stopped the draft version of the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy until revisions were adopted (many drafted by ACM-IGP) that provide protection for noncommercial, individual and small business domain name holders.

As ACM Past-President, I am a member of the ACM Executive Committee and work closely with ACM’s Internet Governance Project, which until recently held seats on ICANN’s Noncommercial Constituency and the DNSO Names Council. I have no investment of which I am aware in any ICANN-related business. I have not served in any ICANN position.

On the President's encryption committee, I urged the relaxation of export controls and the availability of better tools to protect online privacy and security. I have written and spoken of the need to increase the security of the Internet, both by encouraging the use of robust software and technology and by discouraging widespread surveillance and monitoring.

I have worked with a broad range of organizations in the educational and scientific community in my role of Secretary of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents. My policy and technical work has been recognized by The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), c|net, Science Magazine, Open Computing, the Computer Science Department of U.C. Berkeley, ACM, IBM, EFF, and CPSR.

As ACM President I established new methods to increase member participation. As a member of the ICANN Board, I shall be accessible and responsive to the interests and concerns of the at-large membership. I shall create an advisory group of experts in technology, policy, economics, and the law. I shall work to build a decision-making process that is open and inclusive.

The current domain name system was devised before the development of commerce on the Internet. It is appropriate for ICANN to consider alternatives to the current domain name system and to evaluate whether or not alternatives are desirable and feasible. I support a study for evaluating the UDRP decision making process.

It is crucial that the ICANN Board have voices defending the interests of the Internet and of society as a whole. I have a history of working to defend such interests.

I helped formulate and support the charter of the ACM-IGC, which calls for involvement “… when the needs and/or rights of public constituencies, small players, or individuals may be at risk due to technology or technology policy. In particular, the ACM-IGC supports the principles expressed in Vint Cerf's Internet draft, ‘The Internet is for Everyone.’”

Personal homepage: http://barbara.simons.org