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=                            John_Mashey                             =
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                            Introduction
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John R. Mashey (born 1946) is an American computer scientist and
technology executive, recognized for his contributions to computer
architecture, operating systems, and performance benchmarking, as well
as his later work in science communication. He earned a Ph.D. in
computer science from Pennsylvania State University, where he
developed the ASSIST ssembler language teaching software. At Bell
Labs, he contributed to the development of PWB/UNIX and authored the
"Mashey Shell". He later held leadership roles at Convergent
Technologies, MIPS Computer Systems, and Silicon Graphics, where he
helped design the MIPS RISC architecture and the NUMAflex modular
system. A founder of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation
(SPEC) and long-time organizer of the Hot Chips conferences, Mashey
has been credited with popularizing the concept of big data in the
1990s. In recognition of his impact on computing, he received Penn
State’s Outstanding Engineering Alumni Award and the USENIX Lifetime
Achievement Award. In retirement, Mashey became active in science
advocacy.


                             Education
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Mashey holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Pennsylvania State
University, where he developed the ASSIST assembler language teaching
software.


                               Career
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He worked on the PWB/UNIX operating system at Bell Labs from 1973 to
1983, authoring the PWB shell, also known as the "Mashey Shell". He
then moved to Silicon Valley to join Convergent Technologies, ending
as director of software. He joined MIPS Computer Systems in early
1985, managing operating systems development, and helping design the
MIPS RISC architecture, as well as specific CPUs, systems and
software. He continued similar work at Silicon Graphics (1992-2000),
contributing to the design of the NUMAflex modular computer
architecture using NUMAlink, ending as VP and chief scientist.

Mashey was one of the founders of the SPEC benchmarking group, was an
ACM National Lecturer for four years, has been guest editor for 'IEEE
Micro', and one of the long-time organizers of the Hot Chips
conferences. He chaired technical conferences on operating systems and
CPU chips, and gave public talks on software engineering, RISC design,
performance benchmarking and supercomputing. He has been credited for
being the first to spread the term and concept of big data in the
1990s. He became a consultant for venture capitalists and high-tech
companies and a trustee of the Computer History Museum in 2001.

He has written articles for the 'Skeptical Inquirer' regarding climate
change denial. In 2010, he published a 250-page critical report on the
Wegman Report. Mashey's report concluded that the Wegman Report
contained plagiarized text. This story was featured in 'USA Today',
and he was interviewed in 'Science' magazine, which stated that he was
"spending his retirement years compiling voluminous critiques of what
he calls the 'real conspiracy' to produce 'climate antiscience'." His
research has investigated the secretive funding of climate contrarian
thinktanks. Mashey blogs at DeSmogBlog, which focuses on global
warming.

Mashey became a scientific and technical consultant for the Committee
for Skeptical Inquiry in 2015. He is a consultant for Techviser, a
boutique consulting firm.


                           Personal life
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Mashey is married to Angela Hey, a Cambridge University and Waterloo
University graduate with a Ph.D. from Imperial College, London.


                         Awards and honors
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In 1997, he received Pennsylvania State University's first
[https://www.engr.psu.edu/alumni/oea/past-recipients.aspx#cse
Outstanding Engineering Alumni Award for Computer Science and
Engineering]. In 2012, he received the USENIX Lifetime Achievement
Award ("Flame Award") "for his contributions to the UNIX community
since its early days".


License
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Original Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mashey