David S. Touretzky

Dave Touretzky is a Research Professor in the Computer Science Department and the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition at Carnegie Mellon University. He has been actively contributing to academia for decades through his research, teaching, and advocacy work.

His primary research interests include cognitive robotics, computer science education, and computational neuroscience. He has developed significant frameworks such as Tekkotsu for mobile robots and Calypso for the Cozmo robot, which incorporate real computer vision, speech recognition, and AI capabilities. He is a principal figure in the AI for K-12 initiative, working to establish national guidelines for artificial intelligence education in primary and secondary schools.

Professor Touretzky teaches multiple courses at CMU including Cognitive Robotics, Rapid Prototyping Technologies, and Computational Models of Neural Systems. He has authored the influential book "Common Lisp: A Gentle Introduction to Symbolic Computation" which has been widely used in computer science education for decades.

He serves on the board of directors of the NIPS Foundation and has maintained a strong commitment to First Amendment issues, creating websites that discuss DMCA, DeCSS, and other free speech concerns. His work often intersects technology with policy and ethics in computing.

Outside academia, Touretzky is a commercial pilot and certified flight instructor who owns a twin-engine Piper Seneca II aircraft. He volunteers as a medical transport pilot and is an avid parrot enthusiast, living with a yellownape amazon and a cockatiel.