I acknowledge the following people for influencing my professional work as colleagues, teachers, or mentors:

1. Kerry Emanuel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2. Bill Freeman, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

3. Don Geman, University of Massachusetts at Amherst (now Johns Hopkins),

4. Rod Grupen, University of Massachusetts at Amherst

5. Allen Hanson, University of Massachusetts at Amherst

6. Paul Lipke, Montague, MA

7. John Marshall, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,

8. Dennis McLaughlin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

9. Joshua Mitteldorf, Philadelphia, PA

10. Robin Popplestone (late), University of Massachusetts at Amherst

11. MJS Rangachar, National Institute of Technology, Trichy

12. Alan Willsky, Massachusetts Institute of Technology