UCLA Computer Science Professor Miryung Kim has been selected to be a member of the inaugural class of the ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Academy, a newly established honor recognizing individuals whose cumulative contributions have had a lasting impact on the field of software engineering.
Launched in as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of ACM SIGSOFT, the Software Engineering Academy honors researchers, educators, and practitioners whose work has helped shape the foundations and evolution of software engineering. The inaugural class includes 121 members from across the field and was previewed at the 2026 ACM Joint European Software Engineering Conference and Symposium on the Foundations of Software Engineering (FSE) in Montreal.
Kim is recognized for her contributions to data-driven software analytics, software ecosystem evolution, and data-intensive software engineering. Her research has helped advance the use of data and empirical methods to better understand how software systems and ecosystems evolve.
In addition to her research contributions, Kim has made a significant impact through mentorship and education. She has mentored eight PhD students and postdocs who are now professors, five of whom have received NSF CAREER Awards. Her record of mentorship reflects her commitment to developing the next generation of software engineering researchers and educators.
“Over fifty years, software engineering has become an indispensable pillar of science and engineering, and our community has fundamentally transformed how we live — an impact that is more profound than ever in the era of AI,” said Kim. “I am deeply honored to be part of this inaugural class of researchers whose cumulative work has defined the foundations of software engineering and its growth.”
Kim’s selection recognizes the influence of her contributions to software engineering research and education. As software continues to play an increasingly central role in science, technology, and society—and as the field undergoes rapid transformation through artificial intelligence—the Academy’s inaugural class highlights the researchers and practitioners whose work has helped establish the field over the past five decades.
More information about the ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Academy and its inaugural class is available on the ACM SIGSOFT Software Engineering Academy website.