The Exponent - Purdue's Student Newspaper

One of the most recognized leaders in the field of computing said trying to extract useful information from the Internet is like trying to sip from a fire hose.

Making this observation, however, has not dissuaded Eugene Spafford from spending a lifetime trying.

"I'm intrigued by the problem," said Spafford, professor of computer sciences and electrical and computer engineering. "I think there is incredible potential there; it's an interesting challenge."

The professor, dubbed "Spaf" in the seventh grade, has served on the University's faculty since 1987. He is internationally known for his work in information security and ethics. Although he has been approached with opportunities to work at other institutions, he said he chooses to stay at Purdue because he's had consistent support to do things that haven't been done before.

One of those things, he said, was developing the Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security, a program that was the first of its kind, of which Spafford serves as executive director.

"I found colleagues and students who were excited about being a part of it, so as long as there's an attitude and a willingness to support trying new things, it could bear great results," he said. "It would be very hard to give that up."

But there are obstacles in his profession, he said.

Spafford suffers from arthritis and repetitive stress injury in his hands, which are aggravated by more than 35 years of typing and coding.

These handicaps prevent him from writing for journals and magazines as much as he would like, as well as driving long distances and riding his bicycle, which he likes to do in his free time.

Part of being one of the world's most senior advisers in computing, however, is not having a lot of free time.

"The biggest challenge I have is simply finding enough hours in the day to do all the things I want to do and all of the things I have to do," he said. "After teaching, traveling, running the center and keeping up with family and friends, there's not a lot of time left over for hobbies, sleep or pursuing some new initiatives."

Aside from bringing qualified people into the field of computing, he said one of his initiatives is persuading people who already work in the field to pay attention to more than just the computer.

"It's important to think about people and communication," he said. "There are issues that don't get solved with programs or mathematics; the field is beginning to change to recognize that, but it's got a ways to go."

Spafford said he tries to live his life by Mark Twain's quote, "Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest," which is on display above his computer where he can always see it.

"I have found that doing the right thing sometimes is difficult but in the long run feels better," he said. "Sometimes it's its own reward."

He said he has discovered, over time, three things that are worth recounting.

"Individuals can make a difference," he said. "It isn't always possible to know where you're going to go or what you're going to do or where something you do is going to have an effect."

It also pays to try new things, he said.

"Some people seem very daring and some people seem very lucky, but you can make a lot of luck by actually thinking a little bit and then trying things."

But promoting his students and colleagues, he said, has brought him the most reward.

"Promoting the rest, when possible, makes everyone look better; it's a concept that isn't always well-understood in business or personal relationships, but it's something I've always observed," he said.

One of his colleagues, Mikhail Atallah, professor of computer science, said Spafford is a scholar, leader and humorist.

"We met shortly after he was hired," Atallah said. "We immediately realized we had a lot in common; a mutually reassuring realization in some ways, scary in other ways."

He said it has been a privilege and an honor to have Spafford as a colleague and a friend all these years.