Timeline

Part 1: Stanford and UCLA

June 23, 1943- Cerf is born in New Haven, CT.

1965- Receives Bachelor of Science (B.S.) at Stanford, and graduates the same year.

September 1965 to June 1967- Works on Quicktran at IBM, a Fortran-based time-sharing system.

August 1969- As a Graduate Student at UCLA, joins the Network Working Group that discusses the ARPANET. He works for Leonard Kleinrock as UCLA gets the first ARPANET node in August 1969.

                                        Cerf at UCLA.

1970- Receives Master’s Degree in Computer Science.

1972- Receives Ph.D in Computer Science.

Part 2: The Internet is Born

June 1973- Cerf and Kahn give an essential seminar to networkers around the world.

May 5, 1974- A Protocol for Packet Network Intercommunication is published.

1976- Moves to IPTO in Washington, DC as program manager for networking.

1978- Split TCP into TCP and IP.

Part 3: MCI, ISOC, and Google

1982- Becomes Vice President of Digital Information Services at MCI Communication Corporation.

1983- MCI Mail is launched. It is the world’s first commercial email service.

  An example of someone checking their MCI Mail inbox in 1986.

1986- Cerf and Kahn cofound the CNRI (Corporation for National Research Initiatives). Cerf is Vice President.

1991- Cerf and Kahn found the ISOC, or Internet Society. Cerf is president of ISOC from 1992-1995.

                                  The Internet Society logo.

1995- Rejoins MCI as Senior Vice President.

1999- Serves a term as Chairman of the Board for MCI.

2002- MCI is accused of an $11 Billion fraud scandal. This triggers the downfall of MCI Mail and the entire company.

June 2003- MCI Mail is decommissioned.

2005- Joins Google as Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist. He still has this role today.

                                        Cerf at Google.

Timeline #4: Special Honors

December 1994- People Magazine identifies Cerf as one of the year’s “25 most Intriguing People.”

December 1997- Cerf and Kahn are awarded National Medal of Technology by President Bill Clinton for creating the Internet.

2004- Cerf and Kahn earn Alan M. Turing award, known as the “Nobel Prize of Computer Science.”

2005- Is awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush.

Cerf being awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom.

2006- Is inducted into Internet Hall of Fame.

Cerf at his induction ceremony in 2006.

2008- Cerf and Kahn receive Japan Prize.

2010- Receives Lifetime Webby Award.

2011- Is officially named a Stanford Engineering School “hero” for his work on the Internet.

2011- Receives Lifetime Achievement award from Oxford Internet Institute.