James D. Bruce

Vice President for Information Systems
Professor of Electrical Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Professor James D. Bruce is Vice President for Information Systems and Professor of Electrical Engineering in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As Vice President for Information Systems he is responsible for directing the evolution, integration, and effective use of computing and communications resources throughout MIT in support of the Institute's education and research activities, as well as for planning, management decision-making, and day-to-day operations. Prior to becoming Vice President for Information Systems in July 1986, he was Director of Information Systems. From January 1979 to June 1983, Professor Bruce was Director of Industrial Liaison, where he managed MIT's program to provide industry with efficient, timely access to MIT research and staff resources. At the end of his tenure as director, the Industrial Liaison Program provided services to some 300 companies in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Japan, and Latin America. Professor Bruce was Associate Dean of MIT's School of Engineering from July 1971 to December 1978; he served as its dean from September 1977 to July 1978. He received B.S. degrees in electrical engineering and mathematics from Lamar State College of Technology in Beaumont, Texas, and S.M. and Sc.D. degrees in electrical engineering from MIT.

Professor Bruce was instrumental in the formation of NEARnet, the regional computer network for the New England states. NEARnet became the foundation of BBN Planet's networking service. He was a founding member of the Board of Trustees of the Consortium for Scientific Computing, which operated the John von Neumann Center, one of the original National Science Foundation supercomputer facilities. There he served as a member of the Executive and Finance Committees and as the Board's vice chairman. Currently Professor Bruce is also the Program Manager for MIT's reengineering efforts, which encompass all administrative processes at the Institute. He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the American Society for Engineering Education, Tau Beta Pi, and Eta Kappa Nu.

Professor Bruce is an Elder of Park Street Church in Boston. He and his wife, Eleanor MacLaren Bruce, have three adult children. They live in Lexington, Massachusetts.