Dr. Gerald Popek has been a senior faculty member in the Computer Science Department at UCLA during most of his professional career, specializing in computer security, distributed Unix systems, file replication, and mobile computing. Among his many accomplishments, he was responsible for directing the Center for Experimental Research at UCLA and setting up one of the earliest Unix systems; and while serving on a National Defense Science Board, he helped redirect the government's networking efforts, moving the military toward Internet technology.

Jerry has been a principal investigator and one of the key leaders in research for the Laboratory for Advanced Systems Research (LASR) at UCLA.  Current efforts and successfully completed past efforts have been funded by DARPA, NSF, Intel, Microsoft and GTE in the areas of replicated and secure file systems for mobile computing.

Jerry holds positions in both the academic and commercial aspects of technology. He is currently chief technology officer at United Online, where his responsibilities include the strategic direction, development and management of the company's technology infrastructure, including oversight of the ISP service with over 4 million active users. 

An Internet pioneer and world-class technology leader, Jerry has played a key role in software development and networking for more than 20 years, including membership on the Defense Science Board that helped select the foundation for today's Internet. Before joining United Online, he was chief technology officer for CarsDirect.com where he developed and managed the company's technology and information systems infrastructure. From 1995 until mid-1999, he served as chief technology officer at Platinum Technology, Inc., a $1 billion software company. At Platinum he formulated the company's Internet strategy and launched its Internet division.

Prior to his CTO role at Platinum, Jerry was founder and chairman of Locus Computing Corporation. Locus has been one of the significant suppliers of technology and services to the Unix systems community, including Digital, SCO, Novell, Pyramid, Tandem, and others. Locus built major portions of IBM's AIX systems on its mainframe and PC hardware. It has provided the primary means in the industry by which Windows software is run on Intel Unix systems, and has built one of the leading electronic cash systems for the Internet. Jerry contributed significantly to each of these programs.

Jerry Popek received his B.S. in nuclear engineering from New York University in 1968. In 1970 he received his M.S. in applied mathematics from Harvard University, followed by a Ph.D in applied mathematics from Harvard University in 1973.