Technology plays an advantage and disadvantage role in our lives today. People nowadays were really updated with technology. They really know what is happening in the world because of the Internet, the fast growth of social medias in the world will tell you quickly what is the most trending news. They know what are the latest, even the newest phones, laptops, and different applications that suits the world today. They really know that. This means that technology was already invaded the human being. Technology is now considered as one of the most essential to people today, but upon enjoying this technology, some people didn’t even try to ask themselves where, how or who created those amazing structures that is in their mind and hands. As an Information Technology Student I should and must be aware of that so for me, we must have to still recognized and be proud of them because they furnish a huge contribution in the fields of technology without them, world will probably not what it is, up to this moment. This research paper will tell you about a computer scientist that I truly amazed with and for me he gave the most important contribution in the field of technology, it will also explain why I chose this person, what importance does he have for me, and what did I find out that I didn't know before about him.
I chose an American computer expert/scientist who is known by the title “Father of Graphics or Father of Computer Graphics”. He is Ivan E. Sutherland. Computer graphics are referring to images or designs in a computer or designs in any other devices; it helps a lot with the appearance of many products of technology. And I think without this kind of invention, people or even an Information Technology Students were not be able to appreciate technology because graphics is what makes a device alive and wonderful. Being the father of computer graphics he invented different structures of computer graphics, according to my research he is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering as well as the National Academy of Sciences that means it is all about the cleverness of Ivan Sutherland that he is a member of those organizations. Those leaderships and achievements lead him to received different amazing awards.
I believe that being a computer scientist you are not just content of only one invention so Ivan Sutherland also invented Sketchpad in 1962 that gave him the assurance to receive the Turing Award, awarded by the ASCM or the Association for Computing Machinery in 1988. Sketchpad was an advanced program that gives many forms of interaction to the computers. This sketchpad can draw different lines like horizontal and vertical lines that form into shapes and figures. Another award that he received is the Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology in 2012 for the achievements in the enlargement of computer graphics and interactive interfaces. Ivan Sutherland was a professor of different universities. He was able to teach as an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at Harvard University from year 1965 to 1968. With those years he works together with his students in the development of different computer graphics, in 1967 he work with his student named Danny Cohen to the development of Cohen-Sutherland computer graphics line clipping algorithm. And in 1968 he works with Bob Sproull of which he created the first virtual reality and augmented reality head-mounted display system named “The Sword of Damocles”. He is also Ivan Sutherland's student that time.
From 1968 to 1974, He was a professor at the University of Utah. During the development of his inventions He work with different people but actually they are all his students including Alan Kay, the inventor of the Smalltalk language, and now people already recognized him as an internet pioneer just like his former professor. Another internet pioneers named Edwin Catmull, a computer graphics scientist. And more other computer experts who had also achievements in the fields of technology and become successful person just like Ivan Sutherland.
Upon reading Ivan Sutherland’s life and achievements, I thought he is alone in life and I told myself “He may be the smartest person in the world but if he doesn’t have love ones his cleverness is useless.” But then I found out that May 28, 2006, Sutherland married Marly Ronchen. As a fruit of their love God bless them two children, Juliet and Dean and four grandchildren. And he has an elder brother named Bert Sutherland that is also a prominent computer science researcher. For me their relationship as brothers is really great because they share someone's idea and they both great in the fields of technology. Other information in the internet will convinced you to agree with me about them.
Among that information about Ivan Sutherland what am I truly interested with is his background, what kind of life he has before, how he achieved his dreams, how he became as smart as he is today and why he is known as the “Father of Computer Graphics”. According to an article I’ve read, Ivan Sutherland and his brother Bert Sutherland have been the first high school students to learn to program and they say that they are comparable to the intelligence of Bill Gates. They really are blessed with their minds and skills to the field they go through. But as humans, we have still our own weaknesses. Despite of being good in all of his subjects he had a problem about somethings. But in spite of this problem that lead to his great embarrassment he still do his best and he made it as his own motivation to achieved his goals. It is also normal to experience difficulties. One of this difficulties is a late night programming which most information technology students experienced too.
I still remember what my Daddy told me three months ago, he said that being an Information Technology Student is not only focused in just one field, he said that I must focused to everything because an Information Technology Student should be flexible. He/she must do even the work of others. And the life of Ivan Sutherland convinced me that my Daddy is right because I found out that at the age of 26, Ivan Sutherland enters army and he became First Lieutenant Ivan E. Sutherland. In addition to this he still implements him in the same field he is from which is about technology. He was assigned to the National Security Agency, and because of his cleverness about computer he realized that the involvement in computers of the government is huge that's why he still applied to it his skills about technology. Through this, he is transferred to the Advanced Research Projects Agency or ARPA who were known for many computing projects, including the Internet. I can tell the reasons why he become who he is right now and probably it is because of his willingness in doing something no matter how hard it is.
Nowadays, technology has been the center of profit, need, and interest of many people. Maybe, some are trying to be like Ivan Sutherland who wants to also develop a modern technology that will lead them into their dreams but still Ivan Sutherland have been shared a big contribution in the fields of technology in this world. When I’ve already known Ivan Sutherland I think his inventions were not that hard to accomplish because he owns a great mind but then when he is asked by this question, "How could you possibly have done the first interactive graphics program, the first non-procedural programming language, the first object oriented software system, all in one year?" He replied: "Well, I didn't know it was hard." His reply is very humble that's the reason why I chose him for this study.
Ivan Sutherland is a successful person but he is not completely become this successful without experiencing a trials. Successful persons experienced a trials too. In life, most people if they experienced a trials they think of giving up. Sometimes they lose hope and decided to just stop pursuing their dreams because they thought that they will not able to surpass it. We all now know that Ivan Sutherland is the Father of Computer Graphics he performs a huge contribution in the field of technology he invented lots of applications that helps you to appreciate a life we have right now. In addition to this contribution he also contributes in inspiring many people facing trials, just like what he experienced. His story and achievements in life gives motivation for every student like me. I'm very impressed with the faith of Ivan Sutherland, he still carry on with what he started and he made me realized that struggles is not a reason to give up but an incitement to hold even tighter. I chose Ivan Sutherland for my study because I do love his traits not only how he achieved his dreams but also his attitudes in achieving these goals. I can see a man whose fear is God, though his article didn't tell if he is a Christian or what still I can see a Christlike character to him. He shared an importance about technology to make us realized that those inventions have different story a story that can change someone's life and people would have the courage to appreciate everything in this world including these inventions of Ivan Sutherland.
In studying his life, I found out that being a computer scientist is not easy according to what has been asked to Mr. Sutherland. With his quotation "It's not an idea until you write it down." I learned that everything is done with great efforts and your willingness that you want it to happen and achieved. I am the kind of person who hates rejection so I prefer to not just do it anymore. I'm end up contented to what is there and not discover other things. Another quotation that convinced me to believe in him is "I just need to figure out how things work." Through this I've realized that I should not be afraid of rejections, because whatever happens, happens I know God is in control with what will be the outcome of our decisions. Last quotation of Ivan Sutherland that I truly want is "Knowledge is a rare thing, you gain by giving it away." In order for you to be happy, you have to share your blessings to others. Just like what this quote says. I can say that no matter how hard my life will be I know that God will never put me into this kind of situation without even achieving anything in the end. That even Ivan Sutherland who has weaknesses he still be a successful person after all and I've learned a lot to him.