PITTSBURGH-As part of its centennial celebration, Carnegie Mellon University will host a day-long symposium honoring the contributions of Angel G. Jordan, emeritus university professor of electrical and computer engineering and robotics, whose illustrious career has paralleled the advance of the university for almost 50 years.

Jordan came to Carnegie Mellon (then Carnegie Institute of Technology) from Spain as a doctoral student in 1956. In the ensuing decades he made significant contributions to the university and the Pittsburgh region, serving as dean of the engineering college from 1979-83 and university provost from 1983-91. A member of the prestigious National Academy of Engineering, which advises the federal government on science and engineering policy, Jordan was instrumental in persuading the Defense Department to locate the Software Engineering Institute in Pittsburgh. He also had the vision to help create and nurture the university's Data Storage Systems Center, Robotics Institute and the Engineering Design Research Center, (predecessor to the Institute for Complex Engineered Systems), all successful, high-profile research organizations.

EVENT: "Life Time Line," celebrating the career of Angel G. Jordan and his impact on Carnegie Mellon and Pittsburgh.

WHEN: 9 a.m., Thursday, April 6.

WHERE: McConomy Auditorium in the University Center on the Carnegie Mellon campus.

Symposium speakers listed below each reflect a facet of Jordan's research interests, which focused on semiconductors, including integrated circuits and smart sensors for robotics applications, and software engineering. Today he works on advanced television systems, management of technology and studies of the computer industry.

Like Jordan, many of the speakers are members of the National Academy of Engineering.

9:20 a.m.-James D. Meindl, director, Microelectronics Research Center, Georgia Institute of Technology, speaking on "Semiconductor Technology, Carnegie Mellon and Angel Jordan."

10 a.m.-Larry A. Druffel, President and CEO, South Carolina Research Authority, (Columbia, S.C.) "The Software Engineering Institute as Catalyst for Change."

11 a.m.-Ronald Rohrer, Venture Partner, Intersouth Partners, (Palm Springs, Calif.) speaking on "From CAD through EDA to RIP."

1 p.m.-Mark Kryder, senior vice president and director of research, Seagate Technology, speaking on "Data Storage Technology from 1982 to 2010: Carnegie Mellon's Role."

1:50 p.m.-Raj Reddy, Carnegie Mellon Simon University Professor, speaking on "The Past, Present and Future of Robotics."

2:50 p.m-Samuel Fuller, vice president for research and development, Analog Devices, Inc., (Norwood, Mass.) speaking on "The Emergence and Evolution of Multiprocessor Architectures."

3:30 p.m.-Tom Murrin, dean, Duquesne University business school, "A Half-Century of Carnegie Mellon's partnership with Industry."

4:15 p.m.-Daniel P. Siewiorek, director, Human-Computer Interaction Institute, Carnegie Mellon, summary and conclusion.