2026 C. L. and Jane W. S. Liu Award

This award is for a graduate student(s) showing exceptional research promise early in their graduate studies, who has passed qualifying exams. Established by AVANT! Corporation in honor of Professors C. L. (Dave) Liu and Jane W-S. Liu. Dave Liu is recognized as one of computer science’s most prominent educators. As a researcher, he is best known for developing the rate-monotonic scheduling algorithm (1973), the theoretical basis of modern methods and tools for predicting the timing behavior of multi-programmed real-time systems. Jane Liu is a renowned researcher in real-time systems. In 1993, she developed PERTS (Prototyping Environment for Real-Time Systems), a commercially successful system of analysis, validation, and simulation.

Eligibility: Applicants must be graduate students that have passed their qualifying exam. Students in their first, second, or third years are preferred. The recipient must remain a student for at least one semester following the award (students graduating in May 2026 are NOT eligible; students who will be registered for courses in summer 2026 or fall 2026 are eligible).

Required Materials:

- Unofficial transcripts for your current degree program at U of I. Unofficial transcripts can be obtained for free at: https://apps.uillinois.edu/selfservice/

- Up-to-date CV or resume.

- Essay that answers the following (500 words maximum):