Ricardo Baeza-Yates receives international recognition for his pioneering contributions to computer science
The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) awarded the IMFD researcher the 2025 Luiz André Barroso Award, recognizing his pioneering contributions to algorithms and information retrieval, as well as his leadership in the development of computing in Latin America.
Ricardo Baeza-Yates, a professor in the Department of Computer Science at the Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (FCFM) of the University of Chile and a senior researcher at the Millennium Institute Foundational Research on Data IMFD), has received a new and significant recognition for his scientific career. The award is the 2025 Luiz André Barroso Prize, presented by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) —the world’s leading organization in computer science—and Google. The prize recognizes his pioneering contributions to algorithms and information retrieval, as well as his leadership in fostering an active transnational research community in Latin America.
The ACM Luiz André Barroso Award recognizes researchers from historically underrepresented communities who have made fundamental contributions to computer science. The award is named after a Brazilian computer engineer who pioneered the design of the modern data center. Barroso, who grew up in Brazil, was a staunch advocate for equal opportunities for all.
“Luiz André Barroso was one of the pioneers of cloud computing at Google, who sadly passed away far too soon due to a terminal illness. It is therefore an honor to receive an award named after a world-class Brazilian researcher,” the scholar said.
Regarding the present and future of the field in the region, Baeza-Yates noted that one of the main challenges remains structural inequality among countries. “In Latin America, some nations are advancing much faster than others, which widens the digital divide. The same is true for artificial intelligence, but at an even faster pace. I hope the region does not replicate models focused solely on financial gain, but rather promotes social well-being and regulates the use of artificial intelligence with its own approaches,” he said.
Pioneering Contributions to Computer Science
Researcher Ricardo Baeza-Yates is considered one of the world’s leading researchers in information retrieval, particularly renowned for developing innovative data structures that have shaped this field. His work has produced influential algorithms for text string search and fuzzy matching, including the well-known Shift-Or algorithm. Throughout his prolific career, he has published more than 500 highly cited articles and co-authored several books. His book *Modern Information Retrieval*, co-authored with Berthier Ribeiro-Neto, remains the most widely used and authoritative reference in the discipline.
He is also recognized for the key role he has played in strengthening the computing community in Latin America. Over the past decade, he has focused his work on responsible artificial intelligence, serving as one of the principal authors of the ACM Principles for Responsible Algorithmic Systems, published in October 2022. He currently serves on various technology policy committees, including those of ACM, IEEE, the OECD, and the World Economic Forum.
“It is fitting that an ACM award named after Luiz Barroso, a distinguished Brazilian computer scientist, be presented this year to Ricardo Baeza-Yates, a leading Chilean technical figure,” said ACM President Yannis Ioannidis. “Their careers reflect how higher education institutions in Latin America have produced some of the most important pioneers in the field. Building on that foundation, Ricardo Baeza-Yates recognized that a transnational approach, fostering cooperation among Latin American countries, is the most effective way to drive digital economies in the region. ACM is proud to be part of this growth. More and more Latin American countries are hosting ACM conferences, our membership is growing in the region, and a growing number of ACM Fellows and journal editors call Latin America home.”
“Google is proud to sponsor this award in honor of our late colleague Luiz Barroso,” said Jeff Dean, Google’s chief scientist. “By fundamentally rethinking the design of data centers, Luiz laid the foundation for cloud computing. Similarly, Ricardo Baeza-Yates’ innovations and his seminal book on information retrieval have been key to how we leverage data and gain insights from it. We are also proud to collaborate with Ricardo Baeza-Yates and others who are driving technological development in Latin America. Google continues to make significant investments in the region to increase connectivity, foster digital growth, and expand access to artificial intelligence applications.”
About Ricardo Baeza-Yates
Ricardo Baeza-Yates is currently Chief Search Scientist at You.com and a professor at the University of Chile, the KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden), and Pompeu Fabra University (Catalonia). He previously served as Vice President of Research at Yahoo! Labs, holds 14 patents, and has co-founded several startups in Chile and Spain, including Theodora AI.
He began his career by pursuing concurrent bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science and Electrical Civil Engineering at the FCFM, graduating in 1983 and 1985, respectively, and also earning a Master of Science in Computer Science in January 1985 and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering in April 1986. He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Waterloo (Canada) in May 1989.
His awards include the Chilean National Prize for Applied Sciences and Technology (2024), the Spanish Ángela Ruiz Robles Prize (2018), the Latin American CLEI Award (2009), and the first Merit Award from the Chilean Society for Computer Science (2025). He is a member of the Chilean Academies of Science and Engineering, as well as the Academia Europaea, and a Fellow of ACM and IEEE.
Professor Baeza-Yates will formally receive the award on June 13 during the ACM’s annual awards ceremony.
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Source: DCC Communications