Sergey Gorinsky recognized as a Madrid Ambassador

Madrid Convention Bureau awarded the honor for the organization of ICNP 2020

29 December 2020

Sergey Gorinsky, a Research Associate Professor at IMDEA Networks and Head of its NetEcon Research Group, received the distinction as a Madrid Ambassador at the Recognition Night ceremony in Cecilio Rodríguez Gardens of the Retiro Park on December 10. The Ambassador Program of Madrid Convention Bureau (MCB) aims to appreciate and support the individuals who attract prominent congresses to the Spanish capital. Almudena Maíllo del Valle, the Councillor-President of Moratalaz and Head of the Tourism Department in Madrid City Council, officiated the ceremony and bestowed the prize on Prof. Gorinsky for his leadership in organizing the International Conference on Network Protocols (ICNP).

ICNP is the top-tier research congress on computer networking protocols and deals with their design, analysis, specification, verification, implementation, performance, and other aspects. For the first time in the 28 years of its history, ICNP came to Spain, and its 2020 edition took place as a hybrid event in Madrid on October 13-16. Adhering to its traditional four-day format, ICNP 2020 attracted in-person and remote participation by 160 researchers from 20 countries (https://icnp20.cs.ucr.edu/).

“I am deeply humbled by this recognition as the Madrid Ambassador. This is a great honor to represent and promote internationally the city of Madrid, especially for a foreigner who found a marvelous home away from home here a decade ago. The coronavirus pandemic struck out of the blue when initial ICNP 2020 plans had been already drawn up. The dynamic and highly unpredictable circumstances kept requiring difficult decisions, adjustment and readjustment of conference arrangements. I am grateful to the ICNP 2020 organizing-committee members and student volunteers for their hard excellent work that made the event possible and successful. I also sincerely thank MCB for its kind assistance throughout, including its suggestions of venues and vendors and, most importantly, sharing of its image repository that tremendously helped us to create an attractive website for ICNP 2020.”