He sent the message that changed everything.

Leonard Kleinrock

Distinguished Professor of Computer Science

On Oct. 29, 1969, the future began. That was the day that a UCLA team led by distinguished professor of computer science Leonard Kleinrock sent the very first message over the ARPANET, the computer network we now know as the Internet. Kleinrock, who pioneered the mathematical theory of packet networks on which the Internet is based, is a seminal figure in the creation of our digital world. How seminal? He is the recipient of the National Medal of Science, the highest honor for achievement in science bestowed by the President of the United States. In 2012, he was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame. And the on-campus museum that commemorates the university’s pivotal role in the birth of the Internet is called The Kleinrock Internet History Center at UCLA.