Education
BSE Engineering Science, University of Michigan), 1960
BSE Engineering Mathematics, University of Michigan, 1961
MSE Electrical Engineering, University of Michigan, 1962
MS Communication Sciences, University of Michigan, 1964
PhD Computer and Communication Sciences, University of Michigan, 1971
Employment
University of Delaware (1986 - present), Newark, DE: Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Professor of Computer and Information Sciences
Dr. Mills teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in data communications, network protocols, computer security, electronic circuit analysis, digital systems design and computer architecture. He leads research projects in these areas sponsored by DARPA, NSF, US Navy, US Army and NASA/JPL.
He has for many years been an active contributor to the field of computer network time synchronization. Protocols he developed, prototyped and deployed have evolved to the Network Time Protocol (NTP), which is widely used in the Internet today. Other projects involve automatic configuration and cryptographic authentication in very large networks with millions of servers and clients.
He has been an active contributor during the technical evolution of the Internet since 1977 and served on several national level panels and advisory groups. His SIGCOMM 1999 tutorial [1] presents a technical history of the Internet and other adventures which include his contributions.
Dr. Mills has designed and taught many tutorials and continuing education courses for several universities, professional societies and government agencies in many countries since 1966. He has been an expert witness and consultant for several government agencies, professional societies, law firms and commercial corporations since 1960.
Linkabit Corporation (1982 - 1986), Vienna, VA: Director, Networks
Dr. Mills directed and participated in internetworking research projects sponsored by DARPA and other government agencies. These involved research on network and internetwork architectures, protocol design and implementation, performance measurement and evaluation. He designed, implemented and wrote the specification for the Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP), which was the prototype for protocols used today to exchange routing information between campus, regional and backbone networks.
COMSAT Corporation (1977 - 1982), Washington, DC: Senior Research Scientist, Communication Sciences Laboratory
Dr. Mills directed and participated in the analysis, design and implementation of communication protocols and operating systems for the DARPA Internet Project, including a demonstration local network (DCnet) and internetwork hosts and gateways. He actively participated in the evolution of IP, TCP, TELNET, FTP, SMTP and related protocols which are now widely used in the Internet.
He also worked on the analysis, design and implementation of SATNET, a state-of-the art satellite communications system sponsored by DARPA. He conducted tests and measurements of the network, including overseas and domestic earth stations and a special experimental earth station at COMSAT Laboratories.
University of Maryland (1972 - 1977), College Park, MD: Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Dr. Mills participated in the analysis, design and implementation of the Distributed Computer Network (DCnet), which employed concepts of virtual operating systems, portable processes and novel communication protocols. He developed the compact structured-programming language ULP and a portable compiler for a number of computers, including the Toshiba TLCS-12 microcomputer used by Ford Motor Company as the first onboard automobile computer.
University of Edinburgh (1971 - 1972), Edinburgh, Scotland: Lecturer in Computer Science
Dr. Mills worked on the development of a front-end processor for the ICL 4-75 computer and on digital filtering and ionospheric modeling.
University of Michigan (1964 - 1971), Ann Arbor, MI: Research Associate, Computing Center
Mr. Mills worked on the specification and implementation of MAD/1 for the System/360, a follow-on version of a popular programming language for the IBM 7090. In addition, he was project leader and chief designer during development of the Data Concentrator, a special-purpose peripheral device for the attachment of interactive terminals to the System/360 Model 67.
University of Michigan (1959 - 1964), Ann Arbor, MI: Research Assistant, Electrical Engineering Department
Mr. Mills worked on sponsored projects involving radio direction finding, secure-speech transmission, frequency synthesis, and digital communication. He designed and supervised construction of an advanced analog/digital HF radio direction finder for the US Army.
Other Employment
As an undergraduate, Mr. Mills worked part-time jobs to help pay tuition, in particular as an announcer, disk jockey, recording engineer and FCC-licensed transmitter engineer for radio and television stations in Ann Arbor and Detroit, MI.
Reference
- Tutorial on the Technical History of the Internet. SIGCOMM Symposium (August 1999). PostScript | PowerPoint | PDF
