Column

Editor's Note: We Need to Find an IT Celebrity. "If IT wants to attract bright youngsters, one thing it might do is find a celebrity champion--real or fictional--to give an idea of what working in IT really involves and where it can lead. Unfortunately, some role models, such as the IT experts in the absurd but compelling thriller series 24, tend to be oddball characters. Being at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence, robotics, mobility, and so on, ought to be an exciting prospect for any student. But the overall message reaching them is muddled and unappealing.