The Internet Society has announced the 2024 Jonathan B. Postel Service Award recipients, honoring Steve Crocker and Xing Li for their pioneering work in advancing the global Internet infrastructure. The prestigious award, established in 1999 to commemorate Dr. Jonathan B. Postel’s influential role in computer networking, recognizes individuals whose contributions have significantly shaped the Internet’s development.

Steve Crocker, a figure in the Internet’s early history, played a pivotal role in establishing protocols for ARPANET, the precursor to the modern Internet, while at UCLA in the late 1960s. Notably, Crocker authored the first “Request For Comments” (RFC), an open document series still used by engineers to exchange technical ideas and refine Internet standards. His subsequent leadership roles, including at the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and his current position as CEO of Shinkuro, Inc., underline his longstanding influence on Internet governance and security.

Xing Li, a leading Internet architect in China, was instrumental in connecting Chinese research institutions to the Internet through his foundational work on the China Education and Research Network (CERNET). Established in 1994, CERNET has grown into China’s first national Internet backbone, linking over 2,000 universities and supporting millions of users. Li’s contributions extend globally, with significant involvement in the development and deployment of the Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6).

Crocker and Li will each receive a $10,000 honorarium as part of the award, which will be presented during the upcoming Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) meeting in Dublin from November 2 to 8, 2024. This recognition underscores their lasting impact on making the Internet an inclusive and robust global platform.