According to the ACM website, the Distinguished Member Grade recognizes those ACM members with at least 15 years of professional experience and five years of continuous Professional Membership who have achieved significant accomplishments or have made a significant impact on the computing field.
Dr. Rothermel is one of 40 new Distinguished Members and the only Member from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering to be named for 2013. Fellow Distinguished Members come from all over the world, both from leading international corporations and research institutions.
Dr. Rothermel would like to recognize those who helped him:
I'm happy and honored to be recognized by ACM for the impact and contributions of
my work. However, many people have helped make this possible, and I'd like to
thank them. These include my colleagues at UNL and those at other institutions
who I've collaborated with, and the students who have helped with, and indeed led,
much of the research. One person I wish to mention in particular is my Ph.D advisor,
Professor Mary Jean Harrold, of Georgia Tech. Mary Jean nominated me for this award
last spring, but sadly, she passed away before its announcement. I'm profoundly
grateful to her for everything that she gave to me throughout my career. It would
not have been the same without her. Thank you, Mary Jean.