On March 9, Microsoft Corporation declared a quarterly dividend of $0.13 and also announced a a new addition to its board members.

The dividend is payable in June 18, 2009, to shareholders of record on May 21, 2009. The ex-dividend date will be May 19, 2009.

Maria Klawe, Ph.D., president of Harvey Mudd College, was appointed to the company's board of directors, returning the board's size to 10 members. Klawe is a leading computer scientist and educator holding several honorary doctorate degrees in the areas of science and mathematics.

Maria has made significant research contributions to computer science and mathematics, and we are very fortunate to have her join Microsoft's board of directors, said Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman. In particular, I think her close connection to university students and the way they shape computing trends will bring an important perspective to the board.

Klawe has been president of Harvey Mudd College, California, that focuses on engineering, science, and mathematics since 2006. Before joining Harvey Mudd College, she served as dean of engineering and a professor of computer science at Princeton University from 2003 to 2006, and held several positions at the University of British Columbia from 1988 to 2002 including dean of science, vice president of student and academic services, and head of the Department of Computer Science.

She also worked at IBM Research in California for eight years, and held academic positions at the University of Toronto and Oakland University.

Klawe was the first woman to serve on the board of the Computing Research Association and she co-founded CRA-W, the highly successful Committee on the Status of Women.

Klawe is also a past president of the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM), a trustee of the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute in Berkeley, California, and a member of the board of Math for America.

Klawe has made significant research contributions in several areas of mathematics and computer science including functional analysis, discrete mathematics, theoretical computer science, and the design and use of interactive multimedia for mathematics education.

Her current research interests include discrete mathematics, serious games and assistive technologies.

Bill Gates Microsoft California