Charles E. Leiserson
Encyclopedia
Charles Eric Leiserson is a computer scientist
, specializing in the theory of parallel computing
and distributed computing
, and particularly practical applications thereof; as part of this effort, he developed the Cilk
multithreaded language. He invented the fat-tree interconnection network, a hardware-universal interconnection network used in many supercomputers, including the Connection Machine
CM5, for which he was network architect. He helped pioneer the development of VLSI theory, including the retiming
method of digital optimization with James B. Saxe and systolic array
s with H. T. Kung
. He conceived of the notion of cache-oblivious algorithms, which are algorithms that have no tuning parameters for cache size or cache-line length, but nevertheless use cache near-optimally. He developed the Cilk
language for multithreaded programming, which uses a provably good work-stealing algorithm for scheduling.
Leiserson received a B.S.
degree in computer science and mathematics from Yale University
in 1975, and a Ph.D.
degree in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University
in 1981, where his advisors were Jon Bentley
and H. T. Kung
.
He then joined the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, where he is now a Professor
. In addition, he is a principal in the Theory of Computation research group in the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
, and he was formerly Director of Research and Director of System Architecture for Akamai Technologies
. He was Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Cilk Arts, Inc., a start-up that developed Cilk
technology for multicore computing
applications. (Cilk Arts, Inc. was acquired by Intel in 2009.)
Leiserson's dissertation, Area-Efficient VLSI Computation, won the first ACM
Doctoral Dissertation Award. In 1985, the National Science Foundation
awarded him a Presidential Young Investigator Award
. In 2006 he was inducted as a Fellow
of the Association for Computing Machinery
.
Leiserson coauthored the standard algorithms textbook Introduction to Algorithms
together with Thomas H. Cormen
, Ronald Rivest, and Clifford Stein
.
Computer scientist
A computer scientist is a scientist who has acquired knowledge of computer science, the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their application in computer systems....
, specializing in the theory of parallel computing
Parallel computing
Parallel computing is a form of computation in which many calculations are carried out simultaneously, operating on the principle that large problems can often be divided into smaller ones, which are then solved concurrently . There are several different forms of parallel computing: bit-level,...
and distributed computing
Distributed computing
Distributed computing is a field of computer science that studies distributed systems. A distributed system consists of multiple autonomous computers that communicate through a computer network. The computers interact with each other in order to achieve a common goal...
, and particularly practical applications thereof; as part of this effort, he developed the Cilk
Cilk
Cilk is a general-purpose programming language designed for multithreaded parallel computing. The commercial instantiation is Intel Cilk Plus.-Design:...
multithreaded language. He invented the fat-tree interconnection network, a hardware-universal interconnection network used in many supercomputers, including the Connection Machine
Connection Machine
The Connection Machine was a series of supercomputers that grew out of Danny Hillis' research in the early 1980s at MIT on alternatives to the traditional von Neumann architecture of computation...
CM5, for which he was network architect. He helped pioneer the development of VLSI theory, including the retiming
Retiming
Retiming is the technique of moving the structural location of latches or registers in a digital circuit to improve its performance, area, and/or power characteristics in such a way that preserves its functional behavior at its outputs. Retiming was first described by Charles E. Leiserson and...
method of digital optimization with James B. Saxe and systolic array
Systolic array
In computer architecture, a systolic array is a pipe network arrangement of processing units called cells. It is a specialized form of parallel computing, where cells , compute data and store it independently of each other.thumb|240px...
s with H. T. Kung
H. T. Kung
H. T. Kung is a computer scientist. His current research is primarily in the area of communications networks and network security, but his interests have been broad-ranging, including computational complexity theory, database theory, VLSI design, and parallel computing.Kung received his bachelor...
. He conceived of the notion of cache-oblivious algorithms, which are algorithms that have no tuning parameters for cache size or cache-line length, but nevertheless use cache near-optimally. He developed the Cilk
Cilk
Cilk is a general-purpose programming language designed for multithreaded parallel computing. The commercial instantiation is Intel Cilk Plus.-Design:...
language for multithreaded programming, which uses a provably good work-stealing algorithm for scheduling.
Leiserson received a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in computer science and mathematics from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1975, and a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
degree in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
in 1981, where his advisors were Jon Bentley
Jon Bentley
Jon Louis Bentley is a researcher in the field of computer science. He is credited with the invention of the k-d tree....
and H. T. Kung
H. T. Kung
H. T. Kung is a computer scientist. His current research is primarily in the area of communications networks and network security, but his interests have been broad-ranging, including computational complexity theory, database theory, VLSI design, and parallel computing.Kung received his bachelor...
.
He then joined the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, where he is now a Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
. In addition, he is a principal in the Theory of Computation research group in the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory is a research laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology formed by the 2003 merger of the Laboratory for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory...
, and he was formerly Director of Research and Director of System Architecture for Akamai Technologies
Akamai Technologies
Akamai Technologies, Inc. is an Internet content delivery network headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.The company was founded in 1998 by then-MIT graduate student Daniel M. Lewin, and MIT Applied Mathematics professor Tom Leighton...
. He was Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Cilk Arts, Inc., a start-up that developed Cilk
Cilk
Cilk is a general-purpose programming language designed for multithreaded parallel computing. The commercial instantiation is Intel Cilk Plus.-Design:...
technology for multicore computing
Multi-core (computing)
A multi-core processor is a single computing component with two or more independent actual processors , which are the units that read and execute program instructions...
applications. (Cilk Arts, Inc. was acquired by Intel in 2009.)
Leiserson's dissertation, Area-Efficient VLSI Computation, won the first ACM
Association for Computing Machinery
The Association for Computing Machinery is a learned society for computing. It was founded in 1947 as the world's first scientific and educational computing society. Its membership is more than 92,000 as of 2009...
Doctoral Dissertation Award. In 1985, the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
awarded him a Presidential Young Investigator Award
Presidential Young Investigator Award
The Presidential Young Investigator Award was awarded by the National Science Foundation. The program operated from 1984 to 1991, and was replaced by the NSF Young Investigator Awards and Presidential Faculty Fellows Program...
. In 2006 he was inducted as a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of the Association for Computing Machinery
Association for Computing Machinery
The Association for Computing Machinery is a learned society for computing. It was founded in 1947 as the world's first scientific and educational computing society. Its membership is more than 92,000 as of 2009...
.
Leiserson coauthored the standard algorithms textbook Introduction to Algorithms
Introduction to Algorithms
Introduction to Algorithms is a book by Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest, and Clifford Stein. It is used as the textbook for algorithms courses at many universities. It is also one of the most commonly cited references for algorithms in published papers, with over 4600...
together with Thomas H. Cormen
Thomas H. Cormen
Thomas H. Cormen is the co-author of Introduction to Algorithms, along with Charles Leiserson, Ron Rivest, and Cliff Stein. He is a Full Professor of computer science at Dartmouth College and currently Chair of the Dartmouth College Department of Computer Science. Between 2004 and 2008 he directed...
, Ronald Rivest, and Clifford Stein
Clifford Stein
Clifford Stein, a computer scientist, is currently a professor of industrial engineering and operations research at Columbia University in New York, NY, where he also holds an appointment in the Department of Computer Science. Stein is chair of the Industrial Engineering and Operations Research...
.
See also
- Thinking Machines Corporation
- Thomas H. CormenThomas H. CormenThomas H. Cormen is the co-author of Introduction to Algorithms, along with Charles Leiserson, Ron Rivest, and Cliff Stein. He is a Full Professor of computer science at Dartmouth College and currently Chair of the Dartmouth College Department of Computer Science. Between 2004 and 2008 he directed...
- Ronald L. Rivest
- Clifford SteinClifford SteinClifford Stein, a computer scientist, is currently a professor of industrial engineering and operations research at Columbia University in New York, NY, where he also holds an appointment in the Department of Computer Science. Stein is chair of the Industrial Engineering and Operations Research...
External links
- Home page
- Charles Leiserson Playlist Appearance on WMBR's Dinnertime Sampler radio show October 27, 2004