Peter J. Weinberger
Encyclopedia
Peter Jay Weinberger is a computer scientist
best known for his early work at Bell Labs
. He now works at Google.
Weinberger was an undergraduate at Swarthmore College
, graduating in 1964. He received his PhD in mathematics (number theory
) in 1969 from the University of California, Berkeley
under Derrick Henry Lehmer
for a thesis entitled "Proof of a Conjecture of Gauss on Class Number Two". After holding a position in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he continued his work in analytic number theory
, he moved to AT&T
Bell Labs
.
At Bell Labs, Weinberger contributed to the design of the pioneering AWK programming language (he is the "W" in AWK). A detailed explanation of his contributions to AWK and other Unix tools is found in an interview transcript at Princeton University.
Another interview Laurianne McLaughlin, "From AWK to Google: Peter Weinberger Talks Search," IEEE Security & Privacy, vol. 3, no. 5, September/October 2005, pp. 11-13 sheds some light on his work at Google.
Both interviews also confirm rumors about his involvement in early digital photography, especially the abuse of a photograph of his face for demonstrating digital imaging effects. When Peter Weinberger was promoted to head of Computer Science Research at Bell Labs, his picture was merged with the AT&T "death star" logo of the mid-80s, creating the PJW Face image that has appeared in innumerable locations, including t-shirts, coffee mugs, CDs, and at least one water tower. The sole remaining PJW Face at Bell Labs is somewhat in disarray, but there are plans afoot to repair it.
Prior to joining Google, Weinberger was chief technology officer at Renaissance Technologies
.
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....
best known for his early work at Bell Labs
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
. He now works at Google.
Weinberger was an undergraduate at Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
, graduating in 1964. He received his PhD in mathematics (number theory
Number theory
Number theory is a branch of pure mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers. Number theorists study prime numbers as well...
) in 1969 from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
under Derrick Henry Lehmer
Derrick Henry Lehmer
Derrick Henry "Dick" Lehmer was an American mathematician who refined Édouard Lucas' work in the 1930s and devised the Lucas–Lehmer test for Mersenne primes...
for a thesis entitled "Proof of a Conjecture of Gauss on Class Number Two". After holding a position in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he continued his work in analytic number theory
Analytic number theory
In mathematics, analytic number theory is a branch of number theory that uses methods from mathematical analysis to solve problems about the integers. It is often said to have begun with Dirichlet's introduction of Dirichlet L-functions to give the first proof of Dirichlet's theorem on arithmetic...
, he moved to AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
Bell Labs
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
.
At Bell Labs, Weinberger contributed to the design of the pioneering AWK programming language (he is the "W" in AWK). A detailed explanation of his contributions to AWK and other Unix tools is found in an interview transcript at Princeton University.
Another interview Laurianne McLaughlin, "From AWK to Google: Peter Weinberger Talks Search," IEEE Security & Privacy, vol. 3, no. 5, September/October 2005, pp. 11-13 sheds some light on his work at Google.
Both interviews also confirm rumors about his involvement in early digital photography, especially the abuse of a photograph of his face for demonstrating digital imaging effects. When Peter Weinberger was promoted to head of Computer Science Research at Bell Labs, his picture was merged with the AT&T "death star" logo of the mid-80s, creating the PJW Face image that has appeared in innumerable locations, including t-shirts, coffee mugs, CDs, and at least one water tower. The sole remaining PJW Face at Bell Labs is somewhat in disarray, but there are plans afoot to repair it.
Prior to joining Google, Weinberger was chief technology officer at Renaissance Technologies
Renaissance Technologies
Renaissance Technologies is a hedge fund management company of about 275 employees and more than $ billion in assets under management in three funds...
.