John L. Hennessy

Early Life and Education

John Leroy Hennessy was born on September 22, 1952, in Huntington, New York. Raised as one of six children, Hennessy's father was an aerospace engineer, and his mother was a teacher who later devoted herself to raising their children. Hennessy is of Irish-Catholic descent, with ancestors who arrived in America during the potato famine in the 19th century.

Hennessy earned his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Villanova University. He then pursued his master's and doctoral degrees in computer science at Stony Brook University, completing his PhD with a thesis titled "A real-time language for small processors: design, definition and implementation" in 1977 source.

Academic Career

Hennessy joined the faculty of Stanford University in 1977 as an assistant professor of electrical engineering. In 1981, he initiated the MIPS (Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipeline Stages) project, focusing on Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) processors, a technology that significantly increased computing performance while reducing costs.

In 1984, during a sabbatical, Hennessy co-founded MIPS Computer Systems to commercialize the RISC technology developed through his research. MIPS had its initial public offering in 1989.

Leadership Roles at Stanford

Director of Computer System Laboratory (1989-1993)
Chair of the Computer Science Department (1994-1996)
Dean of the School of Engineering (1996-1999)
Provost of Stanford University (1999-2000)
President of Stanford University (2000-2016)

As the 10th President of Stanford University, Hennessy oversaw significant growth in multidisciplinary research and teaching. He prioritized making Stanford accessible and affordable, leading to one of the strongest financial aid programs in the nation. His tenure also marked a renaissance in the arts at Stanford with the establishment of new facilities including a concert hall, a home for Art and Art History, and the Anderson Collection.

Post-Presidency Contributions

In 2016, Hennessy announced the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program, the largest fully endowed graduate-level scholarship program globally. The program aims to cultivate a new generation of leaders by providing full funding for graduate or professional degrees across Stanford's seven schools. Upon stepping down as president, Hennessy became the inaugural Shriram Family Director of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program source.

Industry Contributions

MIPS Computer Systems

Hennessy's work on the MIPS project led to the establishment of MIPS Computer Systems in 1984, which became a pivotal company in the computing industry, pioneering RISC technology.

Atheros Communications

In 1998, he co-founded Atheros Communications, a leader in WiFi technology, and served as Chair of the Board until 2010.

Publications

Hennessy co-authored two internationally recognized textbooks on computer architecture with David Patterson, which are widely used in academic institutions globally.

Board Memberships and Honors

Hennessy serves on the board of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and is the chair of the board of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company. His numerous accolades include:

Charles Stark Draper Prize for Engineering (2022) source
IEEE Medal of Honor (2012) source
ACM Turing Award (2017) source
John von Neumann Medal (2000)
Eckert-Mauchly Award (2001)
Seymour Cray Computer Engineering Award (2001)
NEC C&C Prize (2004)

Hennessy is an elected member or Fellow of several prestigious organizations, including the National Academy of Engineering, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society.

Personal Life

Hennessy continues to influence the fields of computer science and education through his ongoing work and contributions. He remains a prominent figure in Silicon Valley and academia, revered for his innovative contributions and leadership.

For more information, you can visit his official Stanford page and his Wikipedia article.

Dr. John Hennessy

Biography