David S. Johnson facts for kids

David Stifler Johnson (born December 9, 1945 – died March 8, 2016) was an American computer scientist. He was a very smart person who worked with computers. He was known for his important work on algorithms and optimization.

Algorithms are like step-by-step instructions that computers follow to solve problems. Optimization is about finding the best possible way to do something, like finding the fastest route or using the least amount of resources.

Early Life and Education

David S. Johnson was born in Washington, D.C. on December 9, 1945. He went to college at Amherst College. Later, he studied at the MIT. MIT is a very famous school for science and technology.

Career Highlights

From 1988 to 2013, David Johnson led the Algorithms and Optimization Department at AT&T Labs Research. This is a big research company where scientists work on new technologies. He helped develop better ways for computers to solve complex problems.

After working at AT&T, he became a visiting professor at Columbia University. He taught there from 2014 until 2016.

Awards and Recognition

In 2010, David S. Johnson received a special award called the Knuth Prize. This prize is given to people who have made big contributions to the basics of computer science. It's like a very important award for computer scientists.

He was also named an ACM Fellow in 1995. This means he was recognized by the Association for Computing Machinery for his important work in the field.

Later Life

David S. Johnson passed away on March 8, 2016. He was 70 years old. His work helped make computers smarter and more efficient.

See also

In Spanish: David S. Johnson para niños