Jennifer Widom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jennifer Widom
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| Born | 1960/1961 (age 64–65) |
| Education | Cornell University (Ph.D., M.S.) Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (B.S.) |
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| Children | 2 |
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| Relatives | Benjamin Widom (uncle) |
| Awards | Erna Hamburger Prize (2018) ACM-W Athena Lecturer Award (2015) American Academy of Arts & Sciences Member (2009) National Academy of Engineering Member (2005) ACM Fellow (2005) Guggenheim Foundation Fellow (2000) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Stanford University IBM Almaden Research Center Cornell University Xerox Palo Alto Research Center |
| Thesis | Trace-Based Network Proof Systems: Expressiveness and Completeness (1987) |
| Doctoral advisor | David Gries |
| Doctoral students | Parag Agrawal |
Jennifer Widom (born 1960/1961) is a very smart American computer scientist. She is famous for her work in database systems and how computers manage information. She helped create important ideas for handling "semi-structured data" and "data stream management systems."
Since 2017, Jennifer Widom has been the boss, or dean, of the School of Engineering at Stanford University. She is also a professor of computer science there. She has received many important awards for her work, including several lifetime achievement awards.
Contents
Jennifer Widom's Education Journey
Jennifer Widom started her university studies in a unique way! In 1982, she earned a special degree in playing the trumpet. This was from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Later, she decided to study computers. In 1987, she earned her PhD in computer science. She got this degree from Cornell University, where she studied with a professor named David Gries.
Her Career in Computer Science
Jennifer Widom began her career as a researcher at the IBM Almaden Research Center. This is a big company that works with computers.
In 1993, she joined Stanford University as a professor. She taught students about computer science. From 2009 to 2014, she was the head of the computer science department at Stanford.
She then became a senior associate dean in the School of Engineering. This was from 2014 to 2016. In February 2017, she was chosen to be the Dean of the School of Engineering. This means she leads the entire engineering school.
Awards and Honors
Jennifer Widom has received many important awards for her work. Since 2005, she has been a fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). This is a big honor in the computer world.
In 2015, she won the ACM-W Athena Lecturer Award. This award celebrates important female computer scientists. She won it for her ideas about "active database systems."
She is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. These are groups that recognize top experts in different fields.
Writing Books and Online Courses
Jennifer Widom has written four textbooks about database systems. These books teach students about how to design, use, and build computer systems that manage data. These books are used by university students.
In 2011, she helped start one of the first Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). This was a free online course called "Introduction to Databases." More than 100,000 students signed up for her course! In 2018, she won the Erna Hamburger prize for her work with these online courses.
Jennifer Widom's Family Life
Jennifer Widom's father was Harold Widom, a famous mathematician. Her uncle, Benjamin Widom, is also a professor at Cornell University.
Jennifer Widom is married to Alex Aiken. He was also a head of the computer science department at Stanford. They have a son and a daughter.
