John Hennessy, Chairman of Alphabet (Google)

Today, my guest is Professor John Hennessy, Chairman of Alphabet (Google), Director of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program at Stanford, President Emeritus of Stanford University, Co-Founder of MIPS Computer Systems and Author of Leadership Matters.

A pioneer in computer architecture, John joined Stanford’s faculty in 1977 as an assistant professor of electrical engineering. He cofounded MIPS Computer Systems in 1984 and Atheros Communications in 1998 where he served as Chair of the Board until 2010. 

John was the inaugural Willard R. and Inez Kerr Bell Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and served as chair of Computer Science, Dean of the School of Engineering, and University Provost, before being inaugurated as Stanford’s 10th President.

His honors include the 2012 Medal of Honor of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, its highest award; the 2017 ACM Turing Prize (with David Patterson); the 2000 John von Neumann Medal; the 2001 Seymor Cray Computer Engineering Award; a 2004 NEC C&C Prize for lifetime achievement in computer science and engineering.

He is an elected member or Fellow of the National Academy of Engineering, the Royal Academy of Engineering, The National Academy of Science, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society. John earned his BS in Electrical Engineering from Villanova University and his MS and PhD in computer science from Stony Brook University, as well as ten honorary doctorates.