The AVL tree, introduced by Georgy Adelson-Velsky and Evgenii Landis in 1962, remains a foundational data structure in computer science as the first balanced binary search tree. This development marked a pivot in Adelson-Velsky’s career, transitioning from his early grounding in pure mathematics toward the applied fields of artificial intelligence and algorithmic design.
Mathematical Education and Early Work
Born in Samara in 1922, Adelson-Velsky completed his education at the Lomonosov Moscow State University, specifically within the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics. He studied under Nikolai Luzin and completed his doctorate in 1949 under the supervision of Israel Gelfand. In 1945, he co-authored his first paper with Alexander Kronrod, which received a prize from the Moscow Mathematical Society.
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Starting in 1963, Adelson-Velsky led a team at the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics in Moscow to develop computer chess software. He pioneered the use of bitboards to represent game positions. His team's program achieved a significant milestone in 1966 by defeating the Kotok-McCarthy program in the first international chess match between computers. This project eventually laid the groundwork for the creation of Kaissa, the inaugural world computer chess champion.
Academic Career and Later Life
Adelson-Velsky held various professional positions in the Soviet Union before emigrating to Israel in August 1992, where he settled in Ashdod. He continued his academic career as a professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at Bar-Ilan University. He remained in Israel until his death on 26 April 2014, at the age of 92, in his apartment in Givatayim.
Fast facts
- Born: 1922, Samara
- Died: 26 April 2014, Givatayim
- Education: Lomonosov Moscow State University
- Notable Invention: AVL tree (1962)
- Citizenship: Soviet Union, Israel
- Key Achievement: First world computer chess champion program, Kaissa
Questions readers ask
What is the significance of the AVL tree?
It was the first known balanced binary search tree, which improved the efficiency of data retrieval in computer memory.
What were Adelson-Velsky's primary research interests?
He focused on mathematics, artificial intelligence, and the application of algorithms to board games like chess.
Achievements
- Held posts at Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics and Bar-Ilan University
- Fields: mathematics, artificial intelligence and mathematician
