The 2021 Turing Award recognized Jack Dongarra for developing numerical algorithms and software libraries that allowed high-performance computing to keep pace with rapid hardware advancements over four decades. Born in 1950 in Chicago, Dongarra has navigated a career spanning academia and national laboratories, creating foundational open-source tools that remain integral to modern computational science.
Academic Foundation
Dongarra earned his Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Chicago State University in 1972, followed by a Master of Science in computer science from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1973. He completed his formal education in 1980, obtaining a PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of New Mexico under the supervision of Cleve Moler.
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Prior to joining the University of Tennessee system in 1989, Dongarra worked as a senior scientist at the Argonne National Laboratory. Throughout his career, he has specialized in linear algebra, parallel computing, and the development of open-source software. His contributions include the creation of EISPACK, LINPACK, LAPACK, and ScaLAPACK, along with systems like the Message Passing Interface and the Performance Application Programming Interface. These tools underpin numerous platforms including MATLAB, R, and Python-based libraries.
Global Recognition and Appointments
In addition to his faculty role at the University of Tennessee, where he is the founding director of the Innovative Computing Laboratory, Dongarra holds international appointments including a Turing Fellowship at the University of Manchester. His professional affiliations include membership in the National Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society, and the Association for Computing Machinery. He has received numerous honors for his leadership in computational mathematics, including the 2003 Sidney Fernbach Award, the 2011 Charles Babbage Award, the 2013 Ken Kennedy Award, and the 2020 Computer Pioneer Award.
Fast facts
- Born: 1950, Chicago
- Education: Chicago State University, Illinois Institute of Technology, University of New Mexico
- Notable Works: EISPACK, LAPACK
- 2021 Turing Award recipient
- Fellow of the Royal Society: 2019
- ACM Fellow: 2001
- Primary Field: Numerical algorithms and high-performance computing
Questions readers ask
What is Jack Dongarra's primary contribution to computer science?
He developed fundamental numerical algorithms and software libraries that allow computational software to utilize the power of high-performance hardware architectures.
Which major awards has Jack Dongarra received?
His honors include the 2021 Turing Award, the 2003 Sidney Fernbach Award, the 2011 Charles Babbage Award, the 2013 Ken Kennedy Award, and the 2020 Computer Pioneer Award.
Achievements
- Notable work: EISPACK
- Notable work: LAPACK
- Affiliated with University of Manchester, University of Tennessee and Rice University
- Educated at Illinois Institute of Technology, University of New Mexico and Chicago State University
- Worked as mathematician, computer scientist and engineer
