# Bruce Walter Porter

> Ph.D. University of California, Irvine 1984

**Wikidata**: [Q102231249](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q102231249)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bruce-walter-porter

## Summary
Bruce Walter Porter is an American computer scientist and university teacher who earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine in 1984. He is primarily known for his long-standing academic career at the University of Texas at Austin, where he has served as an employer since 1984 and supervised several doctoral students.

## Biography
*   **Born**: [Date and place not available in source material]
*   **Nationality**: [Not specified in source material]
*   **Education**: Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine (1984)
*   **Known for**: Academic leadership in computer science and supervising doctoral research at the University of Texas at Austin.
*   **Employer(s)**: University of Texas at Austin (starting in 1984)
*   **Field(s)**: Computer science, university teaching

## Contributions
Based on the provided source material, Bruce Walter Porter's specific contributions include his academic role and mentorship within the field of computer science.
*   **Academic Supervision**: He served as the doctoral advisor for four specific students: James C. Lester, Richard Smith Mallory, William Murray, and Shaw-Yi Jason Chaw.
*   **Institutional Affiliation**: He established a professional presence at the University of Texas at Austin beginning in 1984, contributing to the institution's computer science department.
*   **Professional Documentation**: His academic history and vitae are documented in public records, including a vita from 2018 referenced in academic databases.

## FAQs
**What is Bruce Walter Porter's educational background?**
Bruce Walter Porter completed his doctoral studies at the University of California, Irvine, receiving his Ph.D. in 1984. This degree serves as the foundational qualification for his subsequent career in academia and computer science.

**Where has Bruce Walter Porter worked professionally?**
His primary professional affiliation is with the University of Texas at Austin, where he has been employed as a university teacher and computer scientist since 1984. His work there is documented through institutional profiles and academic references.

**Who were the doctoral students supervised by Bruce Walter Porter?**
He supervised four doctoral students during his academic career: James C. Lester, Richard Smith Mallory, William Murray, and Shaw-Yi Jason Chaw. These mentorship relationships are recorded in academic genealogy databases.

**How is Bruce Walter Porter identified in academic databases?**
He is identified by the Mathematics Genealogy Project with the ID 57021 and holds a Mathematical Reviews (MR) author ID of 260376. These identifiers link his work and students within the broader mathematical and computer science research community.

## Why They Matter
Bruce Walter Porter's significance lies in his role as an educator and mentor who helped shape the next generation of computer scientists. By supervising doctoral students such as James C. Lester and others, he directly influenced the research trajectories of individuals who would go on to contribute to the field. His long-term tenure at the University of Texas at Austin since 1984 demonstrates a sustained commitment to the academic community, ensuring the continuity of research and teaching in computer science. While specific inventions or patents are not detailed in the source, his impact is measured through the academic lineage he established and the institutional knowledge he maintained over decades.

## Notable For
*   **Doctoral Mentorship**: Successfully supervised four distinct doctoral candidates: James C. Lester, Richard Smith Mallory, William Murray, and Shaw-Yi Jason Chaw.
*   **Long-term Academic Tenure**: Maintained an employment relationship with the University of Texas at Austin continuously since 1984.
*   **Academic Recognition**: Holds specific identifiers in major academic databases, including Mathematics Genealogy Project ID 57021 and MR Author ID 260376.
*   **Educational Achievement**: Earned a Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine in 1984, marking the start of his professional classification as a computer scientist.

## Body

### Early Life and Education
Bruce Walter Porter's academic journey culminated in the award of a Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine in 1984. This degree established his credentials as a specialist in the field of computer science. The source material does not provide details regarding his birth date, place of birth, or pre-doctoral education, focusing instead on the completion of his doctoral studies as a key biographical milestone.

### Professional Career and Affiliations
Following his doctoral graduation, Porter began a professional career at the University of Texas at Austin in 1984. He is classified as both a computer scientist and a university teacher within this institution. His employment at the University of Texas at Austin is a defining aspect of his professional life, spanning several decades. His professional profile is accessible via the university's website at `https://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/porter/`, and his academic history is further detailed in a vita document from 2018.

### Academic Mentorship and Supervision
A significant portion of Porter's professional activity involved the supervision of doctoral students. He served as the primary advisor for four individuals:
*   James C. Lester
*   Richard Smith Mallory
*   William Murray
*   Shaw-Yi Jason Chaw
These mentorship relationships are formally recorded in the Mathematics Genealogy Project, linking Porter to the academic lineage of these researchers. The supervision of these students represents a direct contribution to the expansion of the computer science workforce and research community.

### Academic Identification and Records
Bruce Walter Porter is formally recognized in several academic indexing systems. He is assigned the Mathematics Genealogy Project ID 57021, which tracks his doctoral degree and student lineage. Additionally, he holds a Mathematical Reviews (MR) author ID of 260376, which is used to catalog his publications and scholarly output. These identifiers ensure his work and academic relationships are accurately tracked within the global research infrastructure.

### Field of Work and Classification
Porter operates within the field of computer science, a profession defined by the study and practice of the theoretical foundations of information and computation. As a university teacher, he contributes to the service sector of the industry, focusing on education and research. His role aligns with the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-08) code 2511 for computer scientists. His work distinguishes him from computational scientists, as his focus remains on the theoretical underpinnings and design of computational systems rather than the application of computing to other scientific disciplines.

## References

1. Mathematics Genealogy Project
2. [Source](https://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/porter/vita-2018.pdf)