Edsger W. Dijkstra
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Edsger W. Dijkstra was born May 11, 1930, in Rotterdam.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] He held citizenship in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.[2] He died August 6, 2002, in Nuenen.[1][2][3][4][7][8][9]
Key Facts
- Date of death: August 5, 2002[11]
- Spouse: Maria C. Debets[12]
- Country of citizenship: Kingdom of the Netherlands[13]
- Native language: Dutch[14]
- Occupation: information scientist[15], programmer[16]
- Field of work: informatics[17], computing[18], mathematics[19], computer programming[20], physics[21], computer algorithm[22], programming language[23], computer program[24]
- Employer: University of Texas at Austin[25], Eindhoven University of Technology[26], Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica[27], Burroughs Corporation[28], Radboud University[29]
- Educated at: Leiden University[30], Gymnasium Erasmianum[31], University of Amsterdam[32], University of Cambridge[33]
- Doctoral advisor: Adriaan van Wijngaarden[34]
- Notable work: Dijkstra's algorithm[35], banker's algorithm[36], shunting-yard algorithm[37], smoothsort[38], Go To Statement Considered Harmful[39], The humble programmer[40]
- Award received: Turing Award[41], ACM Fellow[42], Dijkstra Prize[43], Harry H. Goode Memorial Award[44], Fellow of the British Computer Society[45], Computer Pioneer Award[46], C&C Prize[47]
- Member of: Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences[48], American Academy of Arts and Sciences[49], Association for Computing Machinery[50]
- Sex or gender: male[51]
- Doctoral student: Nico Habermann[52], Martin Rem[53], David Andrew Naumann[54], Jan L. A. van de Snepscheut[55], Antonetta Johanna Maria van Gasteren[56], Jan Tijmen Udding[57], Kees Hemerik[58]
- Commons category: Edsger Wybe Dijkstra[59]
- Cause of death: colorectal cancer[60]
- Family name: Dijkstra[61]
- Given name: Edsger[62]
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Works and Contributions
Things named for Edsger W. Dijkstra include Dijkstra's algorithm[63], structured program theorem[64], and Dijkstra Prize[65].
Why It Matters
Edsger W. Dijkstra has Wikipedia articles in 27 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[66] He is known by 24 alternative names across languages and contexts.[67]
He has been cited as an influence by Niklaus Wirth[68], a computer scientist[69], 1934–2024[70], of Switzerland[71], awarded the Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts order[72], specialised in information technology[73].
He is credited with the discovery of Dijkstra's algorithm[74], a pathfinding algorithm[75]; Prim's algorithm[76], an algorithm[77]; Dutch national flag problem[78], a mathematical problem[79]; and smoothsort[80], a sorting algorithm[81]. Works attributed to him include dining philosophers problem[82], a task[83]. Entities named for him include Dijkstra's algorithm[63], structured program theorem[64], and Dijkstra Prize[65].
His notable doctoral advisees include Nico Habermann[84], Jan L. A. van de Snepscheut[85], Martin Rem[86], and Kees Hemerik[87].
FAQs
Where was Edsger W. Dijkstra born?
Edsger W. Dijkstra was born in Rotterdam[2].
Where did Edsger W. Dijkstra die?
Edsger W. Dijkstra passed away in Nuenen[4].
Who was Edsger W. Dijkstra married to?
Edsger W. Dijkstra's spouses include Maria C. Debets[12].
What did Edsger W. Dijkstra do for work?
Edsger W. Dijkstra worked as a mathematician[5], physicist[6], computer scientist[7], engineer[8], and university teacher[9].
Where did Edsger W. Dijkstra go to school?
Edsger W. Dijkstra was educated at Leiden University[30], Gymnasium Erasmianum[31], University of Amsterdam[32], and University of Cambridge[33].
What awards did Edsger W. Dijkstra receive?
Honors received include Turing Award[41], ACM Fellow[42], Dijkstra Prize[43], and Harry H. Goode Memorial Award[44].
Who did Edsger W. Dijkstra influence?
Edsger W. Dijkstra has been cited as an influence by Niklaus Wirth[68].
What did Edsger W. Dijkstra discover?
Edsger W. Dijkstra is credited as discoverer of Dijkstra's algorithm[74], Prim's algorithm[76], Dutch national flag problem[78], and smoothsort[80].