Edsger W. Dijkstra
Born 1930 · Age 95
Dutch computer scientist and mathematician; pioneer of structured programming, concurrency, and algorithm theory; author of Dijkstra's shortest-path algorithm, semaphore concept, THE operating system, and many seminal essays (EWDs).
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Rotterdam, Netherlands
Edsger Wybe Dijkstra born to Douwe Wybe Dijkstra (chemist) and Brechtje Cornelia Kluijver (mathematician).
Graduated Gymnasium Erasmianum (high school)
Completed secondary education in Rotterdam with top marks in multiple science subjects and classical languages.
Began university studies at Leiden University
Started studies in mathematics and physics, later theoretical physics, at the University of Leiden (Leyden).
Attended Cambridge programming course
Three-week course in computer programming at the University of Cambridge (recommended by his father); led to meeting Adriaan van Wijngaarden.
Mathematisch Centrum employment period begins
Worked at the Mathematisch Centrum (Mathematical Centre) in Amsterdam, collaborating with hardware designers and writing software for machines under construction.
Hired as first programmer at Mathematisch Centrum
Offered a part-time programmer position in the Computation Department by Adriaan van Wijngaarden; described as the Netherlands' first official 'programmer'.
Completed undergraduate studies (physics) at Leiden
Formally completed his study of theoretical physics at Leiden University (degree in mathematics/physics/theoretical physics).
Invented shortest-path algorithm (used at ARMAC demo)
Conceived an efficient algorithm for the single-source shortest-path problem (later known as Dijkstra's algorithm) for the ARMAC inauguration demo.
Married Maria 'Ria' C. Debets
Married his fiancée Ria; municipal authorities refused 'programmer' as a profession on the marriage certificate, so 'theoretical physicist' was recorded.
Published assembly-language thesis and Electrologica X1 work
PhD thesis and publications documented the assembly language and interrupt handling for the Electrologica X1 commercial Dutch computer.
Awarded Ph.D. from University of Amsterdam
PhD thesis: 'Communication with an Automatic Computer' under advisor Adriaan van Wijngaarden; work on assembly language and interrupt handling for Electrologica X1.
Published 'A Note on Two Problems in Connexion with Graphs' (shortest-path)
Publication (1959) describing the shortest-path algorithm (Dijkstra's algorithm) and an efficient minimum spanning tree algorithm.
Completed first ALGOL 60 compiler (with Jaap A. Zonneveld)
Dijkstra and Jaap Zonneveld developed the first compiler for the ALGOL 60 programming language by August 1960, ahead of other groups.
Appointed professor of mathematics at Eindhoven University
Left the Mathematisch Centrum and joined the Mathematics Department of Technische Hogeschool (Eindhoven University of Technology) as professor.
EWD (personal report) series begins
Around the time of the move to Eindhoven, Dijkstra began distributing his numbered EWD reports (handwritten essays and technical notes) to a small circle.
Published 'A Primer of ALGOL 60 Programming' (book)
Short book on ALGOL 60 programming; was a standard reference for ALGOL 60 in early 1960s.
Moved residence to Nuenen
Dijkstra and his wife moved into a newly built house in Nuenen (near Eindhoven); this address later appeared on many EWDs and Burroughs correspondence.
EWD123 / 'Cooperating Sequential Processes' manuscript (semaphores)
Completed EWD123 (1965), describing cooperating sequential processes and introducing semaphores (P and V operations) as a synchronization primitive.
Formulated mutual exclusion, semaphore, and banker's algorithm ideas
Developed fundamental concepts in concurrent programming: mutual exclusion solutions, semaphores, deadlock ('deadly embrace') and the banker's algorithm.
Published 'Go To Statement Considered Harmful' letter
Letter to Communications of the ACM (1968) arguing against the goto statement and advancing structured programming—sparked wide debate and influence.
Popularized structured programming paradigm
Through writings and talks (including 'Notes on Structured Programming' and 'Go To Considered Harmful') he led the movement toward structured programming.
Published 'The Structure of the THE Multiprogramming System'
Paper (May 1968) describing THE, a layered multiprogramming OS built at Eindhoven; influential for layered design and software-based paged virtual memory.
Elected Member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)
Recognized by the Netherlands' national academy for his scientific contributions.
Distinguished Fellow of the British Computer Society
Awarded the DFBCS honor in recognition of his contributions to computing.
Received ACM A.M. Turing Award
Awarded computing's highest honor for fundamental contributions to programming as an intellectual discipline and structured programming advocacy.
Started 'Tuesday Afternoon Club' seminar tradition
Began weekly seminar day (Tuesday) at Eindhoven where colleagues discussed articles in depth; later a branch formed in Austin after his move.
Joined Burroughs Corporation as Research Fellow
Became Burroughs' sole research fellow in August 1973; worked from home in Nuenen and reduced his university duties to one day per week.
Received Harry H. Goode Memorial Award (AFIPS/IEEE)
Recognition from the IEEE/AFIPS for contributions to computing.
Published concept of 'self-stabilization' in distributed systems
Paper (1974) introduced self-stabilizing systems in distributed computing; later awarded ACM PODC influential paper recognition (2002).
Elected Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Honorary membership in recognition of scholarly contributions.
Published 'A Discipline of Programming' (book)
Major book combining program derivation with formal semantics (predicate transformers / weakest preconditions).
Awarded Doctor of Science Honoris Causa, Queen's University Belfast
Honorary doctorate recognizing his scientific contributions.
Published 'Selected Writings on Computing: A Personal Perspective'
Collected important papers (selection of essays and research from 1968–1979 and earlier work).
Received IEEE Computer Society Computer Pioneer Award
Recognition as a computer pioneer for foundational contributions to computing science.
Accepted Schlumberger Centennial Chair, University of Texas at Austin
Moved to Austin to hold the Schlumberger Centennial Chair in the Computer Science Department; taught and researched there until retirement.
Tuesday Afternoon Club branch established in Austin
A new branch of his seminar tradition emerged at UT Austin where he continued to mentor and critique work.
Received ACM/SIGCSE Award for Outstanding Contributions to CS Education
Awarded for exceptional influence on computer science education.
Dijkstra's corpus of EWD reports exceeds hundreds
By the 1990s the EWD series had become widely circulated and influential; ultimately spanning over 1,300 numbered reports.
60th birthday seminar in his honor at UT Austin
Department organized a two-day seminar with speakers and contributed research articles edited into a book celebrating his 60th birthday.
Co-authored / influenced texts on teaching proofs and program derivation
During Austin years he emphasized proof style and the presentation of mathematical proofs in courses, influencing textbooks and pedagogy.
Festschrift / book of contributed research for his 60th birthday
A group of computer scientists contributed research articles which were edited into a book in honor of Dijkstra's 60th birthday.
Elected Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
ACM fellowship recognizing sustained contributions to computing.
Retired from University of Texas (Professor Emeritus)
Retired in November 1999 after fifteen years at UT Austin; Department organized events marking his retirement and long career.
70th birthday symposium at UT Austin
Department organized a symposium in May 2000 to celebrate his 40+ years of seminal contributions to computing science.
Honorary doctorate from Athens University of Economics & Business
Awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition of his lifetime contributions to computing and mathematics.
C&C Foundation of Japan recognition (notice received before death)
C&C Foundation recognized Dijkstra 'for his pioneering contributions'—he was alive to receive notice though family accepted after his death.
Received ACM PODC Influential-Paper Award (Self-stabilization)
Shortly before his death he received the ACM PODC award for his 1974 work on self-stabilization in distributed computing (later renamed the Dijkstra Prize).
Returned to Nuenen, Netherlands
Returned from Austin to his original house in Nuenen after learning of terminal illness; wished to die in the Netherlands.
Last EWD report (No. 1318) dated
The final EWD in his long-running series is dated 14 April 2002; the EWD corpus totals over 1,300 numbered documents spanning ~40 years.
Died in Nuenen after long illness
Dijkstra died on 6 August 2002 at his home in Nuenen after a long struggle with cancer. Survived by wife Ria and three children.
ACM PODC Influential-Paper Award renamed 'Edsger W. Dijkstra Prize'
The annual award in distributed computing was renamed the Dijkstra Prize in his honor (renaming occurred the year after his death).
Loyola University Chicago establishes 'Dijkstra Award' for students
Beginning in 2005 the Department of Computer Science at Loyola University Chicago named an award for outstanding academic achievement after Dijkstra.
Inaugural Edsger W. Dijkstra Memorial Lecture (UTCS)
UT Austin's Department of Computer Science hosted the first Dijkstra Memorial Lecture on 12 October 2010; Tony Hoare was the speaker.
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