Contents
Richard E. Stearns
Foundations of computational complexity theory.
Computational complexity · Syntax-directed transduction
- Born
- 5 July 1936
- Birthplace
- Caldwell
- Died
- 29 August 2026
More people
Richard E. Stearns
American researcher whose work with Juris Hartmanis helped classify computation by the resources it requires. Shared the 1993 Turing Award.
Early life
Mathematical education
Graduated from Carleton College in 1958 and completed a Princeton doctorate under Harold Kuhn in 1961.
Career
- 1965
Complexity theory
Published foundational work with Hartmanis.
- Academic career
University at Albany
Taught computer science at the State University of New York.
- 1993
Turing Award
Shared computing’s major award with Hartmanis.
Contributions
Computational complexity
Co-authored a paper containing a time-hierarchy theorem.
Syntax-directed transduction
Worked with Philip Lewis on techniques important to parsing.
Beyond work
Dancing and bridge
Met his wife Charlotte at a folk dance and married her in 1963. They continued dancing together; he also became a Life Master bridge player.
Sources & photo credit
Biography and career ↗Biographical references ↗Additional biographical or achievement source ↗Original photograph. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
Photo: Richard Edwin Stearns. CC BY-SA 3.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.