Bob Sproull

Interests

Computer systems, especially operating systems, networking, and computer graphics. Also asynchronous circuit design.

Research

I have no active research program, but have broad interests in computer science. My research career has ventured into computer graphics, networking, computer printing, asynchronous (hardware) systems, and operating systems. Perhaps a summary phrase might be design and engineering of systems. I am eager to kibitz on graduate student projects consistent with my interests and abilities. I'm working on a few home automation projects, but it's not clear whether research problems lie therein.

Biography

A.B. Physics, Harvard College, 1968. PhD Computer Science, Stanford University, 1977. Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Member Research Staff, 1972-1977. Carnegie Mellon Univ., faculty member, Computer Science Department, 1977-1983. Sutherland Sproull & Associates, principal, 1980-1991. Sun Microsystems, Vice President and Fellow, 1990-2010. Oracle, Vice President, 2010-2011. Advanced Technology Ventures, Technology Partner, 1981-2008.

Activities & Awards

Sproull is chair of the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board of the National Research Council and also serves on the Computing Community Consortium Council. He is a director of Applied Microcircuits Corp., a fabless semiconductor company in Sunnyvale, CA. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1997, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2002.