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Edsger W. Dijkstra

Dutch computer scientist (1930-2002) · Netherlands · Developers · Died at 72

Edsger W. Dijkstra is read about 767 times a day, in 65 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 15 October 2026

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The algorithm that finds the shortest path between two points - the one running beneath every GPS route, every network packet, every optimization you've ever trusted a machine to calculate - came from a Dutch programmer in 1956 who worked it out to demonstrate the power of a new computer.

A life in dates

2002Died6 August 2002C&C PrizeAwardDijkstra PrizeAward1994ACM FellowAward1982Computer Pioneer AwardAward1974Harry H. Goode Memorial AwardAward1972Turing AwardAward1971Fellow of the British Computer SocietyAward1930Born11 May 1930

Also in Deutsch

Photos 4

The Eindhoven University of Technology, located in Eindhoven in the south of the Netherlands, where Dijkstra was a professor of mathematics from 1962 to 1984The Eindhoven University of Technology, located in Eindhoven in the south of the Netherlands, where Dijkstra was a professor of mathematics from 1962 to 1984The University of Texas at Austin, where Dijkstra held the Schlumberger Centennial Chair in Computer Sciences from 1984 until 1999The University of Texas at Austin, where Dijkstra held the Schlumberger Centennial Chair in Computer Sciences from 1984 until 1999Dijkstra at the blackboard during a conference at ETH Zurich in 1994. He once remarked, "A picture may be worth a thousand words, a formula is worth a thousand pictures."[20]Dijkstra at the blackboard during a conference at ETH Zurich in 1994. He once remarked, "A picture may be worth a thousand words, a formula is worth a thousand pictures."[20]

Awards

Dijkstra Prize2002
C&C Prize2002
ACM Fellow1994
Computer Pioneer Award1982
Harry H. Goode Memorial Award1974
Turing Award1972
Fellow of the British Computer Society1971

In their orbit

Spouse: Maria C. Debets

About this person

Edsger Wybe Dijkstra studied theoretical physics at Leiden, then took a job in 1952 as the first computer programmer in the Netherlands at the Mathematical Centre in Amsterdam. He formulated the shortest path problem in 1956, built the first compiler for ALGOL 60 in 1960, and by the late 1960s had designed the THE multiprogramming system, pioneering software-based paged virtual memory that shaped operating systems for decades. In 1973 he joined Burroughs Corporation as its sole research fellow and wrote nearly 500 technical reports in his "EWD" series, circulated to a select group. He moved to the University of Texas at Austin in 1984, won the Turing Award in 1972 for work on structured programming, and received an award in distributed computing shortly before his death in 2002.

Country
Netherlands
Category
Developers
Type
Developer
Status
deceased
Dates
Lived 1930 to 2002 · aged 72

In common with Edsger

Charles K. KaoBoth received C&C PrizeAlfred AhoBoth received C&C PrizeMakoto NagaoBoth received C&C Prize

Developers from the Netherlands 3

Guido van Rossum75.2Henk Rogers56.5Ton Roosendaal53.3

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