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Dr. Zvi Galil

Creator of OMSCS, Former Dean of Computing at Georgia Tech, Professor at Columbia University

Portrait of Dr. Zvi Galil

Zvi Galil is noted for his research in algorithms, complexity, and cryptography. Former Dean of Computing at Georgia Tech, he has written over 200 scientific papers and is recognized for his contributions to computer science education.

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Biography

Zvi Galil

Early Life and Education

Zvi Galil was born on June 26, 1947, in Tel Aviv, Israel. He completed both his Bachelor of Science (1970) and Master of Science (1971) degrees in Applied Mathematics at Tel Aviv University, graduating summa cum laude. In 1975, he earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cornell University, under the supervision of renowned computer science professor John Hopcroft. Following his Ph.D., Galil conducted post-doctorate research at IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, New York. Wikipedia: Zvi Galil

Academic and Professional Career

Tel Aviv University

From 1976 to 1995, Zvi Galil was a faculty member of the Computer Science Department at Tel Aviv University. He served as the chair of the department from 1979 to 1982. Tel Aviv University

Columbia University

In 1982, Galil joined the faculty of Columbia University. He chaired the Computer Science Department from 1989 to 1994 and became the Julian Clarence Levi Professor of Mathematical Methods and Computer Science in 1987. In 1995, he was appointed the Morris and Alma A. Schapiro Dean of Engineering at Columbia University's Fu Foundation School of Engineering & Applied Science, a position he held until 2007. During his tenure, he oversaw the naming of the school in honor of Chinese businessman Z. Y. Fu after a significant donation. The New York Times

Tel Aviv University Presidency

In 2007, Zvi Galil became the President of Tel Aviv University. He resigned in 2009 and returned to the faculty as a professor of Computer Science. Tel Aviv University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Galil was appointed as the John P. Imlay Jr. Dean of Computing at Georgia Institute of Technology in April 2010, a position he held until June 2019. During his tenure, he co-conceived the Online Master of Science in Computer Science (OMSCS) program with Udacity founder Sebastian Thrun, which became the largest online master's program in computer science in the United States. The OMSCS program has been widely recognized for its innovative approach to delivering high-quality, low-cost education at scale. Georgia Tech College of Computing

Current Roles

After stepping down as Dean, Galil continues to serve as the Frederick G. Storey Chair in Computing and Executive Advisor to Online Programs at Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech College of Computing

Research Contributions

Zvi Galil's research interests encompass the design and analysis of algorithms, computational complexity, cryptography, and experimental design. He has published over 200 scientific papers and edited five books. Some of his notable research contributions include:

  • Co-founding the terms "stringology" and "sparsification."
  • Developing real-time algorithms for string matching and palindrome recognition.
  • Improving time-optimal algorithms to be space optimal.
  • Designing parallel algorithms for string matching.
  • Developing algorithms for maximum weighted matching, trivalent graph isomorphism, and minimum weight spanning trees.
  • Introducing techniques like sparsification and sparse dynamic programming.

Cornell University

Professional Service

Galil has served in several significant professional roles, including:

  • Founding the Columbia University Theory Day in 1982, which continues as the New York Area Theory Day.
  • Serving as chairman of ACM SIGACT from 1983 to 1987.
  • Managing editor of the SIAM Journal on Computing (1991-1997) and editor in chief of the Journal of Algorithms (1988-2003).

The Wall Street Journal

Awards and Honors

Zvi Galil has received numerous accolades for his contributions to computer science and engineering:

  • Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (1995) for fundamental contributions to algorithms and service to the theoretical computer science community.
  • Elected to the National Academy of Engineering (2004) for contributions to the design and analysis of algorithms.
  • Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2005).
  • The Zvi Galil Award for Student Life established by Columbia University (2008).
  • Great Teacher Award by the Columbia Society of Graduates (2009).
  • Honorary Doctor of Mathematics degree from the University of Waterloo (2012).

Forbes

Personal Life

Zvi Galil is married to Dr. Bella S. Galil, a marine biologist. They have one son, Yair, who works as a corporate lawyer in New York. Wikipedia: Zvi Galil

References

For more information, email Zvi Galil.

Career Timeline

Career Timeline