F. Thomson Leighton
Encyclopedia
Frank Thomson "Tom" Leighton is a professor
of Applied Mathematics
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
. He has served as the head of the Algorithms group at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
since 1996, and co-founded Akamai Technologies
with student Daniel Lewin in 1998. In 1974, while a senior in high school, he was named one of the Westinghouse Science Talent Search Finalists (now the Intel STS
). Leighton received his B.S.E.
in Electrical Engineering
from Princeton University
in 1978, and his Ph.D.
in Mathematics from MIT in 1981. He was the first winner of the Machtey Award
in 1981 and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
and a member of the National Academy of Engineering
. In 2008, he was appointed as a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences
. He has an Erdős number
of 2. His brother David T. Leighton is a full professor at the University of Notre Dame
, specializing in transport phenomenahttp://www.nd.edu/~chegdept/Leighton.html. He also serves on the Society for Science & the Public
's board of trustees.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Applied Mathematics
Applied mathematics
Applied mathematics is a branch of mathematics that concerns itself with mathematical methods that are typically used in science, engineering, business, and industry. Thus, "applied mathematics" is a mathematical science with specialized knowledge...
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
. He has served as the head of the Algorithms group at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory is a research laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology formed by the 2003 merger of the Laboratory for Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory...
since 1996, and co-founded Akamai Technologies
Akamai Technologies
Akamai Technologies, Inc. is an Internet content delivery network headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, US.The company was founded in 1998 by then-MIT graduate student Daniel M. Lewin, and MIT Applied Mathematics professor Tom Leighton...
with student Daniel Lewin in 1998. In 1974, while a senior in high school, he was named one of the Westinghouse Science Talent Search Finalists (now the Intel STS
Intel Science Talent Search
The Intel Science Talent Search , known for its first 57 years as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search is a research-based science competition in the United States for high school seniors. It has been referred to as "the nation's oldest and most prestigious" science competition. In his speech...
). Leighton received his B.S.E.
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1978, and his Ph.D.
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in Mathematics from MIT in 1981. He was the first winner of the Machtey Award
Machtey Award
The Machtey Awardis awarded at the annual IEEE Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science to that author of the best student paper. A paper qualifies as a student paper if all authors are full-time students at the date of the submission...
in 1981 and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
and a member of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
. In 2008, he was appointed as a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
. He has an Erdős number
Erdos number
The Erdős number describes the "collaborative distance" between a person and mathematician Paul Erdős, as measured by authorship of mathematical papers.The same principle has been proposed for other eminent persons in other fields.- Overview :...
of 2. His brother David T. Leighton is a full professor at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, specializing in transport phenomenahttp://www.nd.edu/~chegdept/Leighton.html. He also serves on the Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public
Society for Science & the Public , formerly known as Science Service, is a 5013 non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of science, through its science education programs and publications, including the weekly Science News magazine.Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the organization...
's board of trustees.
Books
- Introduction to Parallel Algorithms and Architectures: Arrays, Trees, Hypercubes (Morgan Kaufmann, 1991), ISBN 1-55860-117-1
- Complexity Issues in VLSI: Optimal layouts for the shuffle-exchange graph and other networks (MIT Press, 1983), ISBN 0-262-12104-2