Prof. Avi Wigderson Wins Turing Award

The A.M. Turing Award, also known as the “Nobel Prize of Computing,” will be granted to Prof. Avi Wigderson, a graduate of the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science at the Technion and a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) in Princeton. The award is an annual prize given by the ACM –  the American Association for Computing Machinery.

In June 2023, Prof. Wigderson received an honorary doctorate from the Technion for “his significant contribution and leadership in the fields of computer science theory and discrete mathematics, including complexity theory, cryptography, expanding graphs, and more; and in gratitude for his long-standing relationship with the Technion, beginning with his undergraduate studies.”

Prof. Avi Wigderson with the President of the Technion, Prof. Uri Sivan

Prof. Wigderson, born in Haifa (1956), completed his undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Computer Science at the Technion in 1980. He went on to earn a master’s degree and doctorate at Princeton University. He currently serves as a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study. Over the years, he has published hundreds of articles and has won numerous awards and scholarships, including the Alon Fellowship, the Gödel Prize, the Knuth Prize, and the Nevanlinna Prize. Prof. Wigderson is also an author. His book, Mathematics and Computation: A Theory Revolutionizing Technology and Science, makes the field of complexity accessible and explains its connections to computer science theory.

President of the Technion, Prof. Uri Sivan, congratulated Prof. Wigderson and said: “We are very proud of the fact that he is a Technion alumnus with a long-standing connection to our community of researchers. Last year, we conferred on him an honorary doctorate for his groundbreaking contribution to a wide spectrum of subjects, from discrete mathematics to complex cryptography. Prof. Widgerson’s winning the Turing Award proves that the world recognizes his seminal contributions. We congratulate him on this huge honor and rejoice together with him.”

Prof. Danny Raz, the dean of the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science said: “Prof. Wigderson’s immense contributions to the realms of mathematics and computing have earned him international recognition, including prestigious awards such as the Abel Prize, the Gödel Prize, the Knuth Prize, and the Nevanlinna Prize. Now, his exceptional achievements have led to his selection for the highest honor in computer science, the Nobel Prize equivalent, the Turing Award. Prof. Wigderson serves as a role model for our graduates, embodying the Technion spirit as an alum who, since completing his studies, has dedicated his career to advancing human knowledge. A brilliant researcher in both mathematics and computer science, and at their interface, he is truly deserving of this esteemed award”

From right to left: Prof. Avi Wigderson with the President of the Technion, Prof. Uri Sivan, and the Dean of the Graduate School, Prof. Uri Peskin

Prof. Wigderson spoke on behalf of the degree recipients at the honorary doctorate ceremony, held in June 2023, as part of the Technion’s annual Board of Governors meeting and said: “I have no doubt that all of us, the degree recipients, are excited to be here tonight. It is a tremendous honor. I would like to thank the Israeli academia and all the people who contributed to my career – my family, teachers and mentors, students, and postdoctoral researchers. I am grateful to all the academic institutions I have been a part of, with the Technion, of course, being the first: my alma mater. The Technion prepared me well for my academic career. I had excellent teachers here. Here in 1980, I met Edna, who later became my wife, in a class dealing with problem-solving. We fell in love here, and here, in the Technion synagogue, we got married. Here, I also fell in love with my field of study – the theory of computer science. The Technion is a beacon of excellence contributing to the security of the State of Israel and its economy through a pursuit of knowledge and truth through inquiry and reasoning, openness, and collaboration with Israeli and global society. It is important to preserve these values.”

A video filmed on the occasion of the 2023 honorary doctorate ceremony: