Raj Reddy is one of the earliest pioneers in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence and one of the world's leading experts on robotics and artificial intelligence. The director from 1979 to 1992 of the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Reddy was responsible for the operation of thirteen laboratories and three program centers. He is also the recipient of a prestigious Turing Award.
Background
Dabblal Rajagopal Reddy was born on June 13, 1937, in Katoor, India, near Madras. His father, Srdenivasulu Reddy, was an agricultural landlord and his mother, Pitchamma, was a homemaker. Reddy attended the ZP High School at Sri Kalahasti in Chittoor District, and received his Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Guindy College of Engineering, Madras (now Anna University, Chennai), India, in 1958. After his undergraduate work, he moved to Australia as an exchange student and received a Master’s degree in technology in 1960 from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. Upon finishing his Master’s, he worked as an Applied Science Representative for IBM in Australia. He has worked as a politician, an academic, a scientist, a researcher and a chancellor.
Education
After his undergraduate work, he moved to Australia as an exchange student and received a Master’s degree in technology in 1960 from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. In 1963, Reddy came to Stanford University as a PhD student. In early 1964, he began a class project under John McCarthy.
Career
From 1960, Reddy worked for IBM in Australia. He was an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Stanford from 1966-69. He joined the Carnegie Mellon University faculty as an Associate Professor of Computer Science in 1969. He became a Full Professor in 1973, and a University Professor in 1984. He was the founding Director of the Robotics Institute from 1979 to 1991 and the Dean of School of Computer Science. Reddy was a co-chair of the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee from 1999 to 2001. He was one of the founders of the American Association for Artificial Intelligence and was its President from 1987 to 1989. He serves on the International Board of Governors of Peres Center for Peace in Israel.