Oral history interview with William A. Wulf

Abstract

Computer security pioneer and past President of the National Academy of Engineering William Wulf briefly recounts his childhood, early education, and developing research interests before addressing how he came to develop a strong interest in computing and completed a doctorate (the first computer scientist doctorate) at the University of Virginia under one of the department’s founders (and the sole founder of the computer center) Alan Batson. The bulk of the interview is on his years as a faculty member in computer science at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Virginia, and his founding and leadership of start-up Tartan Laboratories, and his service in directing NSF’s CISE and as President of the National Academy of Engineering. Among the topics discussed are BLISS, C.mmp, HYDRA, key meeting with Al Gore on the Internet, teaching, and the digital humanities.

Professor Anita K. Jones also participates in the interview.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1116862, “Building an Infrastructure for Computer Security History.”