Oral History with Teofilo F. Gonzalez

Abstract

This interview was conducted by CBI for CS&E in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of the University of Minnesota Computer Science Department (now Computer Science and Engineering, CS&E). The interview begins with early biographical discussion and education, and then completing a degree in Computer Science at Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey A.C., Mexico. Professor Gonzalez was among the earliest cohorts of Ph.D. students in the young Computer Science Department at the University of Minnesota. He worked under Professor Sartaj Kumar Sahni and discusses him as mentor, as well as work as a TA from Marvin Stein and association with other early faculty members through work or courses such as Professors Bill Franta and Allen Hanson. The interview also addresses Prof. Teo Gonzalez distinguished career at University of Oklahoma, UT-Dallas, and the bulk of his long career at University of California, Santa Barbara. He discusses his trip back to Minnesota after 15 years to give a lecture and how Minnesota and the department changed. He responds to a number of questions about the evolution and scope of his research which includes design and analysis of algorithms, approximation algorithms, message dissemination, job shop scheduling, and other areas.