Bill Pugh received a Ph.D. in Computer Science (with a minor in Acting) from Cornell University. He was a professor at the University of Maryland for 23.5 years, and in January 2012 becomes professor emeritus and starts a new adventure somewhere at the crossroads of software development and entrepreneurship.

Bill Pugh is a Packard Fellow, and invented Skip Lists, a randomized data structure that is widely taught in undergraduate data structure courses. He has also made research contributions in in techniques for analyzing and transforming scientific codes for execution on supercomputers, and in a number of issues related to the Java programming language, including the development of JSR 133 – Java Memory Model and Thread Specification Revision. Prof. Pugh’s current research focus is on developing tools to improve software productivity, reliability and education. Current research projects include FindBugs, a static analysis tool for Java, and Marmoset, an innovative framework for improving the learning and feedback cycle for student programming projects.

Prof. Pugh has spoken at numerous developer conferences, including JavaOne, Goto/Jaoo in Aarhus, the Devoxx conference in Antwerp, and CodeMash. At JavaOne, he received six JavaOne RockStar awards, given to the speakers that receive the highest evaluations from attendees.

Professor Pugh spent the 2008-2009 school year on sabbatical at Google, where, among other activities, he learned how to eat fire.