Family Background:
John Hennessy’s parents grew up in Brooklyn and met during their high school years. His father served in World War II and later pursued an engineering career in the aerospace industry. His mother was a middle school teacher. The family lived in New York City before moving to Long Island.

Birth and Sibling Group:
John Hennessy was born in New York City but moved to Long Island when he was young. He was the first of six children.

Parents’ Influence:
John Hennessy’s parents were intellectually engaged and pushed him to do his best. They encouraged him to read and exposed him to a wide range of books. His father would often check his homework and encourage him to review his work carefully.

Early Education:
John Hennessy attended public school and initially struggled due to his lack of effort. He found schoolwork easy and skipped homework, but still managed to excel in exams. As a result, he was bored and disengaged in his studies.

Early Life and Education:
John Hennessy attended a new parochial school where he met a math teacher, Sister Imelda, who challenged him intellectually and sparked his interest in studying. He joined a computer club in high school and developed an early interest in computing. Hennessy built a tic-tac-toe machine with a colleague, demonstrating his passion for technology.

The State of the Field:
In the early 1970s, the field of computing was primitive, with limited computing power and basic programming languages like BASIC and FORTRAN 2. There were no formal computer science courses or curricula, requiring individuals to learn independently.

University and Career Direction:
Hennessy’s father, an electrical engineer, advised him to focus on hardware rather than software. Hennessy pursued a track in electrical engineering with a computer option at Villanova University. He engaged in consulting services, helping other students with programming and gaining access to the university’s mainframe computer.

Mentorship and Collaboration:
Hennessy had a close friend who shared his interest in computing, and they collaborated on various projects. He had a mentor in college who involved him in an undergraduate research project, sparking his interest in pursuing a PhD.

Shifting Focus to Computer Science:
As computer science emerged as a standalone field, Hennessy decided to pursue a PhD in computer science. He recognized the growing importance of software and wanted to specialize in this area. Hennessy eventually joined Stanford University’s computer science department, which offered graduate-level programs.

Hennessy’s Path to Computer Science:
Hennessy realized that his undergraduate coursework didn’t meet the requirements for computer science graduate programs. He took additional math courses to bridge the gap, including finite mathematics and calculus. This decision set him on the path towards a PhD in computer science.

Choosing Stony Brook for His PhD:
Hennessy sought a graduate program that would admit him mid-year. Stony Brook offered him financial aid and was a rising department in the field. The department was recruiting stellar students and investing heavily in research.

A Serendipitous PhD Thesis:
A scientist from Brookhaven National Lab approached Hennessy with a problem. They needed a programming system for monitoring individuals with potential radiation exposure. Hennessy took on the challenge of developing such a system, which became his PhD thesis.

Making Waves in Real-Time Computing:
Hennessy’s thesis work focused on hard real-time systems, where tasks must be completed within a specific timeframe. As he neared completion, major leaders in the field published papers in the same area. This increased interest and reinforced the importance of Hennessy’s research.

Key Insight in Real-Time Computing:
Hennessy’s key insight was to use a high-level language to define the key parameters of real-time tasks. This allowed for sophisticated translation techniques to guarantee that specifications would be met.

Gaining Recognition:
Hennessy’s first conference paper was selected for publication in a journal as one of the best conference papers. This recognition helped him secure job offers as he began applying for academic positions.

Deciding Between Academia and Industry:
Hennessy chose an academic career over industry due to the intellectual vitality and his love for teaching.

Landing at Stanford:
Hennessy interviewed at numerous institutions, including Stanford, as his last choice. By then, he had honed his talk through multiple presentations and could answer questions well. After receiving an offer from Stanford, Hennessy and his wife moved to California, leaving behind the East Coast.

Hennessy’s Passion for Teaching:
Hennessy discovered his love for teaching as an undergraduate and continued as a teaching assistant during his graduate studies. He enjoys explaining concepts and seeing students grasp new ideas.

Stanford’s Limited Computer Science Department:
Stanford’s computer science department was small, with only 14 faculty members. The field was growing rapidly, and there was a joint laboratory between electrical engineering and computer science to accommodate the growth. Hennessy’s job offer came from the electrical engineering department due to the limits on the computer science department.

Hennessy’s Experimental Focus and Influential Colleagues:
Hennessy’s research interests lie in building software and hardware systems. He had senior colleagues like Mike Flynn and Forrest Baskett, who played significant roles in his career.

Early Questions and Developments in Computer Science:
In the early days of computer science, questions revolved around the potential of microprocessors and the concept of personal computers. The Apple II was an early version of a personal computer, primarily focused on the educational market. Xerox PARC’s Alto prototype provided a vision for personal computers as we know them today.

Xerox PARC’s Donation and its Transformative Impact:
Xerox donated a set of Alto machines to Stanford and other universities. This donation revolutionized the field by providing a tangible vision of the potential of personal computers. It inspired researchers to explore ways to make computing more accessible and powerful.

VLSI Revolution and Its Significance:
The VLSI revolution, led by Carver Mead and Lynne Conway, enabled the liberation of integrated circuit technology. It allowed multiple design teams to work on top of the fundamental technology, rather than being restricted to a few companies. This separation of manufacturing and design processes led to more cost-effective and powerful computing.

Hennessy’s Collaboration with Jim Clark:
Hennessy received funding from DARPA to work on a VLSI program with Jim Clark. Clark was interested in using VLSI technology for real-time 3D graphics. Hennessy built tools and programming languages to support Clark’s work. Clark later founded Silicon Graphics, and Hennessy served as a consultant for the company.

MIPS Project Initiation:
John Hennessy and his colleagues recognized the potential of the ongoing VLSI revolution and sought to push the boundaries of microprocessor design. The existing microprocessors were imitations of minicomputers, which were outdated for the evolving technological landscape. They aimed to create a microprocessor from the ground up, tailored to the unique characteristics of microprocessors, rather than replicating minicomputers.

MIPS Design Principles:
The MIPS project focused on designing a microprocessor with everything integrated onto a single chip. They questioned the traditional approach of copying minicomputers and instead sought to create a new instruction set that optimized performance and minimized cost. The instruction set was viewed as the interface between hardware and software, and they aimed to define it strategically for optimal performance.

Collaboration and Competition:
The MIPS project was not alone in its quest to redefine microprocessor architecture. Dave Patterson at Berkeley was another key group exploring similar concepts. A group at IBM also delved into this field, approaching it from a distinct perspective that somewhat overlapped with the MIPS team’s ideas.

Stanford and Berkeley Collaboration:
Stanford and Berkeley maintained a friendly competitive relationship, fostering an environment of innovation and exchange. Once their respective projects gained momentum, they organized annual meetings to share ideas and collaborate.

RISC Architecture Skepticism:
Skepticism and resistance from industry regarding the RISC concept, primarily due to its academic prototype nature.

Stanford and Berkeley Collaboration:
A solid alliance between Stanford and Berkeley groups, united in their shared vision for RISC.

IBM’s Secrecy and Limited Collaboration:
IBM’s secretive approach to its RISC project, with minimal information sharing and interaction.

Simulation Breakthrough:
Simulations of the RISC design yielded impressive results, showing 5-10 times the performance of existing microprocessors.

Conceptual Understanding:
Lack of a concrete scientific explanation for the observed performance gains, leading to skepticism and doubt.

Serendipitous Discovery:
Years later, John Hennessy stumbled upon a paper that provided a fundamental understanding of the RISC advantage.

Initial Criticism and Resistance:
Initial skepticism and criticism faced by Hennessy and Patterson, particularly from industry experts.

Famous Antagonist Encounter:
An antagonist at a panel discussion strongly opposed the RISC concept and advised Hennessy to take the funding and move to South America.

Background:
John Hennessy’s experience with Gordon Bell’s skepticism about the potential of RISC processors. Hennessy and his co-founders faced challenges in convincing people about the value of their ideas due to the lack of a solid quantitative explanation. Hennessy highlights the importance of starting MIPS to prove the value of the RISC concept.

Founding MIPS:
Hennessy’s co-founders were engineers who lacked experience in general management and product delivery. Despite the challenges, their belief in the technology drove them forward. Gordon Bell’s advice to start a company as the technology was too disruptive to be accepted by established companies.

Hennessy’s Relationship with Stanford:
John Lindblad, chair of electrical engineering, encouraged Hennessy to start MIPS. Hennessy took a leave of absence to focus on the company full-time for 18 months. He returned to Stanford and continued nurturing his graduate students during this period.

Personal Considerations:
Hennessy’s wife was eight months pregnant with their second child when they started MIPS. Hennessy initially planned to return to Stanford after helping to establish the company. However, he later realized that he missed working with students and being involved in academia.

Hennessy’s Teaching Philosophy:
He finds working with graduate students particularly exciting and fulfilling. He views graduate students as colleagues, collaborating and brainstorming together. Hennessy emphasizes the importance of mentoring and guiding students while allowing them to contribute and innovate. Students receive credit for their contributions, often being listed as first authors on research papers.

Hennessy’s Research Agenda:
Hennessy’s interest in using microprocessors in parallel processors to build cost-effective machines that could compete with high-end computers. Cray and other companies dominated the high-end computer industry with bespoke computers. Hennessy’s focus on leveraging low-cost microprocessors for achieving high performance.

The Rise of Silicon Valley:
Hennessy acknowledges the era’s significance in the development of Apple and the Silicon Valley ecosystem.

Silicon Valley’s Shift from Semiconductor to Computing:
In the 1970s, Silicon Valley was known for its leadership in semiconductors, while the computing industry was centered in New York and Boston. By the late 1980s, Silicon Valley had witnessed a significant shift. Companies like Apple, Sun Microsystems, and Netscape had emerged, making the region a major force in the computing industry.

The Role of Ecosystem and Risk Tolerance:
The success of Silicon Valley is attributed to its unique ecosystem, fostering collaboration and interaction between universities and industries. The culture of risk tolerance allowed entrepreneurs to bounce back from failed ventures and rebuild their careers, contributing to the Valley’s growth.

John Hennessy’s Journey from Researcher to Administrator:
John Hennessy’s career evolved from a hands-on research role to various administrative positions, including department chair, dean, and provost at Stanford University. His decision to take on administrative roles was influenced by his passion for supporting young people, helping faculty achieve their goals, and his belief in higher education’s transformative impact.

Challenges of Balancing Research and Administration:
As Hennessy assumed more administrative responsibilities, he faced the challenge of maintaining a research program alongside his administrative duties. The demands of his administrative positions eventually led him to scale back his research activities.

Provost Decision and the Influence of Condi Rice:
Gerhard Casper’s offer to become provost was a difficult decision for Hennessy, considering the time commitment and potential impact on his research career. Condi Rice’s speech about her grandfather’s journey and the transformative power of higher education inspired Hennessy to accept the provost position.

Reflection on Research and Administrative Roles:
Hennessy reflects on his decision to pursue administrative roles, acknowledging that he felt his research career needed to be well-established before taking on leadership positions. He emphasizes the importance of achieving scholarly prominence and strong credentials before transitioning to academic administration.

The Future of the Field: Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing:
Hennessy highlights the groundbreaking advancements in artificial intelligence, which have brought significant discontinuity and disruption to the field. He also mentions the potential of quantum computing to revolutionize various aspects of science and technology.

Deep Learning Breakthrough:
A discontinuity in artificial intelligence (AI) due to the breakthrough of deep learning, inspired by the human brain. Two critical factors: vast amounts of data for training neural networks (big data revolution) and increased computing power. The impact of AI is widely debated, with some believing it will surpass the impact of the internet.

Fear of AI:
Fear stems from the possibility of computers supplanting human tasks. AI advancements, such as self-driving cars, could save lives and reduce accidents significantly. The disruption caused by AI is comparable to that of the internet or the industrial revolution.

Challenges and Opportunities:
Disruption will occur, resulting in job displacement and relocation. The challenge lies in preparing people for these changes through education and training. Opportunities for new careers and industries will emerge as AI develops.

AI’s Potential to Revolutionize Medicine:
AI is expected to drive a significant transformation in the medical field. Access to large datasets will enable AI systems to make breakthroughs in medical diagnostics and treatment. Early examples include AI systems outperforming dermatologists in detecting skin cancer from photographs.

AI’s Role in Predicting and Preventing Diseases:
AI can analyze health data to predict an individual’s risk of developing certain diseases, such as cancer. Early detection and preventive measures can be taken based on these predictions.

Guiding Graduate Students in AI Research:
For graduate students interested in applying AI to solve global issues, Hennessy suggests focusing on areas where strong application drivers exist. The availability of big data, computational resources, and real-world applications is crucial for the success of AI techniques. Testing algorithms with real data and applications helps evaluate their effectiveness and drive innovation.