Anna R. Karlin

Anna R. Karlin is a Professor and the Bill & Melinda Gates Chair in Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington's Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. She serves as Associate Director of Graduate Studies and leads research in theoretical computer science within the Theory & Models of Computation focus area.

• Ph.D. from Stanford University (1987)
• Former researcher at Digital Equipment Corporation's Systems Research Center (5 years)

Professor Karlin's research centers on theoretical computer science, with specific expertise in algorithm design and analysis, particularly probabilistic and online algorithms. Her work spans multiple interdisciplinary domains including algorithmic game theory, economics and computation, data mining, operating systems, networks, and distributed systems. Her research has evolved from foundational algorithmic work to impactful applications in market design, auction theory, and pricing mechanisms.

Karlin's publication record demonstrates a consistent trajectory from classical theoretical computer science toward algorithmic game theory and mechanism design. Her recent work focuses on approximation algorithms for NP-hard problems, auction design, revenue maximization, and stable matching problems, with applications in online advertising, network economics, and resource allocation. She has developed influential algorithms for the Traveling Salesman Problem and made significant contributions to understanding interdependent valuations in combinatorial auctions.

• Bill & Melinda Gates Chair in Computer Science & Engineering

Professor Karlin has advised numerous doctoral students throughout her career, with former students including prominent researchers like Jason Hartline, Frank McSherry, and Kira Goldner. Her collaborative research has been supported by various grants, including NSF funding (CCF-1813135 mentioned in her publications). She co-authored the influential textbook Game Theory, Alive with Yuval Peres, which serves as a rigorous introduction to game theory with applications across multiple disciplines.

As a leader in theoretical computer science, Professor Karlin maintains active involvement in the Theory of Computation research group at the Allen School, fostering collaboration between theoretical foundations and practical applications in computer science.