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Andries "Andy" van Dam is a distinguished Dutch-American professor of computer science at Brown University, where he also served as vice-president for research. Born in Groningen, the Netherlands on December 8, 1938, van Dam has been instrumental in shaping computer science education and research for over five decades. He helped establish Brown's computer science program, serving as its first department chair from 1979 to 1985, and was appointed Thomas J. Watson, Jr. University Professor of Technology and Education in 1995.
His educational background includes a B.S. with Honors in Engineering Sciences from Swarthmore College (1960) and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Pennsylvania (1963, 1966), where he was the second person to receive a PhD in Computer Science.
Van Dam's research interests span computer graphics, hypertext systems, virtual reality, and educational technology. He is particularly known for his pioneering work in hypertext systems, having co-developed the first hypertext system with Ted Nelson in the late 1960s. His influential textbook "Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice" is often referred to as the "Bible" of computer graphics. His work has consistently focused on making complex computing concepts accessible through innovative interfaces and educational approaches.
His research publications demonstrate a consistent trajectory from foundational work in computer graphics and hypertext to more recent explorations in immersive virtual reality, digital visual literacy, and next-generation educational software. His work bridges theoretical computer science with practical applications in education, medicine, and scientific visualization.
Among his notable honors are:
- IEEE Centennial Medal (1984)
- Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery (1994)
- ACM SIGGRAPH Distinguished Educator Award (2019)
Van Dam has mentored numerous students who have gone on to make significant contributions in computer science, including Randy Pausch, Danah boyd, Scott Draves, and Steven K. Feiner. His teaching extends beyond traditional academic settings, as evidenced by his influence on the character of Andy in the film Toy Story, which pays tribute to his pioneering work in computer graphics. He continues to serve on the technical board of Microsoft Research and as chairman of the Rhode Island Governor's Science and Technology Advisory Council.
His research lab has been instrumental in developing innovative approaches to human-computer interaction, with particular focus on post-WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointer) interfaces, immersive environments, and educational technologies that transform how we learn and interact with digital information.
