معرفی
Lance Fortnow is a Professor of Computer Science and former Dean of the College of Computing at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). He holds a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from MIT and a B.A. in Mathematics and Computer Science from Cornell University. His research focuses on computational complexity theory, particularly the P vs NP problem, and he has authored influential papers in areas such as algorithm design, cryptography, and quantum computing theory. Fortnow has held leadership roles in organizations like the Computing Research Association (CRA) and served as Chair of ACM SIGACT. He is a recipient of prestigious awards including the ACM SIGACT Distinguished Service Award and the EATCS-IPEC Nerode Prize.
Education:
- Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- B.A. in Mathematics and Computer Science, Cornell University
Research Interests: Fortnow’s work explores foundational questions in theoretical computer science, with a focus on computational complexity, NP-completeness, and the limits of efficient computation. His book The Golden Ticket: P, NP, and the Search for the Impossible popularized the P vs NP problem. Recent research includes studies on robust simulations, instance compression, and the application of complexity theory to interdisciplinary fields like cryptography and quantum computing.
Awards:
- EATCS-IPEC Nerode Prize (2014)
- ACM SIGACT Distinguished Service Award (2014)
- ACM Fellow (2007)
Service & Leadership: Fortnow has advised on NSF panels and served on editorial boards of journals like Journal of the ACM and ACM Transactions on Computation Theory. His administrative roles include Dean of IIT’s College of Computing (2012–2025) and leadership in the CRA Computing Community Consortium.
