John L. Hennessy, President of Stanford University

John L. Hennessy is the 10th President of Stanford University and a pioneer of computer architecture.


MP3 File | Subscribe via iTunes | Add to del.icio.us


John Hennessy started at Stanford as an associate professor in Electrical Engineering in 1977 and assumed Presidency in 2000. A technologist at the core, President Hennessy pioneered a computer assembly language called MIPS in 1981 and started a company, MIPS Computer Systems, in 1984. As Stanford’s 10th president, he oversees the University from various perspectives and sits at the intersection of academics, technology, and the corporate world.

In this interview, he talks about his role as the President, the early years of running a startup, current issues Stanford University faces, and the future of information technology. He also gives advice to prospective students and budding entrepreneurs.

He is currently on the boards at Google, Cisco Systems, and Atheros Communications, and has written two foundational books on computer architecture and assembly language.



- Min Liu