PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Aaron Roth

Also known as Aaron L. Roth, Aaron Leon Roth

Aaron Roth is a computer scientist whose work covers differential privacy and socially aware algorithm design. He earned a 2006 BA in computer science and mathematics from Columbia and a 2010 computer science PhD from Carnegie Mellon, completed a Microsoft Research postdoc, and joined Penn's faculty in 2011. His books include The Algorithmic Foundations of Differential Privacy, coauthored with Cynthia Dwork, and The Ethical Algorithm, coauthored with Michael Kearns. He received the Presidential Early Career Award in 2016, CyLab's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2023, and Penn's 2025–2026 Heilmeier Faculty Award. As of October 2026, he is Penn's Henry Salvatori Professor of Computer and Cognitive Science.

Works
277
Citations
18,432
h-index
47

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 2006–2010

    Computer science degrees

    He earns a BA in computer science and mathematics from Columbia in 2006 and a PhD in computer science from Carnegie Mellon in 2010.

  2. 2010–2011

    A postdoc before Penn

    After graduating from Carnegie Mellon, he spends a year as a postdoc in Microsoft's research division and joins Penn's Computer Science Department as a tenure-track faculty member in 2011.

  3. 2014

    A differential privacy book

    He and Cynthia Dwork publish The Algorithmic Foundations of Differential Privacy in 2014. The book lays out fundamental techniques for privacy-preserving data analysis.

  4. 2016

    The Presidential Early Career Award

    He receives the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2016.

  5. 2019

    The Ethical Algorithm

    With Michael Kearns, he publishes The Ethical Algorithm in 2019, which proposes algorithms with precise definitions of fairness, accuracy, transparency, and ethics.

  6. 2023

    CyLab Distinguished Alumni Award

    CyLab names him its 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award winner.

  7. 2025–2026

    A Penn research award

    He receives the 2025–2026 George H. Heilmeier Faculty Award for Excellence in Research for work on data privacy and algorithmic fairness.

  8. As of October 2026

    Professor at Penn

    As of October 2026, he is Penn's Henry Salvatori Professor of Computer and Cognitive Science.

Sources and credits

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  1. Aaron Roth: Class of 1940 Professor | University of Pennsylvania Almanac almanac.upenn.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  2. Aaron Roth receives 2023 CyLab Distinguished Alumni Award - CyLab Security and Privacy Institute cylab.cmu.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  3. Aaron Roth cis.upenn.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  4. The Algorithmic Foundations of Differential Privacy cis.upenn.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  5. New Book: The Ethical Algorithm | Santa Fe Institute santafe.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  6. Aaron Roth: 2025-2026 Heilmeier Award | University of Pennsylvania Almanac almanac.upenn.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  7. Heilmeier Award Lecture Featuring Aaron Roth | Penn AI ai.upenn.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.