PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

David E. Goldberg

Also known as Dave Goldberg, David Edward Goldberg

David E. Goldberg is an engineer and educator known for his work on genetic algorithms and evolutionary computation. He earned civil engineering degrees at the University of Michigan, finishing with a PhD in 1983, and in 1989 he published Genetic Algorithms in Search, Optimization, and Machine Learning. In 1990 he joined the University of Illinois, co-founded the Illinois Foundry for Innovation in Engineering Education in 2007, and resigned his professorship there in 2010 to work full time on engineering education. As of October 2026, he is the founder of ThreeJoy Associates, a firm founded in 2010.

Timeline

  1. 1975–1983

    Civil engineering at Michigan

    He earns a BSE in 1975, an MSE in 1976, and a PhD in 1983, all in civil engineering from the University of Michigan.

  2. 1984–1985

    An assistant professor in Alabama

    He joins the University of Alabama as an assistant professor in 1984, and in 1985 he receives a National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award.

  3. 1989

    A book on genetic algorithms

    He publishes Genetic Algorithms in Search, Optimization, and Machine Learning in 1989.

  4. 1990–2003

    First Dobrovolny Professorship holder

    He joins the University of Illinois in 1990, and in 2003 he becomes the first holder of the Jerry S. Dobrovolny Professorship in Entrepreneurial Engineering.

  5. 2007

    Co-founding iFoundry

    He co-founds the Illinois Foundry for Innovation in Engineering Education in 2007.

  6. 2010

    IEEE Pioneer in Evolutionary Computation

    He resigns his tenure and professorship at Illinois in 2010 to work full time on engineering education. The IEEE also names him a Pioneer in Evolutionary Computation in 2010.

  7. 2014

    A Whole New Engineer

    He and Mark Somerville write A Whole New Engineer in 2014, arguing that engineering education needs a thorough overhaul.

  8. As of October 2026

    Founder of ThreeJoy Associates

    He is the founder of ThreeJoy Associates, a firm founded in 2010.

Sources and credits

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  1. David E. Goldberg - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. Goldberg named first holder of Dobrovolny Professorship in Entrepreneurial Engineering – News Bureau news.illinois.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. David E. Goldberg – A Whole New Engineer wholenewengineer.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. Release 8 Sept 2014: New Book Calls for Joy, Trust & Courage in Engineering Education – A Whole New Engineer wholenewengineer.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. ThreeJoy ® – Unleash your school, your students, yourself threejoy.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  6. David E. Goldberg – ThreeJoy ® threejoy.com. Checked 14 October 2026.