Micha Sharir
Micha Sharir is a mathematician and computer scientist whose work with Jack Schwartz helped lay the foundations of algorithmic motion planning in robotics. He completed a PhD in mathematics at Tel Aviv University in 1976, then moved into computer science during postdoctoral work at NYU's Courant Institute. In 1995 he published a book summarizing his research, and in 2025 he won the Knuth Prize for contributions to computational and discrete geometry. He was named an ACM Fellow in 1997, and he received the Feher Prize in 1999 and the Landau Prize in 2002. As of October 2026, he is professor emeritus of computer science at Tel Aviv University.
- Now at
- Tel Aviv University
- Works
- 710
- Citations
- 24,473
- h-index
- 77
Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.
Timeline
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1976
From mathematics to computer science
He completes a PhD in mathematics at Tel Aviv University in 1976. He then switches to computer science during postdoctoral work at NYU's Courant Institute.
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1980
Back at Tel Aviv University
In 1980 he returns to Tel Aviv University, and he stays in its School of Computer Science.
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1980s
Algorithmic motion planning
With Jack Schwartz, he lays the foundations of algorithmic motion planning in robotics in the early 1980s.
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1995
A book summarizing his research
In 1995 he publishes a book summarizing his research.
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1997–1999
ACM Fellow and the Feher Prize
He is named an ACM Fellow in 1997. In 1999 he receives the Feher Prize in Computer Science.
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2002
The Landau Prize
In 2002 he receives the Landau Prize for Science and Research.
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2025
The Knuth Prize
The 2025 Donald E. Knuth Prize goes to him for contributions to computational and discrete geometry and to the development of algorithmic motion planning.
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As of October 2026
Professor emeritus at Tel Aviv University
He is professor emeritus of computer science at Tel Aviv University.
Sources and credits
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