PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Robert Endre Tarjan

Also known as Bob Tarjan, Robert E. Tarjan

Robert Endre Tarjan is a computer scientist and mathematician known for the design and analysis of algorithms and data structures. He earned a Caltech mathematics degree in 1969 and a Stanford PhD in 1972. He joined Princeton in 1985, shared the 1986 Turing Award with John Hopcroft, and shared the 1999 Paris Kanellakis Award with Daniel Sleator for splay trees. Intertrust Technologies made him its chief scientist in 2014, and the International Congress of Basic Science gave him its 2025 Basic Science Lifetime Award. As of October 2026, he is a Princeton professor and Intertrust's chief scientist, and INSAIT lists him among its visiting faculty.

Timeline

  1. 1969–1972

    Caltech and Stanford degrees

    He earns a mathematics bachelor's degree at Caltech in 1969. In 1972 he completes a Stanford PhD in computer science.

  2. 1972–1985

    Academic posts, then Princeton

    From 1972 to 1985 he holds academic posts at Cornell, Berkeley, Stanford, and New York University. In 1985 he joins Princeton as James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Computer Science.

  3. 1982

    The first Nevanlinna Prize

    In 1982 he becomes the first winner of the Rolf Nevanlinna Prize.

  4. 1986

    A Turing Award with Hopcroft

    He and John Hopcroft receive the 1986 ACM Turing Award for fundamental achievements in the design and analysis of algorithms and data structures.

  5. 1999

    A Kanellakis award for splay trees

    The 1999 ACM Paris Kanellakis Award goes to him and Daniel Sleator for their invention of splay trees.

  6. 2014

    Chief scientist at Intertrust

    In 2014 he joins Intertrust Technologies as chief scientist.

  7. 2025

    A basic science lifetime award

    The International Congress of Basic Science gives him its 2025 Basic Science Lifetime Award.

  8. As of October 2026

    Princeton and Intertrust roles

    He is a Princeton professor and Intertrust's chief scientist. INSAIT lists him among its visiting faculty.

Sources and credits

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  1. Robert Tarjan - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. Robert Tarjan cs.princeton.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. Robert Tarjan wins lifetime achievement award from the International Congress of Basic Science cs.princeton.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. Robert Endre Tarjan - Heidelberg Laureate Forum heidelberg-laureate-forum.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. Robert E. Tarjan | Collège de France college-de-france.fr. Checked 14 October 2026.
  6. Princeton Computer Scientist Robert E. Tarjan Appointed Chief Scientist at Intertrust Technologies intertrust.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  7. Algorithms and Theory theory.insait.ai. Checked 14 October 2026.