Computers were 'just cool,' now they're his livelihood

Who: David Notkin

What he does: Chairman of the Computer Science and Engineering Department at the University of Washington, which begins the fall quarter today.

Background: Born and raised in Syracuse, N.Y. At 11, Notkin's family moved to White Plains, where he attended high school.

A love is born: "The school acquired a couple of minicomputers, with paper tape," Notkin recalls. "(My math teacher) basically sicced us on these computers. In a short time, we knew most everything about it. The (computer) company hired us for a summer doing odds and ends of programming."

And blossoms: In 1977, Notkin became one of the first graduates of Brown University's newly formed computer-science department. He studied with professor Andries van Dam, who also instructed Ed Lazowska, the previous chairman of the UW department.

The academic route: Notkin received a Ph.D. in computer science from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1984. The UW hired him the same year. "I think when I started and when Ed started, it was just cool. Here was a thing you could give a bunch of rules to and see what it could do. ... I don't think it occurred to any of us that this was a way to go out and make money."

A 20-year take: Notkin, whose academic focus is on software engineering, said the department staff has doubled, with more than 40 faculty members.

Commercial component: As an example of how the department fosters commercial application of research, associate professor Chris Diorio helped form Impinj, a Seattle-based start-up that makes self-adaptive silicon chips.

And more: Notkin also points to students such as Emma Brunskill, the UW's first Rhodes Scholar in 20 years, who was a computer-science and engineering graduate. "A couple of years ago, one of my best students went to MIT on the faculty. Those are just a few names. There are tons and tons."

On the economy: "It reminds people ... there is some value in universities. Certainly students in a recession tend to better understand the value of an education. During the boom, they could ask, 'Why should I get a degree? I can get 10 jobs tomorrow.' It's a reminder that there is long-term value."

On globalization: Notkin, whose research focus is on software engineering, spent sabbaticals at IBM's Haifa Research Lab in Israel, Osaka University and Tokyo Institute of Technology. "One of the reasons I love to travel is I'm not an expert, but it gives me some sense that everyone is not like Billy Bob and Sue around the street. If you don't understand that, you're at a competitive disadvantage in the world."

— Monica Soto