Brian Kernighan recognized for groundbreaking work on computer programming languages

The Research & Development Council of New Jersey has awarded Brian Kernighan the Science & Technology Medal, the Council’s highest honor, for his groundbreaking work on computer programming languages. 

Brian Kernighan. Photo by David Kelly Crow

Kernighan, the William O. Baker *39 Professor in Computer Science, was recognized for his role in developing C, one of the most widely used and influential programming languages in the computing industry. The medal is given annually to a New Jersey leader for extraordinary performance in bringing an impactful innovation to the marketplace.

Broadly, Kernighan’s work focuses on programming, software tools, application-oriented languages and technology education. He is the author of a series of books that have become known for their clarity and precision. Among them is “The C Programming Language” (Prentice Hall, 1978), co-written with Dennis Ritchie. The book, which is still in print, is known among programmers as “K&R” and is the fundamental text on the language. Kernighan has also written books on the Go and AWK programming languages.

After completing a Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Princeton and working for 30 years at AT&T Bell Laboratories, Kernighan joined the Princeton faculty in 2000. He has served as a director of undergraduate studies in the department since 2001. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, as well as a recipient of the USENIX Association Lifetime Achievement Award.