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The University of Washington (UW)’s Distinguished Teaching Legacy Award celebrates a legacy of transformational teaching, honoring UW faculty, living or not, who inspired and influenced their students long after they left the classroom. In order to measure impact rather than simply popularity, nominations are solicited only from alums who graduated more than a decade ago. This year’s winner is Brown CS alum Ed Lazowska, Bill & Melinda Gates Chair Emeritus of UW’s Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering. He retired in 2025 after 48 years of teaching.

University of Washington alum Robert Short was one of Ed’s nominators, and he writes, “Ed was incredibly supportive, introducing me to abstract methods for understanding systems that I used throughout my career and as VP of the Microsoft Windows Core operating system development….I’ve watched in awe as Ed’s leadership transformed UW CSE into the powerhouse it is today. He provided the driving force and focus on attracting and growing the absolute best faculty and on creating enduring partnerships across the university and the region.”

Ed’s research and teaching have concerned the design, implementation, and analysis of computing and communication systems and, more recently, the techniques and technologies of data-intensive discovery. He’s been active on public policy issues, ranging from STEM education to Federal strategies for research and innovation.

Ed is a Member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Association for Computing Machinery, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He has served as a board member or technical advisor for a number of high-tech companies, venture firms, and technology-oriented civic organizations, currently including the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (Ai2), Madrona Venture Group, and Pioneer Square Labs.

A long-time advocate for increasing participation in the field, Ed has served on the Executive Advisory Council of the National Center for Women and Information Technology and on the National Academies Committee on Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine.

As he reflects on the honor, Ed opts for a tribute to his mentor and friend, Thomas J. Watson, Jr. University Professor of Technology and Education and Professor of Computer Science Andy van Dam.

“I'm deeply honored by this award,” he says, “but my impact is measured in milli-Andys.”

For more information, click the link that follows to contact Brown CS Communications Manager Jesse C. Polhemus.