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Floyd (Robert W.) Papers
SC0625
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Robert W. Floyd papers
Identifier/Call Number: SC0625
Physical Description:
26.75 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1960-1995
Summary: These papers include
his Stanford course files, 1976-94; correspondence, 1968-95, including that with Donald
Knuth, 1963-1987; research and subject files; reprints and manuscripts; computer printouts;
and note cards. Some materials relate to his interest in backgammon.
Language of Material:
Undetermined .
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Gift of the estate of Robert W. Floyd, 2002.
Boxes 19 and 20 are restricted for 75 years from date of creation and may be made available
in 2068.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must
be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford
University Libraries, Stanford, California 94304-6064. Consent is given on behalf of Special
Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright
owner, heir(s) or assigns. See:
http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/pubserv/permissions.html.
Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of
digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Robert W. Floyd Papers (SC0625). Department of Special Collections and University Archives,
Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Biographical/Historical Sketch
Robert W. Floyd joined the Stanford faculty in 1968 as an associate professor of computer
science. He was appointed full professor in 1970 and from 1973 to 1975 he was chair of the
department. He retired from Stanford in 1994. A child prodigy, Floyd graduated from high
school at age 14 and earned his first bachelor's degree at the age of 17 and his second in
physics in 1958, both at the University of Chicago. A self-taught computer operator and
programmer, he became a Senior Project Scientist at Computer Associates in Massachusetts in
1962. He taught at the Carnegie Institute of Technology prior to his appointment at
Stanford. His most important scientific achievement was pioneering systematic methods of
program verification. His research included design and analysis of algorithms for finding
the shortest paths in a network, parsing (decomposing) programming languages, calculating
quantiles, printing shades of gray on a dot printer, sorting information and selecting
random permutations and combinations. In 1978, Floyd won the Association for Computing
Machinery Turing Award, the highest honor in computer science. In 1991, the Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society awarded Floyd its Computer
Pioneer Award for his work on early compilers. Floyd was a fellow of the American Academy of
Arts and Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the
Association for Computing Machinery. He died in September 2001.
These papers include his Stanford course files, 1976-94; correspondence, 1968-95, including
that with Donald Knuth, 1963-1987; research and subject files; reprints and manuscripts;
computer printouts; and note cards. Some materials relate to his interest in backgammon.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Backgammon.
Formal languages.
Computer programming.
Machine theory.