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January 17,
2005 Vol. 76, no. 1S
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CS, BioE, IEOR, and Mathemetics professor Richard
Karp attended Boston Latin School and Harvard University, receiving
his Ph.D. in 1959. From 1968 to 1994, and from 1999 to the present,
he has been a professor at the University of California, Berkeley,
where he held the Class of 1939 Chair. His current activities
center on algorithmic methods in genomics and computer networking.
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Professor
Minute with CS Professor Richard Karp
If you decided not to
go into engineering, what other career would you have today?
I probably would still have become a teacher, since my father was an
inspiring junior high school teacher, and teaching is in my blood.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
My top priority is to spend time with my wife and 16-year-old son. On
weekend mornings, I take long brisk walks with my dog. I'm an avid but
not particularly skilled chess player. My tastes in reading run to biographies
and books written for a general audience about mathematics, physics,
cosmology and evolutionary theory. I love to travel, especially when
it involves meeting professional colleagues in exotic locations.
How can a student get through your hardest class?
Take the class only if you expect to enjoy the material. Work together
with other students and bring your unanswered questions to office hours.
Office hours are especially enjoyable when a group of students gets
together to brainstorm with me.
What was your favorite movie last year and why?
I enjoyed Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911 because I agreed with its political
message, but I have to admit that it was a heavy-handed attack on Bush,
and probably hurt Kerry's chances more than it helped.
What CD are you listening to at the moment?
My tastes run towards classical music and oldies like the Beatles, but
my son is a guitar player, and he exposes me to groups like Radiohead,
the Smiths, and the Pixies.
If you would like us to
feature your favorite professor, please e-mail his or her name to engnews@coe.berkeley.edu.
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