In the culmination of an academic career spanning nearly 29 years, Professor Alvin ‘Alvy’ R. Lebeck retired from Duke University at the end of September.
Lebeck, who holds a primary appointment in the Department of Computer Science and a secondary appointment in Electrical and Computer Engineering, is an innovator in computer architecture and systems.
Lebeck’s research employs a combination of interdisciplinary and conventional research methods, with a foundation in computer architecture and systems. His contributions touch numerous layers of the computer technology landscape, including DNA self-assembly as an alternative to silicon fabrication, novel processor, memory, and parallel computer designs, computer energy and power management, and hardware and software systems at the confluence of high-performance scientific computing and data center design.
"Professor Lebeck has been a pioneering researcher, an inspiring teacher and a passionate builder of our community,” said Jian Pei, the Arthur S. Pearse Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and department chair. “His dedication and vision have not only shaped countless minds but also strengthened the bonds within our department. We have been incredibly fortunate to work alongside him.
“While we will deeply miss his presence, we are excited to see him embark on the next chapter of his journey. Wishing him all the best in the adventures ahead."
Throughout his career, Lebeck published over 100 notable publications with nearly 8,000 citations; mentored generations in computer architecture and systems students; and won numerous awards, including an National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award in 1997, and being named an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Fellow in 2017.
Lebeck co-founded the biotechnology company Phitonex in 2017, in a field quite different from computer science, after exploring nanoscale techniques using DNA self-assembly and small fluorescent molecules as potential alternatives to silicon. Phitonex pioneered a spectral dye platform with applications in cell therapy, immuno-oncology, and immunology research. It was acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2020.
Still in 2020, Lebeck received the SIGARCH Alan D. Berenbaum Distinguished Service Award for creating, curating, and architecting the blog titled ‘Computer Architecture Today,’ which transformed the way in which the greater computer science community connects and communicates.
“I have a life philosophy. Each day, you should do something that makes life a little bit easier for someone else,” Lebeck said in his acceptance speech. “While I strive to apply this in both my personal and professional life with varying degrees of success, Computer Architecture Today allowed me to achieve this philosophy. First, by creating a platform that made information readily and easily accessible to others. Second, by working closely with contributors, I hope that I made things a little bit easier for them to share their insights, expertise, and opinions.”
Pankaj Agarwal, RJR Nabisco Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and former department chair, said, “Not only is Alvy an outstanding scholar, but he has also been a leader and a dedicated citizen of the department. He always put the department's interests above his own, and he played a pivotal role in building the systems and architecture group in the department. As Chair, I often relied on his leadership skills and sought his sage advice. I'll miss him both as a valuable colleague and a dear friend.”
Lebeck came to Duke from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he earned a bachelor’s (‘89) in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and master’s (’91), and doctoral (’95) degrees in Computer Sciences. He joined Duke in 1996 as an assistant professor with an appointment in Computer Science.
At Duke, Lebeck was known for teaching computer architecture courses at all levels, including Computer Architecture, Advanced Computer Architecture I, and for creating the Computer Science course, Introduction to Computer Systems.
“There are many things I consider highlights of my time at Duke since I believe in enjoying and appreciating the little things as much as major research contributions and news-grabbing headlines,” he said. “Among those I include each of my Ph.D. students’ graduation and their subsequent success; the founding and acquisition of Phitonex; creating the Computer Architecture Today blog and the community’s response to it; and perhaps most importantly, the occasional note from an undergraduate conveying appreciation for what they learned or how a class inspired them in some way.”
Following his retirement, Lebeck will move to the West Coast with his wife to be closer to family and enjoy the region's incredible natural beauty. He will also work at Microsoft Research in Redmond, Washington.
When asked what he will miss the most about Duke, Lebeck said, “The people! This includes students, faculty colleagues and the amazing staff. I’ll miss working with my graduate students and watching them develop into world-class researchers, and I’ll miss introducing undergraduates to the details of how a simple computer processor works and seeing the lightbulb go off when they understand it.
“Duke is an incredible place, and I’m forever grateful for the privilege of working here and being part of Duke’s family.”
Department of Computer Science
