John Hennessy, who served as president of Stanford between 2000 and 2016, will be awarded the National Science Board’s (NSB) 2024 Vannevar Bush Award. The award, established in the memory of Vannevar Bush, honors “exceptional lifelong leaders in science and technology,” according to the website. 

“I have had the good fortune to be a teacher, researcher, entrepreneur and leader, and I have had the opportunity to work with incredible students and colleagues,” Hennessy wrote.

Dario Gil, who chairs the Board’s External Engagement Committee and serves as senior vice president and director of IBM research, wrote that the NSB is “thrilled to celebrate John Hennessy as this year’s recipient.”

Gil cited Hennessy’s “pioneering advances in computer architecture and dedication to building the future STEM workforce” as reflecting the ideals of Vannevar Bush. He praised the research’s contributions to the national economy and security.

Vannevar Bush headed the U.S Office of Scientific Research and Development through the second World War and was instrumental in the creation of the National Science Foundation. 

“Vannevar Bush was a great engineer and scientific leader,” Hennessy wrote to The Daily. “It is a great honor to be recognized.”

Currently, Hennessy serves as a chairperson of Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, and as the Shriram Family Director of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program at Stanford.

“I remain intellectually curious,” Hennessy wrote, referencing the artificial intelligence (AI) “revolution” as a new forefront for learning possibilities.

“Science and technology are constantly changing: what was new a decade ago is commonplace and a new field is transforming the world,” he wrote. “Developing the skill to be a life learner is key to flourishing.”

The award will be formally presented at on May 1, 2024, during the National Science Foundation Awards Gala at the Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C.