Dr. William F. Miller
Herbert Hoover Professor of Public and Private Management Emeritus
Professor of Computer Science Emeritus
Stanford University
President and CEO Emeritus, SRI International
Chairman Emeritus
Borland Software Corporation
Chairman/Founder
Nanostellar, Inc.
He received a PhD in Physics from Purdue University in 1956 and became the Director of the Applied Mathematics Division at the Argonne National Laboratory in 1958. In addition to leading the computerization of Argonne, he and his colleagues did significant early work on computational science.
Dr.Miller was the last faculty member recruited to Stanford University by the legendary Frederick Terman who was then Vice President and Provost of Stanford. Miller carried out research in computer science and directed the research of many graduate students, and led the computerization of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center as well as laid the foundations for the wiring of the Stanford Campus.
As Vice President for Research and later as Vice President and Provost Miller championed the establishment of the Office of Technology Licensing which has become the model for such activities at other universities. He actively facilitated the establishment of a number of interdisciplinary programs.
In 1968 Dr. Miller also played a role in the founding of the first Mayfield Fund(venture capital) as a special limited partner and advisor to the general partners.
As President and CEO of SRI International (1979-1990) Miller opened SRI to the Pacific Region,he established the spin-out and commercialization program at SRI and established the David Sarnoff Research Center(now the Sarnoff Corporation) as a for-profit subsidiary of SRI.He became the Chairman and CEO.
In 1982 Miller was appointed to the National Science Board .He has served on the board of directors of several major companies such as Signetics, Firemans Fund Insurance, First Interstate Bank (and later)Wells Fargo Bank, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and Varian Associates.
Since1990,he has worked with start-ups and non-profits in Silicon Valley. He helped organize Joint Venture Silicon Valley Network. He co-founded SmartValley,Inc. and aided the formation of CommerceNet and serves on the board of directors.Dr. Miller was a founding director and served as Vice Chairman of the Center for Excellence in Non-profits.
Dr. Miller has received a number of awards and honors:
- Life Member of the National Academy of Engineering ,1987;
- Life Fellow IEEE,1999;
- Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Science ,1980;
- Technology 100 (International Technology Leaders),Technology Magazine,1981
- Stanford Computing Pioneer by the AFIPS History of Computing Committee,1987
- Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science,1987;
- Frederic B. Whitman Award,United Way of the Bay Area,1982;
- Tau Beta Pi Eminent Engineer 1989;
- Sarnoff Founders Medal,1997;
- David Packard Civic Entrepreneur Award(Smart Valley Team),1998;
- Robert K.Jaedicke Silver Apple Award(Stanford Business School Alumni),1998;
- The Order of Civil Merit by the President of the Republic of Korea,2000
- The Okawa Prize 2000,The Okawa Foundation ,Tokyo,Japan
- The Silicon Valley Engineering Hall of Fame 2001
- Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame 2002
- Commendation for Service,Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO),2002
- gMost Mentoring Angelh, International Angel Investors, 2002
- Honorary Professor, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou China 2004