Mark Allen Weiss
Distinguished University ProfessorBiography
Mark Allen Weiss is Distinguished University Professor in the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education of the College of Engineering and Computing at Florida International University. He served as Interim Founding Director of the School of Universal Computing, Construction, and Engineering EDucation (SUCCEED) having previously served for nine years as Associate Director of the School of Computing and Information Sciences. His interests include data structures, algorithms, and education. He is most well-known for his highly-acclaimed Data Structures textbooks, which have been used by a generation of students. Per opensyllabus.org, he ranks among the top book authors in the entire field of computer science.
Professor Weiss is the author of numerous publications in top-rated journals and was recipient of the University’s Excellence in Research Award in 1994. From 1997-2004 he served as a member of the Advanced Placement Computer Science Development Committee, chairing the committee from 2000-2004. The committee designed the curriculum and wrote the AP exams that are now taken by 60,000 high school students annually. In recent years he served as an elected member of the ACM SIGCSE Board, is now co-leading an NSF-funded project to outline a 15-year agenda for CS Education research, with one goal being to assist NSF in setting its research priorities, and he is also working on Broadening Participation in Computing in South Florida. In addition to his Research Award, Professor Weiss is the recipient of the University’s Excellence in Teaching Award and the 2017 FIU Torch Award. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and an ACM Distinguished Educator. He is the recipient of two major ACM and two major IEEE Education awards, namely the 2015 ACM SIGCSE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Computer Science Education, the 2017 IEEE Computer Society Taylor L. Booth Education Award, the 2018 IEEE Education Society William E. Sayle Achievement in Education Award, and the 2021 ACM Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award.
Honors and Awards
- 2022 FIU Top Scholar
- 2021 ACM Karl V. Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award
- 2018 FIU Top Scholar
- 2018 IEEE Education Society William E. Sayle Achievement in Education Award
- 2018 Fellow IEEE
- 2017 IEEE Computer Society Taylor L. Booth Education Award
- 2017 IEEE Region 3 Professional Leadership Award
- 2017 FIU Faculty Torch Award
- 2016 FIU Top Scholar
- 2015 ACM SIGCSE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Computer Science Education (awarded to a single individual worldwide annually since 1981)
- 2012 AAAS Fellow
- 2012 FIU Top Scholar
- 2011 ACM Distinguished Educator
- 2007 FIU SCIS Excellence in Service Award
- 2005 FIU SCIS Excellence in Teaching Award
- 2000 Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis textbook named one of the thirty most influential books of the twentieth century (ranked #13) by Dr. Dobbs
- 1999 FIU University Excellence in Teaching Award
- 1994 FIU University Excellence in Research Award
- 1994 FIU Teaching Incentive Program Award
- 1990 FIU Outstanding Achievement and Performance Award
- 1983 RCA Fellowship and Merit Prize to Princeton University
- 1981 New York City First Place Winner, Putnam Mathematics Contest
Research and Educational Interests
- Algorithm design and analysis
- Computer Science Education
Background Education
1987 Ph.D., Computer Science, Princeton University
1985 M.A., Computer Science, Princeton University
1984 M.S., Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Princeton University
1983 B.E., Electrical Engineering (Summa Cum Laude), The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, NY
Professional Activities
- Member (1997-2004) of the Advanced Placement Computer Science Development Committee; Chairperson of the committee (2000-2004).
- Member (1999-2000) of the Ad-Hoc Committee on the Future of the Advanced Placement Examination.
- Member (1995-1996) of the Ad-Hoc Committee that advised the College Board on how to incorporate C++ into the Advanced Placement Exam.
- Columnist (1992-1997) for the ACM SIGACT News. The Journal Backlog Report and Technical Report Column were regularly appearing features.
Professional Experience
- 2017 - present Associate Dean, College of Engineering and Computing,
Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199 - 2009 – 2018 Associate Director, School of Computing and Information Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
- 1996 – present Professor, Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
- 1992 – 1996 Associate Professor, School of Computing and Information Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
- 1987 – 1992 Assistant Professor, School of Computing and Information Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
Selected Publications
- M. A. Weiss, Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis, Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Co., Redwood City, CA., 1992, 455 pgs. Second edition, 1995, 510 pgs.
- M. A. Weiss, Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in C, Addison Wesley, Reading, MA., 1993, 461 pgs. Second edition, 1997, 512 pgs.
- M. A. Weiss, Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in Ada, Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Co., Redwood City, CA., 1993, 480 pgs.
- M. A. Weiss, Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in C++, Addison Wesley, Reading, MA., 1994, 498 pgs. Second edition, 1999, 588 pgs. Third edition, 2007, 586 pgs. Fourth edition, 2014, 656 pgs.
- M. A. Weiss, Data Structures and Algorithm Analysis in Java, Addison Wesley, Reading, MA., 1999, 542 pgs. Second edition, 2007, 546 pgs Third edition, 2012, 614 pgs.