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Faculty Senator

Convenor of Appeals and Grievances

Director of Professional Studies, Computer Science

Scott Rixner is a Professor of Computer Science at Rice University. His research spans virtualization, operating systems, and computer architecture, with a specific focus on memory systems and networking. He concentrates on the intersection of hardware and software, working to develop system software that better exploits modern hardware and to develop hardware that simplifies system software. He is also well versed in the internals of the Python programming language, as he has developed Python interpreters for both embedded systems and web browsers. His work has led to 11 patents and has been implemented within several open source systems.

He has also been actively involved in curriculum development and oversight at Rice, having served on or led the curriculum committees for the University, School of Engineering, and Department of Computer Science. He is currently helping to lead the MCS@Rice and MDS@Rice online degree programs. Prior to joining Rice, he received his Ph.D. from MIT.

Interests

  • Computer Architecture
  • Operating Systems
  • Virtualization
  • Memory Systems
  • Networking

Education

  • PhD in Electrical Engineering, 2001

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • MEng in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, 1995

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • BSc in Computer Science, 1995

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology