Established in 2008 with a gift from Anne Dinning and Michael Wolf.
Anne Dinning joined the D. E. Shaw group in 1990, after receiving a B.S. in computer science from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. in computer science from New York University's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, where she won the Howard Grad Memorial Award for Outstanding Ph.D. Candidate. From 1995 until her retirement in 1999, she was the managing director responsible for the firm's worldwide asset management activities (including the equity and equity-linked strategies and fixed income-related strategies), as well as in 1996 for the management of an international broker dealer business based in London. In August 2002, Dr. Dinning rejoined the D. E. Shaw group as a managing director. At the time of this gift she is a member of the executive committee of D. E. Shaw & Co., L.P. and D. E. Shaw & Co., L.L.C., in which capacity she jointly supervises the D. E. Shaw group's worldwide asset management businesses. She serves as chief investment officer of D. E. Shaw Investment Management, L.L.C. and is a member of that entity's executive committee, as well as of the D. E. Shaw group's private equity and real estate investment committees. Dr. Dinning is a member of the Asset Managers' Committee of the President's Working Group on Financial Markets. She was the 2006 recipient of the Industry Leadership Award presented by 100 Women in Hedge Funds, an organization committed to the professional advancement of women in the alternative investment industry.
Anne and Michael appreciate the opportunities that have been made available to them because of their excellent educations, and want to make similar opportunities available to others.
They are pleased to honor Jean-Loup Baer through the naming of this Endowed Professorship. Dr. Baer, as a freshly minted UCLA Ph.D. in 1969, became the first junior faculty member hired by the University of Washington Computer Science Group. A leading computer architect, he devoted his entire career to UW CSE, and chaired the department from 1988-93 when he guided its transition to the College of Engineering. He retired as Emeritus Professor in 2003. Jean-Loup taught the first course that Anne took following her admission to UW's Computer Science B.S. program.
Holders of the Jean-Loup Baer Professorship
Magda Balazinska (as a Career Development Professorship), 2014-2017
Shayan Oveis Gharan (as a Career Development Professorship), 2021-2024