Dr. Sebastian Thrun

Professor

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Biography

Sebastian Thrun is a German-American professor, entrepreneur, and computer scientist, known as a pioneer in artificial intelligence and self-driving cars. He founded several influential companies including Waymo, Google X, and Stanford's Artificial Intelligence Lab. Thrun's landmark achievement was leading the Stanford Racing Team to victory in the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge, marking a pivotal moment in autonomous vehicle history. His work on self-driving technology with Google has driven millions of autonomous miles on public roads. An advocate for accessible education, he founded Udacity to democratize learning in cutting-edge fields. Thrun's inventions and companies such as Kitty Hawk aim to redefine future transportation. His profound contributions have significantly shaped AI, robotics, and education and continue to inspire new generations of engineers and innovators.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor

2003-01-01 — Present

Stanford University • Stanford, CA

Tenured professor leading research in artificial intelligence and robotics.

Awards

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DARPA Grand Challenge Winner

2005-01-01
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Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award

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Max-Planck Research Award

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Member, National Academy of Engineering

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Member, German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina

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IEEE Fellow

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AAAI Fellow

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Fast Company Creative People in Business #5

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Foreign Policy Global Thinker #4

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Time Magazine Inventions Hall of Fame

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Telegraph: Top 100 Living Geniuses #32

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Wired Magazine Top 25 Icons Changing the World

Requirements for Stanford University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:26
Reading
Required:26
Writing
Required:26
Speaking
Required:26
Total
Required:100
GRE General
Verbal
Required:160
Quantitative
Required:165
Analytical Writing
Required:4.5
Overall
Required:4.5
Prerequisites
Bachelor degree from an accredited institution Strong background in mathematics and programming
Application Checklist
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Official transcripts
  • Resume/CV
Specialization Notes

The Computer Science department emphasizes research potential. GRE General is currently optional but recommended for some tracks.