William A. Wulf is a University Professor Emeritus (one of 13 University Professors of 2500 UVA faculty) and AT&T Professor of Engineering (Emeritus) in the Computer Science Department of the University of Virginia. In 1996–2007 he served as president of the National Academy of Engineering (on leave from UVA).

Prior to joining UVA, Dr. Wulf was an assistant director of the National Science Foundation, responsible for computing research, the national supercomputer centers, and the NSFnet (predecessor to the internet as we know it now). Before that he founded and was CEO of Tartan Laboratories, a software company in Pittsburgh that was based on research he did while on the faculty of Carnegie Mellon University. He has conducted research in computer architecture, programming languages, optimizing compilers, and computer security.

Dr. Wulf is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and American Philosophical Society, eminent member of Eta Kappa Nu, corresponding member of the Royal Academy of Engineering of Spain, past trustee of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Library of Alexandria), and foreign member of the Engineering Academy of Japan, Russian Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Engineering of Venezuela. He is also a fellow of the ACM, IEEE, AAAS, and AWIS. He holds honorary doctorates from Carnegie Mellon University, University of Connecticut, Colorado School of Mines, New York Polytechnic University, and Missouri University of Science and Technology. He is the recipient of the ACM Policy Award, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Ralph Coats Roe Medal, the ACM Karl Karlstrom Outstanding Educator Award, and the American Association of Engineering Societies Kenneth Andrew Roe Award. He has authored over 100 papers and technical reports and three books, holds two US patents, and has supervised over 25 PhDs in computer science.

His extensive engagement in activities of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine includes chairmanship of the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (1992–96) and the newly formed Division Committee on Engineering and Physical Sciences (2001–07), and membership on the Issues in Science and Technology Editorial Board and the Advisory Committee for the Engineering Ethics Center (2007–13), which he was instrumental in establishing at the NAE.

Dr. Wulf holds a BS in engineering physics and MS in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois, and a PhD in computer science from the University of Virginia.