Martha A. Kim

Modern computer systems have a complex structure consisting of layer upon layer of interwoven hardware and software, each designed at different times and different locations by hundreds of engineers. These independently designed layers often interact in unexpected or inefficient ways. Martha Kim develops tools and designs that help computer systems operate efficiently and intuitively. Her projects attack inefficiencies and exposed hidden behaviors. 

Of particular interest to Kim is the interface between the hardware and software.  She has designed a database accelerator around that workload’s typical data structures resulting in more energy efficient queries.  She has exposed how a piece of parallel software exploits parallel hardware processing resources enabling the programmer to optimize an application to better use available hardware resources and resulting in faster and more efficient code. Her current research seeks to improve the versatility and usability of specialized hardware accelerators that abound in today’s chips.

Kim received a AB in computer science from Harvard University in 2002 and a PhD in computer science and engineering from the University of Washington in 2008.   She is a member of the IEEE and ACM.