Michael Bender Named an IEEE Fellow, Class of 2026

John L. Hennessy Endowed Professor in Computer Science Michael Bender has been named an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Fellow, Class of 2026, for his contributions to the theory of data structures and their application to storage systems.

IEEE Fellow is the organization's highest membership distinction and one of the highest distinctions in the field, reserved for researchers whose work has had an exceptional and lasting impact. Fewer than one-tenth of one percent of IEEE's voting members are selected each year, following a months-long peer review process. This year's class included 350 Fellows chosen from more than 1,200 nominations worldwide.

For Bender, the recognition reflects decades of work at the intersection of theory and systems - and a guiding belief that strong theoretical models can fundamentally improve how data is stored and manipulated. His research on data structures examines the mathematical foundations of how data is organized, then carries those ideas forward into practical storage systems that influence how large-scale data is stored, accessed and managed.

Over the years, that approach has led to the development of influential techniques, systems and tools, including cache-oblivious algorithms and data structures, write-optimized indexing methods, the TokuDB database engine and the BetrFS file system, which apply theoretical insights to real-world storage performance challenges.

"There's a saying that all models are wrong, but some are useful - and that's really true," Bender said. "Theory gives us useful models, even if they simplify reality, while systems work is about actually building things. When you bring the two together, you can create systems with more predictable performance and better understand how they'll behave as conditions change."

At Stony Brook, Bender has spent years working in a research environment that values both theoretical depth and practical impact. He describes the Department of Computer Science in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences as a place where theoreticians and systems builders work closely together - a dynamic that has influenced both his research and his career.

"One of the aspects of Stony Brook that I truly appreciate is how systems builders and theoreticians genuinely appreciate each other," Bender said. "This is a particularly special part of the environment here - something that has truly shaped my career and made me happy at Stony Brook."

Bender holds the John L. Hennessy Endowed Professorship in Computer Science and serves as director of the Computer Science Honors Program at Stony Brook University. His work has been widely cited, with more than 11,000 citations to date. He also co-founded Tokutek Inc., which was acquired by Percona in 2015.

"Michael's recognition as an IEEE Fellow reflects the importance of research that connects foundational theory with real-world impact," said Samir Das, professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science. "This distinction highlights the kind of work we value as a department, and we are pleased to see those contributions recognized at the highest level."