Kleinberg delivers a lecture on algorithms at Fudan University. (Photo provided to People's Daily)

"Algorithms have no direct incentive to engage in bias. The algorithm knows nothing about the world. It simply is trying to, as faithfully as possible, reproduce what it sees in the data," explained Professor Jon Kleinberg during the Shanghai Master Forum on Science held at Fudan University on October 21.

Kleinberg, who teaches computer science at Cornell University in New York, emphasized that it is human biases that seep into the data, which then influence the algorithm trained on it.

A high school student stands to ask Kleinberg a question during his lecture at Fudan University. (Photo provided to People's Daily)

Kleinberg's comments resonated with the young audience of university and high school students from Shanghai, who listened intently, eager to understand the intricacies of algorithms.

On October 25, Kleinberg received the 2024 World Laureates Association (WLA) Prize in Computer Science or Mathematics during a ceremony in Shanghai for his work in computer science. Established in 2021 and funded by venture capital firm HongShan, the WLA Prize also awards winners 10 million yuan ($1.39 million).

"Is there life on Earth?"

In 1993, a lecture by astronomer and science educator Carl Sagan left a lasting impact on Kleinberg, then a senior at Cornell. Sagan asked his audience, "Is there life on Earth?" This question sparked Kleinberg's interest in exploring patterns within human society. Thirty-one years later, at the Shanghai Master Forum on Science, Kleinberg echoed Sagan's question to his own audience.

"Sagan asked us to imagine that we were alien scientists from some other planet looking at the emissions coming off the earth. What might tell that there could be real life on earth?" Kleinberg recalled. "An algorithm in a way is like this very powerful alien force. It knows nothing about the world that we live in. There's nothing about our lives except what we show it through the data. But it's very good at picking up patterns in that data." 

Kleinberg (right) answers questions from students at Fudan University. (Photo: Fudan University)

In his third visit to China and his first to Shanghai, Kleinberg marked the occasion by trading his usual casual attire for a suit. With characteristic gestures and vivid metaphors, he explained how algorithms interpret patterns and impact human's lives. 

"China is one of the main places where research is happening," said Kleinberg, in response to a student's question. "I tend to think of the scientific community as having a lot of collaboration across countries, across societies and across different fields of study."

Kleinberg's weeklong visit to Shanghai included the WLA Prize award ceremony and other academic activities, where he was often surrounded by eager young people. Impressed by their enthusiasm, he said, "I spent a wonderful week in Shanghai, meeting an amazing collection of intelligent and energetic students. So much joy interacting with them."

Jon Kleinberg is surrounded by a crowd of young people at the WLA forum.  (Photo provided to People's Daily) 

Jon Kleinberg's recognition with the WLA Prize is well deserved. A leading figure in social network analysis and algorithm fairness, Kleinberg's HITS algorithm has had a significant impact on search engine technology and even inspired Google's PageRank algorithm. 

He has also made major contributions to algorithm design and analysis, interdisciplinary research and the study of social networks. His co-authored books, Algorithm Design and Networks, Crowds, and Markets, are widely regarded as essential texts in computer science.

"His seminal research – which spans algorithms, behavioral economics, game theory, law and network science – has yielded deep conceptual understanding of the current state of information technology and has provided signposts for its future development", said Michael I. Jordan, chair of the 2024 WLA Prize selection committee, when announcing the award on September 12.

Kleinberg (second from right) receives the WLA Prize in Computer Science or Mathematics at the opening ceremony of the 2024 WLA Forum held on October 25 in Shanghai. (Photo: WLA)

Family of scholars 

Born in Boston in 1971, Kleinberg grew up in a family that nurtured his diverse interests. His grandfather, a passionate mathematician, would eagerly share math concepts, creating a scholarly atmosphere within the Kleinberg family. His father, a mathematics professor at MIT, also encouraged his curiosity. Today, Kleinberg, his wife Lillian Lee, and his brother Robert Kleinberg teach in Cornell's computer science department. 

As a high school student, Kleinberg had eclectic interests ranging from math to fiction writing and law. "I liked writing games my friends could play in the school library on floppy disks and things, but I somehow didn't imagine that was like a field of study, it was just a hobby you do," he recalled in a 2018 conversation with American computer scientist Eric Horvitz.

A photo of Kleinberg from his youth. (Photo: Alchetron.com)

In 1993, Kleinberg graduated from Cornell with dual degrees in mathematics and computer science and earned his PhD from MIT in just three years. His varied interests eventually converged in his research, where he explored the relationship between algorithms and societal issues, including criminal justice. 

"I always personally found it interesting to learn about what's happening in other fields," Kleinberg said during his Fudan lecture. His interdisciplinary curiosity has led to collaborations with over 50 researchers, embodying "the collision of wisdom." His partnership with Harvard economist Sendhil Mullainathan began as an undergraduate course project in 1993 and has since resulted in nearly 30 academic papers.

Kleinberg is interviewed by People's Daily reporter Hou Tianze (left) at Fudan University. (Photo provided to People's Daily)

"He doesn't have a huge ego and is always willing to learn from others", said Wu Shaomei, Kleinberg's former doctoral student who went on work as a research scientist at Facebook and found nonprofit Aimpower.org. She added that he lacks "fatherly condescension" and is even "excessively humble," qualities that drew people to collaborate with him.

Pioneering algorithmic fairness

While many were still enchanted by the promise of algorithms, Kleinberg was already focusing on algorithmic fairness.

Wu noted that he was ahead of the curve. "Issues of fairness became a subject of research around 2018 or 2019 after several scandals and negative reports surfaced. Many people started researching it then, but Kleinberg had already delved into it four or five years prior," Wu said.

People's Daily reporter Hou Tianze asks Kleinberg to sign a copy of his textbook Algorithm Design. (Photo provided to People's Daily)

Kleinberg bridged the traditional gap between academia and industry, encouraging his doctoral students to pursue careers in the private sector where they could have a greater impact. "He always believed that the most vibrant and authentic data comes from industry, not academia," Wu said.

At Shanghai Master Forum on Science, Kleinberg reiterated the importance of collaboration between academia and industry. Thanks to his encouragement, many of his students, including Wu and Lars Backstrom, with Backstrom leading Facebook's News Feed. "He always cares about connecting his knowledge and expertise with the real world," Wu said. "He is genuinely concerned about the world and society, never intending to isolate himself in an academic bubble. "

 "Rebel King" and "Cornell Dad"

Kleinberg's students at Cornell affectionately call him "Rebel King," an anagram of his last name. On professor evaluation websites, his courses often inspire comments such as "Long live the Rebel King." During the final weeks of Kleinberg's algorithm course, a student theatrically rushed to the podium to declare, "Kleinberg is still the Rebel King," before darting out to applause. Kleinberg continued his lecture.

Kleinberg teaches a class from his course on networks. (Photo: Cornell University)

With 27 years of teaching, Kleinberg has not only earned a reputation as a leading scientist but also an exceptional educator. His ability to connect complex scientific ideas and everyday life has earned him comparisons to the late Carl Sagan. Students say he has a "unique talent": the more complex the problem, the clearer his explanation.

One of his distinctive teaching practices is his preference for traditional blackboards over PowerPoint slides. Kleinberg and his wife Lee often fill multiple blackboards during a lecture, using a special noiseless chalk. Wu believes this "old-fashioned" method is more engaging and responsive to students' feedback than static slides.

Kleinberg stands in front of a blackboard. (Photo: societyforscience.org)

Despite his reputation as a "Rebel King," Kleinberg is also known as the "Cornell Dad" for his kindness and humility. "He goes out of his way to be nice", Wu said.

He treats every student equally, never dismissing ideas outright. Instead, he offers gentle guidance, saying "OK, I have another idea for your reference." He replies to every student's email without delay and meticulously revises draft papers with detailed notes, always ending with: "If you think my edits are incorrect, feel free to revert them."

Kleinberg (center) stands next to his doctoral student Wu Shaomei (right) as she graduates from Cornell in 2012. (Photo provided to People's Daily)

Wu recalls receiving replies from him at three or four in the morning, amazed by his commitment. "I have no idea how he has time to sleep," Wu said. Although she hasn't seen Kleinberg in person since graduating 12 years ago, he has never hesitated to write her recommendation letters, even on short notice. "I also wrote recommendation letters for students and colleagues. Only then did I realize how difficult and time-consuming it is. Sometimes when I was too busy, I would delay or decline some requests. Jon must have received many more requests than I have, but he never hesitated and spared no effort in supporting young talents," Wu said.