Donald F. Ferguson primarily focuses on practical software architecture and implementation of complex distributed computing systems, especially cloud-based applications and internet/web applications.

Ferguson has made fundamental contributions to web application products (IBM WebSphere) and web application standards (J2EE, web services).  Don has 35 years as a technology leader in IBM, Microsoft, CA Technologies, Dell, Seeka TV and Ansys. Ferguson brings real world experience to research and the teaching of computer science to students.

Ferguson received a PhD in Computer Science from Columbia University in 1989. He spent 20 years in IBM research and development, becoming an IBM Fellow in 2001.  He has also served as a Microsoft Technical Fellow, CTO and Executive Vice President at CA Technologies, and Senior Fellow and CTO for Dell Software Group.  Don was the co-founder and CTO of Seeka.tv and is currently an Ansys Fellow at Ansys. Ferguson received the 2013 Thomas Egleston Medal for Distinguished Engineering Achievement from the Columbia University Alumni Association in recognition of his role as a "thought-leader in cloud computing; father of IBM's Web Sphere business, and leader of software design across the country."  He is one of only five people to have been both an IBM Fellow and Microsoft Technical Fellow, and the only person to have also been a Dell Senior Fellow.

Ferguson joined Columbia University as a professor of professional practice in computer science in January, 2018. Don transitioned to Adjunct Professor in 2020.

Honors & Awards:

2013 Columbia Engineering Alumni Association Egleston Medal for Distinguished Engineering Achievement.

Dell Senior Fellow – 2012

Microsoft Technical Fellow – 2007

IBM Fellow – 2001