Summary
TLDR: Vinge, born in Wisconsin in 1944, was a professor of mathematics and computer science at San Diego State University before retiring in 2000 to write hard science fiction.
Key Points
1. Vernor Vinge was born on October 2, 1944 in Wisconsin.
2. Vinge was a professor of mathematics and computer science at San Diego State University, where he received his PhD in math in 1971.
3. In 2000, Vinge retired from academia to focus on writing hard science fiction full time.