About Jorma Rissanen
Lived 1932 – 2020 (aged 87). Jorma Rissanen was a Finnish mathematician, computer scientist and engineer, known for Arithmetic coding and Minimum description length.
Awards and recognitions He was awarded the IEEE Richard W. Hamming Medal in 1993, an IEEE Golden Jubilee Award for Technological Innovation from the IEEE Information Theory Society in 1998, the Kolmogorov Medal of the University of London in 2006, and the IEEE Claude E. Shannon Award in 2009. A Festschrift collection, which includes an interview and substantial biographical information, was published by the Tampere University of Technology in honor of his 75th birthday.
Personal life Rissanen married Riitta Åberg in 1956, and they have a son Juhani and a daughter Natasha.
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Important facts
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Jorma Rissanen?
Finnish information theorist (1932-2020)
When was Jorma Rissanen born?
Jorma Rissanen was born on 20 October 1932 in Pielisjärvi.
When did Jorma Rissanen die?
Jorma Rissanen died on 9 May 2020 in Los Gatos.
What was Jorma Rissanen's occupation?
Jorma Rissanen was a mathematician, computer scientist and engineer.
What was Jorma Rissanen known for?
Jorma Rissanen was known for Arithmetic coding and Minimum description length.
What nationality was Jorma Rissanen?
Jorma Rissanen was Finnish.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jorma Rissanen. https://biography.guide/jorma-rissanen/
MLA: "Jorma Rissanen." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jorma-rissanen/.
Chicago: "Jorma Rissanen." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jorma-rissanen/.
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