Skip to content
65 notable alumni U.S. News #59

Notable Alumni of Stony Brook University

Notable alumni of Stony Brook University include Adrien Brody (American actor), Keiko Fujimori (President of Peru, Popular Force leader) and Pat Benatar (Rock singer and songwriter).

Alumni list

Politics and law

Business

Science and academia

  • Carolyn Porco 1953–

    Planetary scientist who led Cassini imaging team

    Bachelor of Science · Class of 1974

    Also attended: California Institute of Technology

  • Jef Raskin 1943–2005

    Conceived and led Apple's Macintosh project

    Bachelor of Arts, Physics · Mathematics

    Also attended: University of California-San Diego, The Pennsylvania State University, The Pennsylvania State University

    Child: Aza Raskin (California Institute of Technology, University of Chicago)

  • John L. Hennessy 1952–

    Computer scientist and chairman of Alphabet

    Also attended: Villanova University

  • Ayşe Erzan 1949–

    Turkish theoretical physicist

    Also attended: Bryn Mawr College

  • Ashoke Sen 1956–

    Indian theoretical physicist

  • Rohini Godbole 1952–2024

    Indian particle physicist at Indian Institute of Science

    Doctor of Philosophy in Physics · Class of 1979

  • Alia Sabur 1989–

    Materials scientist, former youngest university professor record holder

    Also attended: Drexel University

  • Jason Stanley 1969–

    Philosopher and University of Toronto professor

    Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Karen Barad 1956–

    Feminist theorist and physicist

  • Patricia S. Cowings 1948–

    Aerospace psychophysiologist trained as NASA scientist astronaut

    Bachelor of Science · Psychology · Class of 1970

    Also attended: University of California-Davis

  • Ben Shneiderman 1947–

    Computer scientist in human–computer interaction

    Also attended: CUNY--City College

  • Nikos Salingaros 1952–

    Mathematician and urban and architectural theorist

  • In-Young Ahn 1954–

    First Asian woman to lead an Antarctic station

  • Joseph E. LeDoux 1949–

    Neuroscientist and New York University professor

  • David Gelernter 1955–

    Yale computer science professor and writer

    Also attended: Yale University

  • Shoucheng Zhang 1963–2018

    Stanford physicist known for topological insulators

    Doctorate · Physics · Class of 1987

  • Charles Caldwell Ryrie 1925–2016

    Theologian and Dallas Theological Seminary professor

    Also attended: Haverford College

  • Xie Yi 1967–

    Chemist and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

  • Craig Tracy 1945–2026

    Mathematician, co-developer of the Tracy–Widom distribution

    Also attended: University of Missouri-Columbia

  • Vi Hart 1988–

    Recreational mathematician and YouTube video creator

    Father: George Hart (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Zhao Yufen 1948–

    Chemist at Xiamen University

  • Alexander Wu Chao 1949–

    Accelerator physicist

  • Jaw-Shen Tsai 1952–

    Physicist, pioneer of superconducting qubit research

    Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Arts and media

  • Adrien Brody 1973–

    American actor

    Also attended: American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York, CUNY Queens College

  • Pat Benatar 1953–

    Rock singer and songwriter

  • Joy Behar 1942–

    Comedian and co-host of The View

    Master of Arts

    Also attended: CUNY Queens College

  • Kofi Awoonor 1935–2013

    Ghanaian poet, author and diplomat

  • Diane Farr 1969–

    Actress known for Numb3rs and Rescue Me

  • Vinay Pathak 1968–

    Indian theater and film actor

  • Colin Quinn 1959–

    Stand-up comedian and former Saturday Night Live cast member

  • Buck Dharma 1947–

    Guitarist of Blue Öyster Cult

    Also attended: Clarkson University

  • Richard Leigh 1943–2007

    Novelist and short story writer

    Also attended: University of Chicago, Tufts University

  • Momina Mustehsan 1992–

    Pakistani singer and songwriter

  • Bruce Bawer 1956–

    Writer and critic living in Norway

  • Mark Bridges 2000–

    Costume designer who often collaborates with Paul Thomas Anderson

    Also attended: New York University

  • Eric Corley 1959–

    Publisher of 2600: The Hacker Quarterly

  • Sunita Jain 1940–2017

    Indian writer and professor at IIT Delhi

    Also attended: University of Nebraska--Omaha

  • P. Djèlí Clark 1971–

    Speculative fiction writer and history professor

    Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 2016

    Also attended: Texas State University

  • Jerry Tucker 1925–2016

    Child actor in the Our Gang short films

    Electrical engineering

  • Laura Schlessinger 1947–

    Talk radio host and author, Dr. Laura

    Also attended: University of Southern California, Columbia University in the City of New York

  • Nick Kiriazis 1969–

    Television actor, known for Sunset Beach

  • David DeFeis 1961–

    Leader of heavy metal band Virgin Steele

  • Sandy Pearlman 1943–2016

    Music producer of Blue Öyster Cult

    Also attended: Brandeis University

  • Kevin Killian 1952–2019

    American poet, author and playwright

    All but dissertation, Master of Arts

    Also attended: Fordham University

  • Saeeda Imtiaz 1985–

    Pakistani actress and model

  • Isabel Soveral 1961–

    Portuguese contemporary music composer

  • Andrew Sega 1975–

    Musician and video game composer

  • Jing Jing Luo 1953–

    Composer

    Also attended: The New England Conservatory of Music

Sports

  • Dominick Reyes 1989–

    UFC light heavyweight mixed martial artist

  • Chris Algieri 1984–

    Boxer, 2014 WBO junior welterweight champion

    Also attended: New York Institute of Technology

  • Joe Nathan 1974–

    Former MLB pitcher for Giants, Twins and others

  • Jameel Warney 1994–

    Basketball player, formerly of Seoul SK Knights

  • Travis Jankowski 1991–

    Former outfielder, Texas Rangers first base coach

  • Mouhamadou Gueye 1998–

    Basketball player for Valencia Basket

  • Leo Fernandes 1991–

    Former professional footballer and midfielder

  • Roger Gill 1972–2008

    Guyanese sprinter at the 1996 Olympics

  • Tom Koehler 1986–

    Former MLB pitcher, drafted by the Florida Marlins

Other fields

  • Harikesa Swami 1948–

    Former ISKCON guru and musician

From Wikidata “educated at” records (including people who attended without graduating), ordered by the number of Wikipedia language editions. Degrees and years follow Wikidata and are left out where it has none.

Alumni network

Colleges that share the most alumni with Stony Brook University (people who attended both).