Larry Niven is the pen name of Laurence van Cott Niven.  He was born in 1938 in California.  He received a Bachelor's of Science in mathematics from Washburn University in Kansas.  His first publication was "The Coldest Place" for If in 1964.  He has since written many books including those in his Tales of Known Space series which also began in "The Coldest Place".

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From Beowulf's Children:

Born April 30, 1938 in Los Angeles, California. Attended California Institute of Technology; flunked out after discovering a book store jammed with used science fiction magazines.  Graduated Washburn University, Kansas, June 1962: BA in Mathematics with a Minor in Psychology, and later received an honorary doctorate in Letters from Washburn. Interests: Science fiction conventions, role playing games, AAAS meetings and other gatherings of people at the cutting edges of science. Comics. Filk singing. Yoga and other approaches to longevity. Moving mankind into space by any means, but particularly by making space endeavors attractive to commercial interests. Several times we’ve hosted The Citizens Advisory Council for a National Space Policy. I grew up with dogs. I live with a cat, and borrow dogs to hike with. I have passing acquaintance with raccoons and ferrets. Associating with nonhumans has certainly gained me insight into alien intelligences.

Jerry E. Pournelle, Ph.D. has earned a Bachelors degree Mathematics a Masters degree in Experimental Statistics and Systems Engineering and Doctorates in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Washington.  He is Senior Consulting Editor at BYTE Magazine and chairs the Citizen's Advisory Council on National Space Policy and the Lunar Society, Inc.

With Larry Niven he has written several novels, one of which is The Mote In God's Eye which is considered to be one of the best "first-contact" novels written.

Jerry Pournelle was the first writer to use a computer to write both fiction and non-fiction and his first personal computer, Ezekiel, is displayed in the Museum of American History, History of Computing and Communications exhibit, at the Smithsonian Institution.

He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana and now lives in California.  He married Roberta Jane nee Isdell in 1959 and they have four sons and one daughter.

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From Beowul's Children:

Jerry Pournelle is the author of the popular Janissaries and CoDominium series and co-author with Larry Niven of several bestselling science fiction novels, including INFERNO, FOOTFALL, LUCIFER'S HAMMER, OATH OF FEALTY, THE MOTE IN GOD'S EYE, THE GRIPPING HAND, THE BURNING CITY, BURNING TOWER and ESCAPE FROM HELL. Dr. Pournelle has advanced degrees in engineering, political science, statistics and psychology. As an aerospace Systems Analyst he participated in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. Following a brief tour in academia he was the Executive Assistant to the Mayor of Los Angeles. He was the Science Editor for Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine, and is a past president of the Science Fiction Writers of America. He has written columns on political and technology issues for decades, in addition to his career as a fiction writer. His columns for Byte magazine have been an internet staple for many years. Dr. Pournelle has been involved in the development of government policy on space enterprises and defense, and he is active on several committees for the advancement of science and space exploration. He was Chairman of the Reagan "kitchen cabinet" Citizen's Advisory Committee on National Space Policy, and frequently participates in conferences on the future of technology.