Yoky Matsuoka

Yoky Matsuoka, the vice president of technology for Silicon Valley startup Nest, won’t be returning to the University of Washington, where she has been a longtime computer science professor and the director of a research center exploring the intersection of people and machines.

She’ll be replaced by UW biology professor Tom Daniel as the director of the Engineering Research Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering, funded last year with an $18.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

Xconomy’s Curt Woodward broke the news earlier today. UW professor Ed Lazowska confirmed it via email. Matsuoka, a past MacArthur Genius Award winner who took a leave from the UW in 2010, is expected to hand in her resignation next month.

Nest, founded by former Apple iPad chief Tony Faddell, develops and markets an intelligent learning thermostat. The company released the $249 device last fall to high demand, and has vowed to press ahead despite a patent infringement lawsuit from Honeywell.

Like what you're reading? Subscribe to GeekWire's free newsletters to catch every headline

Job Listings on GeekWork

Find more jobs on GeekWork. Employers, post a job here.