Patricia Selinger and the Birth of Query Optimization
From Picture Me Coding by Erik Aker and Mike Mull
May 1, 2026 · 1h 2m · Season 4 · Episode 97
About this episode
This episode explains query optimization and discusses Patricia Selinger's influential 1979 SIGMOD paper.
In this episode we attempt to explain query optimization and where it came from. In particular we discuss Patricia Selinger's 1979 SIGMOD paper Access Path Selection in a Relational Database Management System. Access Path Selection paper (PDF)A Conversation with Pat Selinger — ACM Queue (2006)Database Dialogue with Pat Selinger — CACM (2008)Pat Selinger Speaks Out — SIGMOD Interview (PDF)Patricia Selinger — IBM HistorySystem R: Database Research Retrospective — TODS 1981Graefe, G....
People in this episode
Hosts: Erik Aker, Mike Mull
Topics covered
- query optimization
- database management
- Patricia Selinger
- SIGMOD
- Access Path Selection
Keywords
- query optimization
- Patricia Selinger
- database
- SIGMOD
- Access Path Selection
- relational database
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: IBM
Books & works: Access Path Selection in a Relational Database Management System
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