myhrvold was born on august 3, 1959 in seattle, washington. he was raised in santa monica, where he attended mirman school and santa monica high school, graduating in 1974, and began college at age 14. transferring from santa monica junior college, he studied mathematics, geophysics, and space physics at ucla (b.sc., masters). he was awarded a hertz foundation fellowship for graduate study and studied at princeton university, where he earned a master's degree in mathematical economics and completed a ph.d. in theoretical and mathematical physics. he also attended santa monica college. for one year, he held a postdoctoral fellowship at the university of cambridge working under stephen hawking.