Lois Haibt: Difference between revisions
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'''Lois Mitchell Haibt''' |
'''Lois Mitchell Haibt''' (born 1934) is an American [[computer scientist]] most famous for being a member of the ten-person team at [[IBM]] that developed [[Fortran|FORTRAN]], the first successful high-level [[programming language]]. She is known as an early female pioneer in computer science. |
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== Education and career== |
== Education and career== |
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Haibt studied mathematics at [[Vassar College]] with an academic scholarship. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1955. While at Vassar, Haibt worked at [[Bell Laboratories]] during the summer.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bobbemer.com/PRORES.HTM|title=The FORTRAN Builders|last=Bemer|first=Bob|website=www.bobbemer.com|access-date=2016-11-15}}</ref> |
Haibt studied mathematics at [[Vassar College]] with an academic scholarship. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1955. While at Vassar, Haibt worked at [[Bell Laboratories]] during the summer.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bobbemer.com/PRORES.HTM|title=The FORTRAN Builders|last=Bemer|first=Bob|website=www.bobbemer.com|access-date=2016-11-15}}</ref> |
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Immediately after graduating from Vassar, Haibt began working at [[IBM]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n8jlOWI1ajwC&lpg=PA32&dq=lois%20haibt&pg=PA32#v=onepage&q=lois%20haibt&f=false|title=Go To: The Story of the Math Majors, Bridge Players, Engineers, Chess Wizards, Maverick Scientists and Iconoclasts - The Programmers Who Created the Software Revolution|last=Lohr|first=Steve|date=|publisher=Basic Books|year=2002|isbn=0465042260|location=|pages= |
Immediately after graduating from Vassar, Haibt began working at [[IBM]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n8jlOWI1ajwC&lpg=PA32&dq=lois%20haibt&pg=PA32#v=onepage&q=lois%20haibt&f=false|title=Go To: The Story of the Math Majors, Bridge Players, Engineers, Chess Wizards, Maverick Scientists and Iconoclasts - The Programmers Who Created the Software Revolution|last=Lohr|first=Steve|date=|publisher=Basic Books|year=2002|isbn=0465042260|location=|pages=26–27|language=en|quote=|via=}}</ref> She started with an annual salary of $5,100, despite her lack of prior programming experience. This sum was almost double the amount that she would have made at Bell Laboratories. Haibt inferred that that any job with such a high salary would be difficult, but fascinating.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.fortran.bcs.org/2001/pioneers.html|title=Pioneers of the 'Fortran' Programming Language|last=Lohr|first=Steve|date=2001-06-13|website=www.fortran.bcs.org|publisher=|access-date=2016-11-15}}</ref> She was part of a team of ten young people with varying academic degrees and areas of expertise. Experience with mathematics was their one common connection. Haibt was the only woman on the team.<ref name=":2" /> |
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According to Haibt, the team worked well together: "No one was worried about seeming stupid or possessive of his or her code. We were all just learning together."<ref name=":3" /> The FORTRAN team worked nontraditional hours so that they could have unlimited access to the [[IBM 704]] computer.<ref name=":3" /> They frequently rented rooms at the nearby Langdon Hotel in order to sleep during the day and work at night.<ref name=":3" /> They took breaks by playing chess or having snowball fights in the wintertime.<ref name=":2" /> |
According to Haibt, the team worked well together: "No one was worried about seeming stupid or possessive of his or her code. We were all just learning together."<ref name=":3" /> The FORTRAN team worked nontraditional hours so that they could have unlimited access to the [[IBM 704]] computer.<ref name=":3" /> They frequently rented rooms at the nearby Langdon Hotel in order to sleep during the day and work at night.<ref name=":3" /> They took breaks by playing chess or having snowball fights in the wintertime.<ref name=":2" /> |
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In 1957, Haibt attended [[Columbia University]].<ref name=":1" /> |
In 1957, Haibt attended [[Columbia University]].<ref name=":1" /> |
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Haibt is a member of the [[Mathematical Association of America]].<ref name=":1" /> |
Haibt is a member of the [[Mathematical Association of America]].<ref name=":1" /> |
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==Research contributions== |
==Research contributions== |
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The IBM team spent almost three years creating the programming language [[Fortran|FORTRAN]], which revolutionized the way people communicate instructions to computers.<ref name=":2" /> |
The IBM team spent almost three years creating the programming language [[Fortran|FORTRAN]], which revolutionized the way people communicate instructions to computers.<ref name=":2" /> |
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Haibt was in charge of section four of the FORTRAN project.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=http://www.softwarepreservation.org/projects/FORTRAN/paper/p165-backus.pdf|title=The History of Fortran I, II, and III|last=Backus|first=John|date=|website=Software Preservation Group|publisher=Computer History Museum|access-date=November 22, 2016}}</ref> She analyzed the flow of programs produced by other sections of the [[compiler]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us From Missiles to the Moon to Mars|last=Holt|first=Nathalia|publisher=Little, Brown|year=2016|isbn=9780316338912|location=|pages=|quote=|via=}}</ref> Her estimates of flow in high-traffic areas of the computer were obtained by calculating how often basic blocks of the program would execute. Haibt |
Haibt was in charge of section four of the FORTRAN project.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=http://www.softwarepreservation.org/projects/FORTRAN/paper/p165-backus.pdf|title=The History of Fortran I, II, and III|last=Backus|first=John|date=|website=Software Preservation Group|publisher=Computer History Museum|access-date=November 22, 2016}}</ref> She analyzed the flow of programs produced by other sections of the [[compiler]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us From Missiles to the Moon to Mars|last=Holt|first=Nathalia|publisher=Little, Brown|year=2016|isbn=9780316338912|location=|pages=|quote=|via=}}</ref> Her estimates of flow in high-traffic areas of the computer were obtained by calculating how often basic blocks of the program would execute. Haibt employed [[Monte Carlo method]]s (statistical analysis) for these calculations.<ref name=":3" /> Through this process, she also created the first [[Parsing|syntactic analyzer of arithmetic expressions]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Lee|first=John A. N.|date=1996-06-01|title=History in the Computer Science Curriculum|url=http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/228296.228298|journal=SIGCSE Bull.|volume=28|issue=2|pages=15–20|doi=10.1145/228296.228298|issn=0097-8418}}</ref> Haibt planned and programmed the entire section.<ref name=":4" /> |
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==Personal life== |
==Personal life== |
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Revision as of 06:35, 23 November 2016
Lois Haibt | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lois Mitchell 1934 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Vassar College |
| Known for | Member of ten-person team at IBM that developed FORTRAN |
| Spouse | Luther Haibt |
| Children | Carolyn Norton |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Computer Science Programming Languages |
| Institutions | IBM, Thomas J. Watson Research Center Bell Laboratories |
Lois Mitchell Haibt (born 1934) is an American computer scientist most famous for being a member of the ten-person team at IBM that developed FORTRAN, the first successful high-level programming language. She is known as an early female pioneer in computer science.
Education and career
Haibt studied mathematics at Vassar College with an academic scholarship. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1955. While at Vassar, Haibt worked at Bell Laboratories during the summer.[1]
Immediately after graduating from Vassar, Haibt began working at IBM.[2] She started with an annual salary of $5,100, despite her lack of prior programming experience. This sum was almost double the amount that she would have made at Bell Laboratories. Haibt inferred that that any job with such a high salary would be difficult, but fascinating.[3] She was part of a team of ten young people with varying academic degrees and areas of expertise. Experience with mathematics was their one common connection. Haibt was the only woman on the team.[3]
According to Haibt, the team worked well together: "No one was worried about seeming stupid or possessive of his or her code. We were all just learning together."[2] The FORTRAN team worked nontraditional hours so that they could have unlimited access to the IBM 704 computer.[2] They frequently rented rooms at the nearby Langdon Hotel in order to sleep during the day and work at night.[2] They took breaks by playing chess or having snowball fights in the wintertime.[3]
In 1957, Haibt attended Columbia University.[1]
Haibt is a member of the Mathematical Association of America.[1]
Research contributions
The IBM team spent almost three years creating the programming language FORTRAN, which revolutionized the way people communicate instructions to computers.[3]
Haibt was in charge of section four of the FORTRAN project.[4] She analyzed the flow of programs produced by other sections of the compiler.[5] Her estimates of flow in high-traffic areas of the computer were obtained by calculating how often basic blocks of the program would execute. Haibt employed Monte Carlo methods (statistical analysis) for these calculations.[2] Through this process, she also created the first syntactic analyzer of arithmetic expressions.[6] Haibt planned and programmed the entire section.[4]
Personal life
Lois Haibt was married to Luther Haibt (May 4, 1929 – December 3, 2000),[7] a systems analyst at IBM in Thornwood, NY.[8] The Haibts spent their adult lives in New York state. Haibt's daughter, Carolyn, attended Princeton University for her bachelor's degree and went on to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[8] Haibt's hobbies include interior decorating and reading.[1]
Works
References
- ^ a b c d Bemer, Bob. "The FORTRAN Builders". www.bobbemer.com. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
- ^ a b c d e Lohr, Steve (2002). Go To: The Story of the Math Majors, Bridge Players, Engineers, Chess Wizards, Maverick Scientists and Iconoclasts - The Programmers Who Created the Software Revolution. Basic Books. pp. 26–27. ISBN 0465042260.
- ^ a b c d Lohr, Steve (2001-06-13). "Pioneers of the 'Fortran' Programming Language". www.fortran.bcs.org. Retrieved 2016-11-15.
- ^ a b Backus, John. "The History of Fortran I, II, and III" (PDF). Software Preservation Group. Computer History Museum. Retrieved November 22, 2016.
- ^ Holt, Nathalia (2016). Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us From Missiles to the Moon to Mars. Little, Brown. ISBN 9780316338912.
- ^ Lee, John A. N. (1996-06-01). "History in the Computer Science Curriculum". SIGCSE Bull. 28 (2): 15–20. doi:10.1145/228296.228298. ISSN 0097-8418.
- ^ "Luther Harold Haibt (1929 - 2000) - Find A Grave Memorial". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2016-11-22.
- ^ a b "Carolyn Haibt to Wed Edward Norton in Fall". The New York Times. 1989-02-12. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-11-08.
External links
- "LOIS HAIBT: An Interview Conducted by Janet Abbate for the IEEE History Center, 2 August 2001". GHN: IEEE Global History Network. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
- "Group Photo at 1982 Pioneer Day Banquet". Computer History Museum. Retrieved 2013-11-29.