# Allan L. Scherr

> American computer scientist

**Wikidata**: [Q64735353](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q64735353)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_L._Scherr)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/allan-l-scherr

## Summary
Allan L. Scherr is an American computer scientist recognized for his significant technical contributions to the field of computation. He is best known as a recipient of the prestigious Grace Murray Hopper Award, which he received in 1975 for his work in computer science.

## Biography
- Born: November 18, 1940, in Baltimore, Maryland
- Nationality: United States
- Education: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- Known for: Grace Murray Hopper Award recipient (1975)
- Field(s): Computer science

## Contributions
Allan L. Scherr has contributed to the advancement of computer science through research, technical development, and innovation within the industrial and service sectors. His most prominent professional milestone occurred in 1975 when he was granted the Grace Murray Hopper Award by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). This award is specifically designated for individuals who make a major technical or service contribution to the computing field.

Scherr's work is documented across several major scientific and technical databases, including the ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, and the DBLP computer science bibliography. These records indicate a career involved in published research and the formal study of computation. Additionally, Scherr is a recognized inventor, with various intellectual property contributions listed in the Justia Patents database. His academic foundation was established at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), an institution central to the development of modern computing. While his specific research papers and patent titles are cataloged under various international identifiers such as Scopus and Dimensions, his overall body of work is characterized by its impact on the technical standards and practices of the mid-to-late 20th-century computing industry.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Allan L. Scherr's most significant professional achievement?
A: Allan L. Scherr is most notably recognized for winning the Grace Murray Hopper Award in 1975. This award is presented by the ACM to outstanding young computer professionals for their technical contributions to the field.

### Q: Where did Allan L. Scherr receive his education?
A: Scherr attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT is a leading private research university known for its significant role in the history of computer science.

### Q: In what areas of computer science did Allan L. Scherr work?
A: Scherr worked as a computer scientist within both the industrial and service sectors. His professional footprint includes academic publishing, technical research, and the development of patented inventions.

## Why They Matter
Allan L. Scherr represents a key figure in the generation of computer scientists who shaped the industry during its period of rapid growth in the 1960s and 1970s. His recognition via the Grace Murray Hopper Award in 1975 distinguishes him as a high-impact contributor whose early-career work was deemed essential to the progress of the field. By receiving this honor, Scherr joined an elite group of technologists whose innovations provided the building blocks for modern computing systems.

His affiliation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) places him at the heart of American technological development. The presence of his work in major repositories like IEEE Xplore and the ACM Digital Library ensures that his technical insights remain part of the permanent scientific record. Furthermore, his role as an inventor with registered patents demonstrates a bridge between theoretical computer science and practical, industrial application. Without the contributions of specialists like Scherr, the evolution of complex computational systems and the professional standards of the computer science discipline would lack the foundational technical rigor established during his most active years of research and development.

## Notable For
*   **Grace Murray Hopper Award (1975):** Received this major industry honor for outstanding technical contributions to computer science.
*   **MIT Alumnus:** Educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the world's premier institutions for computation and engineering.
*   **Patented Inventor:** Listed as an inventor for multiple technological innovations in the Justia Patents database.
*   **Academic Influence:** Maintained a documented presence in global research databases including Scopus, DBLP, and the IEEE Xplore digital library.

## Body
### Early Life and Academic Background
Allan Lee Scherr was born on November 18, 1940, in Baltimore, Maryland. He pursued his higher education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT, founded in 1861, is a private university that has been a central hub for the study of computation and higher education in the United States.

### Professional Career
Scherr is a computer scientist by profession, a role defined by the study and practice of computation. His career has spanned the industrial and service sectors of the economy. His professional identity is maintained through several international authority files and author registries:
*   **VIAF ID:** 1583169757867208010006
*   **GND ID:** 1147868239
*   **DBLP Author ID:** 49/5091
*   **Scopus Author ID:** 6602148932

### Awards and Recognition
The most significant formal recognition of Scherr's career was the 1975 Grace Murray Hopper Award. This award is given by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) to individuals who have made a major technical or service contribution to the computer science field before or during the year they turn 35.

### Technical Contributions and Research
Scherr's contributions to the field are evidenced by his inclusion in major technical libraries and patent databases. 
*   **Research Output:** His work is indexed in the ACM Digital Library (Author ID: 81100473738) and IEEE Xplore (Author ID: 360945623283370).
*   **Invention:** He is listed as an inventor in the Justia Patents database, indicating the development of proprietary technologies or processes.
*   **Data Identifiers:** He is also recognized in the Google Knowledge Graph and the Dimensions author database.

### Residence
In his later life, Scherr has been a resident of Rhinebeck, New York.

## References

1. [Source](https://awards.acm.org/award_winners/scherr_8412174)
2. Virtual International Authority File