# David Gries

> American computer scientist

**Wikidata**: [Q4149745](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4149745)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gries)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/david-gries

## Summary

David Gries was born on April 26, 1939 in New York City[1]. He pursued his education at the Technical University of Munich.Since 1969, he has been employed at both the University of Georgia and Cornell University, continuing to the present[2]. His field of expertise is informatics.Gries has received several prestigious recognitions, including being named an ACM Fellow and receiving a Guggenheim Fellowship[3]. He is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery[3].

## Summary
David Gries is an American computer scientist known for his foundational work in programming methodology and formal verification. He is a professor emeritus at Cornell University and a recipient of the ACM Fellow award for his contributions to parallel programming theory.

## Biography
- Born: April 26, 1939, New York City
- Nationality: United States
- Education: Doctorate from Technical University of Munich (1965)
- Known for: Axiomatic proof techniques for parallel programs
- Employer(s): Cornell University (since 1969), University of Georgia
- Field(s): Computer science, informatics

## Contributions
David Gries is best known for co-authoring "An Axiomatic Proof Technique for Parallel Programs I," which established foundational methods for verifying the correctness of parallel programs. This work, published in the early 1970s, introduced systematic approaches to reasoning about concurrent processes that became standard in computer science education and research. Gries has authored several influential textbooks on programming methodology and logic, including "The Science of Programming" (1981), which has been widely used in computer science curricula worldwide. His research has shaped how generations of programmers approach program correctness and verification.

## FAQs
### Q: What is David Gries most famous for?
A: David Gries is most famous for developing axiomatic proof techniques for parallel programs and authoring influential textbooks on programming methodology.

### Q: Where did David Gries receive his education?
A: David Gries earned his doctorate from the Technical University of Munich in 1965.

### Q: What awards has David Gries received?
A: David Gries received the ACM Fellow award in 1994 for his co-authorship of foundational work on parallel program verification.

## Why They Matter
David Gries fundamentally changed how computer scientists think about program correctness and verification. His axiomatic approach to parallel programming provided the theoretical foundation that enabled the development of reliable concurrent systems, which are essential to modern computing infrastructure. By formalizing methods for proving program correctness, Gries helped establish computer science as a rigorous discipline rather than just a craft. His textbooks have educated generations of programmers in systematic thinking about software development, influencing both academic curricula and industry practices. Without his contributions, the field would likely still be struggling with ad-hoc approaches to program verification rather than the systematic methodologies that are now standard.

## Notable For
- ACM Fellow (1994) for co-authoring foundational work on parallel program verification
- Author of "The Science of Programming," a widely-used textbook in computer science education
- Pioneer in developing axiomatic proof techniques for concurrent and parallel programs
- Professor emeritus at Cornell University with over five decades of academic service
- Doctoral advisor to numerous prominent computer scientists including Susan Owicki and Jennifer Widom

## Body
### Early Career and Education
David Gries was born in New York City on April 26, 1939. He pursued his doctoral studies at the Technical University of Munich, completing his doctorate in 1965 under the supervision of Friedrich L. Bauer, a prominent German computer scientist.

### Academic Career
Gries joined Cornell University in 1969, where he spent his entire academic career. He became a professor emeritus at Cornell and also maintained affiliations with the University of Georgia. His teaching and research focused on programming methodology, logic, and formal verification techniques.

### Research Contributions
Gries's most significant contribution was the development of axiomatic proof techniques for parallel programs. This work, conducted in the early 1970s, provided systematic methods for verifying the correctness of concurrent programs. His approach used logical assertions to reason about program behavior, establishing a foundation for modern formal verification methods.

### Publications and Textbooks
Beyond his research papers, Gries authored several influential textbooks that have shaped computer science education. "The Science of Programming" (1981) introduced systematic approaches to program development and verification. His books have been translated into multiple languages and used in universities worldwide.

### Academic Lineage
Gries has supervised numerous doctoral students who have become prominent in the field, including Susan Owicki (known for her work on concurrent programming), Jennifer Widom (database systems researcher), and Donald B. Johnson (graph algorithms). This academic lineage extends his influence through multiple generations of computer scientists.

### Professional Recognition
In 1994, Gries was named an ACM Fellow, recognizing his co-authorship of "An Axiomatic Proof Technique for Parallel Programs I," described as the best paper in the area of Programming Systems and Languages. He has also received a Guggenheim Fellowship for his research contributions.

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## References

1. ORCID Registry
2. [Source](https://awards.acm.org/fellows/award-recipients)
3. Mathematics Genealogy Project
4. International Standard Name Identifier
5. IdRef
6. SNAC
7. Virtual International Authority File
8. National Library of Israel Names and Subjects Authority File