# Frances Allen

> American computer scientist (1932–2020)

**Wikidata**: [Q9602](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9602)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Allen)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/frances-allen

## Summary

Frances Allen was born on August 4, 1932, in Peru [1][2][3][4]. She died on August 4, 2020, in Schenectady [5][6][2][3][7] due to Alzheimer's disease [8]. Allen was a citizen of the United States  and worked as a computer scientist, university teacher, and engineer [1]. She received her education from the State University of New York at Albany and the University of Michigan [1].Allen's career spanned multiple institutions, including IBM, where she worked from 1957 until her death [1]. She also worked at the University of California, Berkeley, New York University, and the University of California, San Diego [1]. Her field of expertise was computer science and computational science [1]. Throughout her career, Allen received numerous awards, including the IBM Fellow, Turing Award, Computer History Museum Fellow, Computer Pioneer Award, Programming Languages Achievement Award, and Anita Borg Institute Women of Vision Awards, as well as two additional awards [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16].Allen was a member of several prestigious organizations, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Association for Computing Machinery [17]. After her death, she was buried at Saint Augustine Cemetery [3]. Her work and legacy continue to be recognized in the field of computer science.Frances Allen's life and career were marked by significant achievements and contributions to the field of computer science [1]. Her work at IBM and various academic institutions [1] had a lasting impact, and she remains an important figure in the history of computer science [1].

## Summary
Frances Allen was an American computer scientist renowned for her pioneering contributions to computer science and programming languages. She made history in 2006 as the first woman to receive the Turing Award, often described as the "Nobel Prize of Computing." Allen spent the majority of her career at IBM, where she broke barriers as the first female IBM Fellow and significantly advanced the field of computing.

## Biography
*   **Born:** August 4, 1932, in Peru, New York, United States
*   **Died:** August 4, 2020, in Schenectady, New York, United States (aged 88)
*   **Nationality:** United States
*   **Education:**
    *   Bachelor of Science, State University of New York at Albany (1954)
    *   Master of Science, University of Michigan (1957)
*   **Known for:** Pioneering contributions to computer science; First woman to win the Turing Award.
*   **Employer(s):** IBM (1957–present per source context), University of California (Berkeley, San Diego), New York University.
*   **Field(s):** Computer science, Computational science.
*   **Spouse:** Jacob T. Schwartz (married 1972, ended 1982)

## Contributions
Frances Allen’s career was defined by her work at IBM and her influence on the theory and practice of program optimization. Starting at IBM in 1957, she worked at the intersection of hardware and software, a contribution notably highlighted by the New York Times upon her passing. Her technical leadership resulted in software that allowed computer hardware to function more efficiently.

Her specific achievements were recognized through the Programming Languages Achievement Award in 1998. Allen was also a dedicated educator, holding teaching positions at the University of California (Berkeley and San Diego campuses) and New York University, where she influenced the next generation of computer scientists. Her work in computational science helped establish mathematical models and quantitative analysis techniques used to solve complex scientific problems. In 2006, she was honored with the Turing Award for her fundamental contributions to the field.

## FAQs
### Q: When did Frances Allen die?
A: Frances Allen died on August 4, 2020, which was also her 88th birthday. She passed away in Schenectady, New York, from complications of Alzheimer's disease.

### Q: Was Frances Allen the first woman to win the Turing Award?
A: Yes, Frances Allen was the first woman to receive the Turing Award in 2006. She received this honor for "pioneering contributions to the theory and practice of optimizing compiler techniques."

### Q: What was Frances Allen's role at IBM?
A: Frances Allen joined IBM in 1957. She eventually became an IBM Fellow in 1989, the company's highest technical honor, and was the first woman to achieve this title.

## Why They Matter
Frances Allen matters not only for her specific technical achievements in computer science but also for her role as a trailblazer for women in technology. In an industry historically dominated by men, she rose to the highest levels of technical leadership. Her recognition as the first female Turing Award winner remains a landmark moment in the history of computing, symbolizing the critical contributions of women to the digital revolution. Her work fundamentally shaped how modern computers process software, bridging the gap between abstract code and physical hardware. As a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the American Philosophical Society, her influence extended across the entire scientific community.

## Notable For
*   **First Female Turing Award Winner:** Received the prestigious award in 2006 for her work in optimizing compiler techniques.
*   **First Female IBM Fellow:** Appointed in 1989, recognizing her as a leader within the corporation.
*   **Computer Pioneer Award:** Received in 2004 from the IEEE Computer Society.
*   **Member of National Academies:** Elected to both the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Sciences.
*   **Anita Borg Institute Honor:** Received the Women of Vision Award in 2004 for her impact on the technology industry.

## Body

### Early Life and Education
Frances Elizabeth Allen was born on August 4, 1932, in Peru, New York. She pursued higher education during a time when few women entered the sciences. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the State University of New York at Albany in 1954. She continued her studies at the University of Michigan, completing a Master of Science degree in 1957.

### Career at IBM and Academia
Allen began her professional journey at IBM in 1957, a tenure that would last for decades. Her expertise was recognized early on, leading to her role as an IBM Fellow in 1989. Her work primarily focused on computer science and computational science.

In addition to her industrial work, Allen contributed to academia. She held positions as a university teacher at:
*   University of California, Berkeley
*   University of California, San Diego
*   New York University

She was also noted for her Erdős number of 7, indicating her collaborative distance from the prolific mathematician Paul Erdős within academic circles.

### Awards and Professional Recognition
Allen received numerous accolades throughout her life, cementing her status as a giant in the field of computing:
*   **2006:** Turing Award.
*   **2004:** Computer Pioneer Award (IEEE) and Anita Borg Institute Women of Vision Award.
*   **2000:** Computer History Museum Fellow.
*   **1998:** Programming Languages Achievement Award.
*   **1997:** Induction into the Women in Technology Hall of Fame.
*   **1994:** Named an ACM Fellow.

She held memberships in prestigious organizations, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society (member since 2001).

### Personal Life and Death
Allen was married to Jacob T. Schwartz, a mathematician and computer scientist, from 1972 until 1982. She died of Alzheimer's disease on August 4, 2020, in Schenectady, New York, exactly on her 88th birthday. She was buried at Saint Augustine Cemetery. Her life and legacy were documented in major publications, including an obituary titled "Frances Allen, Who Helped Hardware Understand Software, Dies at 88."

## References

1. [Source](http://maralboran.eu/coeducacion/2018/01/29/frances-e-allen/)
2. [Source](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/frances-allen-first-woman-to-win-turing-award-for-contributions-to-computing-dies-at-88/2020/08/06/7ea7d7a2-d7f0-11ea-930e-d88518c57dcc_story.html)
3. [Frances Allen, Who Helped Hardware Understand Software, Dies at 88. The New York Times. 2020](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/08/technology/frances-allen-dead.html)
4. [Source](https://ethw.org/Oral-History:Frances_%22Fran%22_Allen)
5. Find a Grave
6. [Source](https://www.ibm.com/ibm/ideasfromibm/us/ibm_fellows/)
7. [Source](https://amturing.acm.org/award_winners/allen_1012327.cfm)
8. [Source](https://computerhistory.org/profile/frances-allen/)
9. [Source](https://www.computer.org/profiles/frances-allen)
10. [Source](http://www.sigplan.org/Awards/Achievement/)
11. [Source](https://anitab.org/profiles/abie-award-winners/frances-allen/)
12. [Source](https://www.witi.com/halloffame/)
13. [Source](https://awards.acm.org/fellows/award-winners)
14. [Source](https://wish-foundation.epfl.ch/erna-hamburger-award/)
15. [Source](https://spectrum.ieee.org/ibm-computer-scientist-frances-e-allen-who-advanced-modern-computing-dies-at-88)
16. [Source](https://www.computer.org/volunteering/awards/babbage)
17. [Source](https://awards.acm.org/fellows/award-recipients)
18. [La científica Frances Allen falleció a los 88 años: fue la primera mujer en ganar el 'Nobel de la Informática'. 2020](https://rpp.pe/ciencia/mas-ciencia/ibm-la-cientifica-frances-allen-fallecio-a-los-88-anos-fue-la-primera-mujer-en-ganar-el-premio-turing-noticia-1285440)
19. [Remembering Frances E. Allen. IBM Research. 2020](https://www.ibm.com/blogs/research/2020/08/remembering-frances-allen/)
20. [Frances Allen, first woman to win Turing Award for contributions to computing, dies at 88. 2020](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/frances-allen-first-woman-to-win-turing-award-for-contributions-to-computing-dies-at-88/2020/08/06/7ea7d7a2-d7f0-11ea-930e-d88518c57dcc_story.html)
21. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013