# Lyle Andrew McGeoch

> Ph.D. Carnegie Mellon University 1987

**Wikidata**: [Q102215450](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q102215450)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/lyle-andrew-mcgeoch

## Summary
Lyle Andrew McGeoch was an American computer scientist and university teacher who earned a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University in 1987. He served on the faculty of Amherst College and is recorded in multiple academic and bibliographic databases, reflecting a career in computer science research and teaching.

## Biography
- Born: 1959-07-10, Lower Merion Township
- Nationality: United States
- Education: Princeton University (undergraduate level indicated), Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University (1987)
- Known for: Computer scientist and university teacher; holder of a Carnegie Mellon Ph.D. (1987)
- Employer(s): Amherst College
- Field(s): Computer science

## Contributions
Lyle A. McGeoch completed doctoral research at Carnegie Mellon University, earning his Ph.D. in 1987 under the supervision of Merrick Lee Furst and Daniel Sleator. His formal academic record appears in standard scholarly and bibliographic resources: he is listed in the Mathematics Genealogy Project (ID 50338), has an MR author identifier (242202) in MathSciNet, and a VIAF authority record (112436873). McGeoch worked as a computer scientist and university teacher, with Amherst College listed as his employer. These facts indicate a professional career that combined original research (doctoral-level work) with teaching in higher education. Public records and memorial entries also document his presence in institutional and library authority files (nukat_id n2010111558; national_library_of_israel_j9u_id 987007459701105171), which typically reflect published scholarship and academic contributions, though specific paper titles or patents are not provided in the source material.

## FAQs
### Q: Who was Lyle Andrew McGeoch?
A: Lyle Andrew McGeoch was an American computer scientist and university teacher who earned a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University in 1987 and served on the faculty at Amherst College.

### Q: When and where was he educated?
A: He attended Princeton University (as indicated in his education record) and completed his doctorate at Carnegie Mellon University in 1987 under advisors Merrick Lee Furst and Daniel Sleator.

### Q: When did he die and what was the cause?
A: Lyle McGeoch died on 2019-10-05 in Amherst. The recorded cause of death was a myocardial infarction; the manner of death is listed as natural causes.

## Why They Matter
Lyle McGeoch’s significance rests on his role as a trained researcher and educator in computer science. Earning a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University in 1987 placed him in a strong research lineage, supervised by Merrick Lee Furst and Daniel Sleator, tying him to an influential network in theoretical and applied computer science. His employment at Amherst College indicates a sustained commitment to undergraduate or collegiate teaching and mentorship, contributing to the education of students in computing. The presence of authority and bibliographic records — VIAF, MathSciNet (MR author id), Mathematics Genealogy Project — documents his participation in the scholarly record and ensures that his academic work and academic lineage are discoverable and citable. Without records of his doctoral training, teaching appointments, and inclusion in bibliographic systems, tracing aspects of his scholarly influence and professional contributions would be more difficult; those records preserve his role within the academic ecosystem.

## Notable For
- Earning a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University in 1987.
- Doctoral advisors listed as Merrick Lee Furst and Daniel Sleator.
- Service as a computer scientist and university teacher at Amherst College.
- Presence in major academic and bibliographic databases (Mathematics Genealogy Project ID 50338; MR author id 242202; VIAF 112436873).
- Documented personal and biographical records, including birth (1959-07-10) and death (2019-10-05) details.

## Body
### Early life
- Born on 1959-07-10 in Lower Merion Township.
- United States citizen.

### Education
- Attended Princeton University (institution listed in education records).
- Completed Ph.D. at Carnegie Mellon University in 1987.
- Doctoral advisors: Merrick Lee Furst and Daniel Sleator.

### Academic career
- Occupation recorded as computer scientist and university teacher.
- Employer listed as Amherst College.
- Professional identifiers link him to scholarly literature: MR author id 242202 and Mathematics Genealogy Project ID 50338.

### Scholarly record and identifiers
- VIAF identifier: 112436873.
- NUKAT identifier: n2010111558.
- National Library of Israel identifier: 987007459701105171.
- These authority records and database entries indicate cataloged works or recorded academic activity, though specific publications or titles are not provided in the source material.

### Personal life and death
- Spouse: Catherine McGeoch.
- Religion: United Methodist Church (recorded worldview).
- Died on 2019-10-05 in Amherst; cause of death recorded as myocardial infarction and manner of death as natural causes.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/gazettenet/name/lyle-mcgeoch-obituary?id=8934666)
2. [Source](https://www.amherst.edu/news/memoriam/node/753058)
3. Mathematics Genealogy Project
4. Virtual International Authority File