# Stephen Leake

> American computer scientist

**Wikidata**: [Q113027090](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q113027090)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/stephen-leake

## Summary
Stephen Leake is an American computer scientist known for his significant contributions to the Ada programming language community. He is most notably recognized as the creator and maintainer of ada-mode, a major mode for editing Ada source code within the Emacs editor.

## Biography
- **Born:** [Date and place not provided]
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** [Degrees and institutions not provided]
- **Known for:** Creating and maintaining ada-mode, an Emacs major mode for Ada source code editing.
- **Employer(s):** Current employer is the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Notable past employer is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
- **Field(s):** Computer Science (specifically programming tools, Emacs development, Ada language support)

## Contributions
Stephen Leake's most significant contribution is the development and long-term maintenance of **ada-mode**, an Emacs major mode designed specifically for editing source code in the Ada programming language. This open-source project, hosted within the GNU Project, provides essential tools and features for Ada developers, significantly enhancing productivity within the Emacs environment. His work on ada-mode has cemented his reputation as a key figure in the Ada community, providing a vital resource that simplifies complex Ada development tasks. Beyond ada-mode, Leake's contributions span open-source projects affiliated with the GNU Project and his professional work at institutions like NIST and NASA, focusing on software tools and standards relevant to computing and engineering.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Stephen Leake best known for?
A: Stephen Leake is best known as the creator and maintainer of ada-mode, a major mode for editing Ada source code within the Emacs editor.

### Q: Where does Stephen Leake work?
A: He is currently employed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). He has also worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

### Q: What programming language tool is he associated with?
A: He is most closely associated with the Ada programming language, specifically through his work on the ada-mode Emacs package.

### Q: Is he involved in open-source projects?
A: Yes, he is an active contributor to the GNU Project and maintains ada-mode. He is also a member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

### Q: Where does he reside?
A: Stephen Leake resides in Emeryville.

## Why They Matter
Stephen Leake's work matters because his creation and stewardship of ada-mode directly supports a critical niche in software development: high-integrity, safety-critical systems often written in Ada. By providing powerful, free, and open-source tooling within the widely used Emacs editor, he lowers the barrier to entry and increases productivity for Ada developers globally. This contributes to the robustness and maintainability of software in fields like aerospace, defense, and critical infrastructure where Ada is a standard. His long-term commitment to maintaining ada-mode ensures its continued relevance and reliability for the Ada community. His involvement with the GNU Project and Electronic Frontier Foundation further cements his role in advocating for free software and digital rights.

## Notable For
- **Creator and Maintainer of ada-mode:** The leading Emacs major mode for Ada source code editing.
- **Affiliation with the GNU Project:** A contributing member of the GNU Project community.
- **Employment at NIST:** Working for the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology.
- **Past Employment at NASA:** Having worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
- **Member of Electronic Frontier Foundation:** Affiliated with the organization advocating for digital civil liberties.
- **Open Source Developer:** Actively contributes to free and open-source software projects.

## Body
### Identity and Affiliations
- Stephen Leake is an American computer scientist.
- He holds aliases: Stephen A. Leake and S. Leake.
- He resides in Emeryville.
- He is male.

### Professional Roles and Employment
- Current employer: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
- Past employer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
- Position held: Maintainer of ada-mode (the Emacs major mode for Ada source code).

### Key Contributions and Projects
- **ada-mode:** Created and is the maintainer of this Emacs major mode for editing Ada source code. This is his most significant contribution.
- **GNU Project:** A member of the GNU Project since June 2005.
- **Electronic Frontier Foundation:** Became a member in 2017.
- **Open Source:** Actively contributes to free software, notably through his website (https://stephe-leake.org/) and presence on GNU Savannah (username: stephen_leake).

### Online Presence
- **Website:** https://stephe-leake.org/ (in English)
- **GitHub Username:** stephe-ada-guru
- **GNU Savannah Account:** Username: stephen_leake
- **DBLP Author ID:** 181/3171
- **ACM Digital Library Author ID:** 81100304621
- **Semantic Scholar Author ID:** 48993094 (under name S. Leake)
- **ResearchGate Contributions ID:** 2015091534
- **Library of Congress Authority ID:** no2019171864
- **Yale LUX ID:** person/7fe1ef25-1f34-40fb-b97b-5f65601dc648
- **VIAF ID:** 26157467902922321747

### Expertise
- **Occupation:** Computer Scientist
- **Languages Spoken/Written:** English
- **Primary Field:** Computer Science (with focus on programming tools, language support, and open-source development, specifically for Ada).

## References

1. [Source](https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/ada-mode.html)
2. [Source](http://computer-programming-forum.com/44-ada/f9e6f97339fa64fb.htm)
3. [Source](https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/StephenLeake)
4. [Source](https://savannah.nongnu.org/users/stephen_leake)
5. [Source](https://stephe-leake.org/)
6. [Source](https://github.com/stephe-ada-guru/)