IBM in a statement, officially apologizes for the dismissal of a pioneer computer scientist, just… 52 years later.
On August 29, 1968, IBM's CEO fired the pioneer for the age of the scientist computers and transgender Lynn Conway (Lynn Conway), so as to avoid public embarrassment to the company,…. because of the sexual propriceof her Almost 52 years later, in a statement, IBM is apologizing.
According to Forbes, on January 2, 1938, Lynn Conway's life began in Mount Vernon, New York. With an reported IQ of 155, Conway was an outstanding and curious kid who loved math and science as a teenager.
She went on to study physics at MIT and earned her master's degree in electrical engineering at Columbia University's School of Engineering. In 1964, Conway joined IBM Research, where she made major innovations in computer design, securing a promising career at the international conglomerate (IBM was the 7th largest company in the world at the time). In her private life she was also married to two young daughters, lived a seemingly perfect life. But Conway faced a profound existential challenge: she had been born a boy.
While IBM was aware of the key role it playseyeto Conway about the company, all these years she remained silent. Until August 2020, after 52 years. IBM admitted its mistake and took responsibility for Conway's firing, saying, "We are deeply sorry for the hardship Lynn has experienced."
The company also explained that it was in contact with Conway for a formal solution, which came two months later. Arvind Krishna, CEO of IBM and other senior executives had decided that Conway should be recognized and awarded some kind of award "for all its technical achievements".
Dario Gil, director of IBM Research, revealed the award and said:
Lynn was recently awarded the rare IBM Lifetime Achievement Award, given to people who have changed the world through technological inventions. Lynn's exceptional technical achievements helped define the modern IT industry. It paved the way for how we design and manufacture computer chips today and forever changed microelectronics, devices and people's lives. "
The company also acknowledged that after Conway left in 1968, her research helped the company's success. In 1965 Lynn created the architectural level Advanced Computing System-1 simulator and invented a method that led to the development of a supercomputer. This dynamic programming invention orders, was later used in computer chips.
