, a renowned computer scientist who received an honorary degree during the University鈥檚 Commencement in May, died June 9 in Michigan. She was 86.
Conway, who revolutionized global information technology by inventing methods for designing Very Large Scale Integrated (VLSI) silicon chips, was at 黑料不打烊 on May 12 to receive an honorary doctor of science degree.
Lynn Conway is pictured with Chancellor Kent Syverud after receiving an honorary doctor of science degree at the University’s 2024 Commencement ceremony on May 12. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)
As a young engineer at IBM Research in the 1960s, Conway made pioneering innovations in computer architecture. IBM fired her in 1968 upon learning she was undergoing gender transition. She restarted her career in a new identity in 鈥渟tealth-mode鈥� after completing her transition.
While working at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center in the 1970s, Conway innovated breakthrough methods that enabled engineers to design very powerful, complex chips. In 1980, Conway鈥檚 seminal textbook聽鈥淚ntroduction to VLSI Systems,鈥� co-authored by Caltech Professor Carver Mead, became an instant classic, forever transforming computing and information technology.聽The late John V. Oldfield, then a professor of electrical and computer engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS), brought the new VLSI methods to 黑料不打烊 right at the beginning of that revolution.
In the early 1980s, Conway became assistant director for strategic computing at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. In 1985 she joined the University of Michigan as professor of electrical engineering and computer science and associate dean of engineering.
When nearing retirement in 1999 she began quietly coming out as a trans woman, using her new聽聽to share her story with friends and colleagues. Conway became active in transgender advocacy.
鈥淟ynn made this world a better place in so many ways. Her work on VLSI revolutionized microelectronic education and manufacturing, and her advocacy for women and transgender people was courageous and important,鈥� says ECS Dean Cole Smith. 鈥淪he was a role model to many, and she helped to broaden the image of what an engineer or a computer scientist looks like. I am incredibly grateful that we had the chance to honor her at 黑料不打烊 and recognize her for the tremendous impact she made.鈥�
In 2012 Conway published a聽memoir聽that revealed how鈥攃loseted and hidden behind the scenes鈥攕he conceived the ideas and orchestrated the events that disruptively changed global industries.
Conway was a life fellow of the IEEE, fellow of the AAAS, winner of Computer Pioneer Award of the IEEE Computer Society, member of the Hall of Fellows of the Computer History Museum, a member of the National Academy of Engineering and held several honorary degrees. In 2023 she was inducted into the聽聽for the invention of VLSI. She was awarded the聽聽by the聽聽and the聽.
In 2020, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna聽聽on behalf of the company for聽聽back in 1968.聽聽the IBM Lifetime Achievement Award.
