Jean E. Sammet
1928–2017
Programming languages (COBOL, FORMAC)
CODASYL COBOL contributor; created FORMAC for symbolic mathematics; authored seminal histories of programming languages and led standardization efforts.
Major Contributions
- - Contributed to the CODASYL committee shaping COBOL for business data processing
- - Designed FORMAC, an early language for symbolic mathematical computation (on IBM systems)
- - Authored “Programming Languages: History and Fundamentals,” a definitive early survey
- - Led and participated in language standardization and professional leadership within ACM/IFIP
- - Documented the evolution of programming languages, preserving critical historical context
Recognition
- ACM President (1974–1976)
- ACM Distinguished Service Award