Sister Mary Kenneth Keller
1913–1985
Computer science education
Among the first people in the U.S. to earn a PhD in Computer Science (1965); contributed to BASIC at Dartmouth and founded CS education programs focused on access and inclusion.
Major Contributions
- - Earned one of the first CS PhDs in the United States (University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1965)
- - Worked at Dartmouth College on time‑sharing and contributed to the development and pedagogy of BASIC under Kemeny and Kurtz
- - Founded and directed the computer science program/center at Clarke College (now Clarke University)
- - Advocated for broad access to computing and for increasing participation of women and underrepresented students
- - Led curriculum and lab development making hands‑on computing more widely available
Recognition
- Clarke University recognition: Keller Computer Center named in her honor
"For the first time, we can now mechanize intellectual processes."- Sister Mary Kenneth Keller