Hal Abelson | Academic Influence

Why Is Hal Abelson Influential?

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By Erik J. Larson, PhD

Areas of Specialization: Computer Programming, Amorphous Computing
Hal Abelson is the founding director of Creative Commons and the Free Software Foundation and a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He earned a B.A. from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He directed the first use of Logo, a programming language for the Apple II, and worked with Gerald Sussman to develop MIT’s foundational computer science textbook, Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, which was based on the premise that coding languages were merely a structured means of communicating with computers. Among the hacker community, this text is referred to as the “Wizard Book”.

Abelson has also been instrumental in the development of App Inventor, a program that makes app development easy and accessible for beginners. Once the program became open source, Abelson became codirector for the MIT Center for Mobile Learning, where they continue to develop the App Inventor program.

He has been a fierce proponent for open source and open access, starting and supporting ongoing initiatives such as the Free Software Foundation and MIT OpenCourseWare. These programs are intended to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and information with the world, breaking down barriers to access faced by students and scholars.

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According to Wikipedia, Harold Abelson is the Class of 1922 Professor of Computer Science and Engineering in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers , and a founding director of both Creative Commons and the Free Software Foundation.

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Hal Abelson's Published Works

Number of citations in a given year to any of this author's works

Total number of citations to an author for the works they published in a given year. This highlights publication of the most important work(s) by the author

Published Papers

Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (1985) (1688)
Revised5 Report on the Algorithmic Language Scheme (1986) (699)
Amorphous computing (2000) (582)
Turtle geometry : the computer as a medium for exploring mathematics (1983) (570)
Information accountability (2008) (440)
Lymphosarcoma: virus-induced thymic-independent disease in mice. (1970) (415)
Amplification of specific DNA sequences correlates with multi-drug resistance in Chinese hamster cells (1984) (318)
Boxer: a reconstructible computational medium (1986) (244)
Changes in RNA in relation to growth of the fibroblast: II. The lifetime of mRNA, rRNA, and tRNA in resting and growing cells (1974) (240)
Fostering Learning in the Networked World: The Cyberlearning Opportunity and Challenge. A 21st Century Agenda for the National Science Foundation (2008) (239)
Revised 5 Report on the Algorithmic Language (1999) (218)
The risks of key recovery, key escrow, and trusted third-party encryption (1997) (176)
Osteosarcoma: fifteen years later. (1985) (170)
The Creation of OpenCourseWare at MIT (2008) (152)
Putting knowledge to use : facilitating the diffusion of knowledge and the implementation of planned change (1983) (144)
Putting Knowledge to Use. (1984) (133)
Lower bounds on information transfer in distributed computations (1978) (132)
Methotrexate-induced renal impairment: clinical studies and rescue from systemic toxicity with high-dose leucovorin and thymidine. (1983) (129)
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, Second Edition (1996) (121)
Changes in RNA in relation to growth of the fibroblast. IV. Alterations in theproduction and processing of mRNA and rRNA in resting and growing cells (1976) (116)
Intelligence in scientific computing (1989) (115)
App Inventor - Create Your Own Android Apps (2011) (114)
Changes in RNA in relation to growth of the fibroblast. III. Posttranscriptional regulation of mRNA formation in resting and growing cells (1975) (111)
Effects of methotrexate esters and other lipophilic antifolates on methotrexate-resistant human leukemic lymphoblasts. (1980) (93)
Influence of prednisolone on Moloney leukemogenic virus in BALB-c mice. (1970) (92)
Polycythemia in small for gestational age infants. (1969) (85)
Information transfer and area-time tradeoffs for VLSI multiplication (1980) (82)
Osteogenic sarcoma: alterations in the pattern of pulmonary metastases with adjuvant chemotherapy. (1983) (81)
From computational thinking to computational action (2019) (81)
Blown to Bits: Your Life, Liberty, and Happiness After the Digital Explosion (2008) (79)
Selective interruption of high molecular weight RNA synthesis in HeLa cells by camptothecin. (1972) (76)
Transparent Accountable Data Mining: New Strategies for Privacy Protection (2006) (76)
ccREL : The Creative Commons Rights Expression Language (2008) (73)
Treatment of central nervous system tumors with methotrexate. (1981) (72)
Democratizing Computing with App Inventor (2015) (70)
Mitochondrial protein synthesis: RNA with the properties of Eukaryotic messenger RNA. (1973) (69)
Methotrexate and central nervous system toxicity. (1978) (68)
Interpretation of the complete blood count. (1996) (65)
Creating Effective Leadership for Improving Patient Safety (2002) (55)
Use of enzyme-labeled antibody for electron microscope localization of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus antigens in infected cell cultures. (1969) (55)
Resolution of breath-holding spells with treatment of concomitant anemia. (1995) (54)
Turtle Geometry (1981) (53)
10. CC REL: The Creative Commons Rights Expression Language (2012) (53)
Skill progression in MIT app inventor (2016) (53)
Nuclear pores: the pore-annulus relationship in thin section. (1970) (50)
Access Control is an Inadequate Framework for Privacy Protection (2010) (46)
Teaching CS principles with app inventor (2012) (46)
No technical understanding required: helping users make informed choices about access to their personal data (2014) (45)
The Revised Revised Report on Scheme or An Uncommon Lisp (1985) (45)
Architects of the Information Society: 35 Years of the Laboratory for Computer Science at Mit (1999) (44)
High-dose methotrexate in osteogenic sarcoma. (1981) (39)
The relative amounts of the cytoplasmic RNA species in normal, transformed and senescent cultured cell lines (1977) (38)
Final report of the FOPE II Pediatric Generalists of the Future Workgroup. (2000) (38)
Lack of dihydrofolate reductase in human tumor and leukemia cells in vivo. (1985) (36)
Measuring the usability and capability of App inventor to create mobile Applications (2015) (33)
Messenger RNA formation: resistance to inhibition by 3'-deoxycytidine. (1972) (32)
Identification of dihydrofolate reductase in rabbit brain. (1977) (31)
Architects of the Information Society: Thirty-Five Years of the Laboratory for Computer Science at MIT (1999) (30)
Early morphological changes associated with infection by a murine nonthymic lymphatic tumor virus. (1971) (29)
Corrigendum: Towards a Theory of Local and Global in Computation (1978) (27)
Resistance of resting 3T6 mouse fibroblasts to methotrexate cytotoxicity. (1978) (26)
The Bifurcation Interpreter: A Step Towards the Automatic Analysis of Dynamical Systems (1989) (26)
Induction of alkali labile links in cellular DNA by camptothecin. (1973) (25)
Structure and interpretation of computer programs / Harold Abelson, Gerald Jay Sussman, Julie Sussman (1985) (23)
The Dynamicist''s Workbench: I ---Automatic Preparation of Numerical Experiments (1987) (23)
Adjuvant chemotherapy for osteosarcoma: a decade of experience. (1981) (21)
A thin-layer chromatographic method for separation of thymidine and deoxyuridine nucleotides. (1980) (21)
Bilateral renal hypoplasia with oligonephronia. (1970) (21)
A Note on Time-Space Tradeoffs for Computing Continuous Functions (1979) (20)
The Supercomputer Toolkit and its applications (1990) (19)
Introduction to Computational Thinking Education (2019) (19)
Comparative effects of citrovorum factor and carboxypeptidase G1 on cerebrospinal fluid-methotrexate pharmacokinetics. (1978) (19)
High-dose methotrexate in osteogenic sarcoma adjuvant chemotherapy and limb salvage results. (1981) (19)
Can apps play by the COPPA Rules? (2014) (18)
IDENTIFICATION OF DIHYDROFOLATE REDUCTASE IN HUMAN CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM TUMOURS (1978) (16)
Natural resistance to methotrexate in human melanomas. (1980) (16)
Velocity Space and the Geometry of Planetary Orbits. Artificial Intelligence Memo No. 320. (1974) (16)
The Determination of the Styryl1 Geometry of the 6-Styryl-4-methoxy-2-pyrones by Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1962) (15)
Women and the future of academic pediatrics. (1990) (14)
Uncoupling of RNA and DNA synthesis after plasma stimulation of G0-arrested BALB/C-3T3 cells. (1979) (14)
Tetrahydrobiopterin synthesis by rabbit brain dihydrofolate reductase (1978) (14)
LISP: a language for stratified design (1987) (14)
The development and regional distribution of dihydrofolate reductase in rabbit brain (1977) (13)
Detecting Creative Commons License Violations on Images on the World Wide Web (2009) (12)
Selective inhibition of 4-S and 5-S RNA synthesis and nucleolar processing by the adenosine analogueformycin. (1973) (12)
Factors affecting the adoption of faculty-developed academic software: A study of five iCampus projects (2007) (12)
University Teaching as E-Business? Research and Policy Agendas (2002) (11)
MIT's Strategy for Educational Technology Innovation, 1999–2003 (2008) (11)
App Inventor 2 (2014) (11)
From computational thinking to computational values (2012) (11)
Kinetics of tetrahydrobiopterin synthesis by rabbit brain dihydrofolate reductase. (1978) (11)
Medical Professionalism: Crossing a Generational Divide (2008) (10)
Identification of dihydropteridine reductase in human platelets. (1979) (10)
Behavioral-pattern exploration and development of an instructional tool for young children to learn AI (2021) (9)
Bugs in our Pockets: The Risks of Client-Side Scanning (2021) (9)
The Climate Collaboratorium: Project Overview (2009) (9)
Teaching CS0 with mobile apps using App Inventor for Android (2012) (8)
Absence of hypoxanthine:guanine phosphoribosyltransferase activity in murine Dunn osteosarcoma. (1983) (8)
Live Programming of Mobile Apps in App Inventor (2014) (8)
Location is Everything Balancing Innovation , Convenience , and Privacy in Location-based Technologies Submitted (2009) (8)
The State of the Field in Computational Thinking Assessment (2018) (8)
The first-course conundrum (1995) (8)
Keeping the human touch in medical practice. (2014) (7)
Mobile phone apps in CS0 using App Inventor for Android: pre-conference workshop (2010) (7)
NEUTROPHIL/TUMOUR-CELL ROSETTES IN ASCITIC FLUID OF PATIENT WITH LYMPHOMA (1978) (7)
Compositional complexity of Boolean functions (1982) (7)
A comparison of the effects of alkylating agents 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea, 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea and nitrogen mustard on nuclear RNA synthesis and processing. (1974) (6)
The Supercomputer Toolkit: A General Framework for Special- purpose Computing (1991) (6)
Selective Interruption of RNA Metabolism by Chemotherapeutic Agents (1975) (6)
A new tumor inducing variant of moloney leukemia virus. Abstr. (1969) (6)
Is It Possible for Young Students to Learn the AI-STEAM Application with Experiential Learning? (2021) (6)
Lessons learned from teaching App Inventor (2012) (6)
Complexities in recognizing and treating iron deficiency anemia. (2001) (6)
The LISP experience (1988) (5)
Computational Geometry of Linear Threshold Functions (1977) (5)
Pharmacologic studies on the dibutyl and γ-monobutyl esters of methotrexate in the rhesus monkey (1982) (5)
Teaching with app inventor for android (abstract only) (2012) (5)
Methotrexate di-n-butyl ester effects on thymidine metabolism. (1979) (5)
Curriculum activities to foster primary school students’ computational practices in block-based programming environments (2017) (4)
Hemoglobin C disease. (2004) (4)
Career planning for pediatric residents. (2001) (4)
Chromatographic forms of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase in normal lymphoid cells and in leukemia cells at presentation and relapse. (1982) (4)
Workshop — Google App Inventor for Android: Creating mobile applications as a first computing experience (2010) (3)
Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus A Study of the Fine Structure of the Kidney in a Seven-Month-Old Male (1968) (3)
Severe intravascular hemolysis in an infant with cyanotic congenital heart disease: resolution of hemolysis after repair. (1990) (3)
Teacher's Guide for Computational Models of Animal Behavior: A Computer-Based Curriculum Unit to Accompany the Elementary Science Study Guide "Behavior of Mealworms." Artificial Intelligence Memo No. 432. (1977) (3)
A DEEP LEARNING PRACTICUM: CONCEPTS AND PRACTICES FOR TEACHING ACTIONABLE MACHINE LEARNING AT THE TERTIARY EDUCATION LEVEL (2019) (3)
Computational Thinking Education (2019) (3)
Student Science Training Program in Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science. Final Report to the National Science Foundation. Artificial Intelligence Memo No. 393. (1976) (3)
Symbolic computing in engineering design (1989) (3)
Computation in the Undergraduate Curriculum (1976) (3)
Sickle Cells and Anesthesia (1974) (2)
A Snapshot of Steps towards Change through Educational Technology (2008) (2)
What is the Future of Sleep Medicine in the US (2015) (2)
The Role of Educational Research in a Democracy (1948) (2)
From Computational Thinking to Computational Action: Understanding Changes in Computational Identity through App Inventor and the Internet of Things (2018) (2)
Instructor's Manual to Accompany Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (1998) (2)
PM 2.5--a killer in our midst. (2005) (2)
Studies with a 2,4-diamino-5-(3',4'-dichlorophenyl)-6-methylpyrimidine (DDMP)-resistant L1210 leukemia cell line without cross-resistance to methotrexate. (1980) (2)
LOWER BOUNDS ON INFORMATIONTRANSFER IN DISTRIBUTED COMPUTATIONS (1978) (2)
The Improvement of Intelligence Testing (1927) (2)
Teacher's Guide for Computational Models of Animal Behavior (1977) (1)
Open Access versus "Open Viewing" for a Web of Science: The Neurocommons Example (2010) (1)
AmorphousAmorphous computing ComputingComputing amorphous (2012) (1)
Ethics and Law on the Electronic Frontier (2010) (1)
Open Sharing at MIT (2005) (1)
Computer exercises to accompany Structure and interpretation of computer programs : version for IBM PC compatible machines (1988) (1)
Analysis of Itemized Judgments Concerning the Allocation to Pre-Teaching and In-Teaching Training of Teaching Competencies, Topics in Educational Psychology, and Psychoeducational Proposals. (1972) (1)
Other devices for investigating personality. (1947) (1)
Methotrexate-Carboxypeptidase G1: A Selective Approach to CNS Neoplasia (1979) (1)
6.01 Introduction to Electrical Engineering and Computer Science I, Fall 2009 (2009) (1)
Correlation of cytotoxicity with incorporation of ara-a in l1210 dna. Abstr. (1982) (1)
Review of The Methodology of Educational Research. (1937) (1)
Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pharmacokinetic studies of high-dose methotrexate (MTX)-carboxypeptidase G (CPDG) (1979) (1)
AMORPHOUS For coherent behavior from vast numbers of unreliable microsensors , actuators , and communication devices interconnected in unknown ways , apply the lessons of cellular cooperation in biological organisms (2000) (0)
Book ReviewCancer in the Young (1982) (0)
LOGO Progress Report 1973-1975. Artificial Intelligence Memo Number 356. Revised. (1976) (0)
SIGCUE (Paper Session) (1976) (0)
Educational programs in computer science and law: panel (2019) (0)
Method of Vocational Guidance by Gertrude Forrester (Revised and Enlarged). D. C. Heath and Co., 463 pp. $4.25 (1953) (0)
Icampus Science Faculty Member) from Mit. Former Microsoft Jsc Members Include (0)
Chapter VII: Other Devices for Investigating Personality (1947) (0)
Mitochondrial Protein Synthesis: RNA w (2016) (0)
Letter: Sickle cells and anesthesia. (1974) (0)
Supercomputer toolkit: A general framework for special purpose computing. Memorandum report (1991) (0)
Computing with Register Machines (1996) (0)
Modularity, Objects, and State (1996) (0)
Open Access at MITand Beyond:A White Paper of theMIT Ad Hoc Task Forceon Open Access toMIT’s Research (2018) (0)
Central nervous system (CNS) disease in Abelson virus-induced leukemia. (2003) (0)
List of Exercises (1996) (0)
Additional perspectives on transforming science into medicine. (2012) (0)
Supercomputer Toolkit and its applications. Memorandum report (1990) (0)
Additions and Corrections-The Determination of the Styryl Geometry of the 6-Styryl-4-Methoxy-2-Pyrones by Proton Magnetic Resonance SPectroscopy (1963) (0)
The Pillars of MIT: Innovation, Radical Meritocracy, and Open Knowledge (2018) (0)
Book Reviews : Handbook of Research on Teaching by N. L. Gage (editor.) Chicago: Rand McNally & Co., 1963. Pp. v + 1218 (1963) (0)
IDENTIFICATION AND CLONING OF GENES RESPONSIBLE FOR MULTIPLE DRUG RESISTANCE (1984) (0)
What did I know? (2013) (0)
The Methodology of Educational Research. (1937) (0)
Pharmacologic studies on the dibutyl and gamma-monobutyl esters of methotrexate in the rhesus monkey. (1982) (0)
Polycytbemia age infants in small for gestational (1969) (0)
Logo graphics as a mathematical environment (1976) (0)
DIHYDROPTERIDINE REDUCTASE IN PLATELETS I 17 MATERIALS AND METHODS (2005) (0)
Book Review Hope and Suffering: Children, Cancer, and the Paradox of Experimental Medicine By Gretchen Krueger. 216 pp., illustrated. Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008. $35. 978-0-8018-8831-1 (2009) (0)
A General Task-Oriented Teacher Competencies Checklist: Item Importance and Placement in Training as Judged by Prospective and Present Teachers. (1974) (0)
Amorphous Computing 1 (1995) (0)
170 DE-COUPLING OF RNA AND DNA SYNTHESIS IN PLATLET-POOR SERUM STIMULATED Go ARRESTED BALB/C 3T3 FIBROBLASTS (1978) (0)
Programming Technology for Molecular-Scale Computing (2004) (0)
Amorphous and Cellular Computing (2001) (0)
Dazzle dart: reflections on computer games (1975) (0)
OTHERBOOKS RECEIVED All books received are listed here. Some ofthem will be reviewed at a later date. Reliability Theory and ModelsmStochastic Failure Models, Optimal Maintenance Policies, Life Testing, and (1985) (0)
6.805J / 6.806 / STS.085 Ethics and Law on the Electronic Frontier, Spring 2002 (2002) (0)
SELF PERCEIVED MASTERY OF CURRICULUM CONTENT AND OF METHODS ON THE PART OF BEGINNING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS AT VARIOUS STAGES OF PREPARATION. (1967) (0)
Keeping the Net Stupid (2008) (0)
More about the causes and consequences of the expanding medical student debt. (2012) (0)
The art of educational research : its problems and precedures (1934) (0)
Building Abstractions with Procedures (1996) (0)
Building Abstractions with Data (1996) (0)
2014 Twelfth Annual International Conference on Privacy, Security and Trust, Toronto, ON, Canada, July 23-24, 2014 (2014) (0)

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Computer Science