Hal Abelson

#3,118
Most Influential Person

Computer scientist, (1947 - )

Why Is Hal Abelson Influential?

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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.

Academic Website

Featured in Top Influential Computer Scientists Today

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
19301940195019601970198019902000201020200125250375500625750875100011251250137515001625175018752000

Published Papers

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Other Resources About Hal Abelson

What Schools Are Affiliated With Hal Abelson?

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Hal Abelson's Academic­Influence.com Rankings