Mary Jean Harrold facts for kids

Mary Jean Harrold (born March 12, 1947 – died September 19, 2013) was an American computer scientist. She was famous for her important work in software engineering, which is about designing and building computer programs. She also helped more people, especially women, get involved in the world of computing. She was a leader in groups like the CRA and CRA-W, which support computer science research and encourage women in computing.

Mary Jean Harrold's Early Life and Education

Mary Jean Harrold loved learning from a young age. She earned two degrees in Mathematics from Marshall University. First, she got her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in 1970. Then, she earned her Master of Science (M.S.) degree in 1975.

Before becoming a computer scientist, Mary Jean taught math to high school students. She taught in several states, including West Virginia, South Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. She taught for 12 years, from 1970 to 1982.

After teaching, she decided to go back to school. She studied at the University of Pittsburgh. There, she earned two more degrees in Computer Science. She received her Master of Science (M.S.) in 1985. Then, she completed her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in 1988. Her main teacher and guide for her Ph.D. was Professor Mary Lou Soffa.

Mary Jean Harrold's Career in Computer Science

After finishing her Ph.D., Mary Jean Harrold started her career as a professor. She first worked at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1990, she joined Clemson University as an assistant professor. She was promoted to associate professor in 1995.

In 1996, she moved to Ohio State University. There, she also started as an assistant professor. She became an associate professor in 1998. In 1999, she joined the Georgia Institute of Technology. She was promoted to a full professor in 2003.

Mary Jean was very active in the SIGSOFT community. This is a group of computer scientists who focus on software engineering. She was the main organizer for their big conference, SIGSOFT, in 2008.

Awards and Recognition

Mary Jean Harrold received many important awards for her work. In 2003, she was named an ACM Fellow. This is a special honor given to members of the Association for Computing Machinery. It recognizes their outstanding achievements in computer science.

In 2004, Mary Jean helped accept a major award. She was a co-chair of CRA-W at the time. Along with two other leaders, she accepted the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). This award recognized CRA-W for helping and guiding many women in science and engineering.

Her other notable awards include:

• In 2011, she was named an IEEE Fellow. This award recognized her important contributions to software systems.
• She is known as one of the top software engineering authors of all time.
• In 2007, ACM recognized her as the top software engineering researcher in the world.