Frederick Brooks
Science Talent Search – 1949
About Frederick Brooks*
Computer scientist Frederick Brooks competed in the 1949 STS before going on to revolutionize the computer industry, leading the development of IBM’s System/360 family of compatible computers. Brooks also founded the computer science department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1964, which he chaired for 20 years. He was a co-recipient of the 1985 National Medal of Technology for his work on the System/360 project and received the A.M. Turing Award, the highest honor in his field, in 1999.
* = Deceased
From 1985 to 1987, Brooks chaired the Military Software Task Force — a group in the 1980s that assessed the military’s use of software — and issued a report with recommendations for improvements. He also advised the U.S. military as a member of the National Science Board, Defense Science Board and Artificial Intelligence Task Force.
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