David Parnas

Professor David Parnas ranks among the very top of the small, international group of persons who have made noteworthy contribution to both the theoretical and implementation aspects of software engineering. His ideas on information hiding as a governing principle in the structure and modularization of software are seminal. His methodologies for formal specifications of systems, control structures and synchronization of real time systems are widely accepted. These ideas have been applied to many situations where performance is safety-critical, including control systems for aircraft, and software for nuclear power stations.Professor Parnas is an active and eloquent participant in the debates on the role of science in public affairs.