Lynn Conway, a true pioneer, passes away at 86
https://www.axios.com/2024/06/12/lynn-conway-pioneer-passes-away
Ina Fried 12 June, 2024
Former IBM and Xerox PARC engineer Lynn Conway, who helped shape the way chips are designed, died last weekend at age 86.
The big picture: Conway broke ground both for her contributions to the tech industry and for her gender transition at a time when such a move was rare among professionals.
Conway began her career at IBM Research in 1964 and had hoped to continue working at IBM but was fired in 1968 after announcing her plans to transition.
In 2020, IBM formally apologized and held a public event in her honor.
(https://i.imgur.com/swMiEht.jpg)
This is horrible news. Lynn is definitely someone I have looked up to as an example of how to do things the right way. She'll be missed.
~Sara
Rest In Peace Dear Sister... 💕🙏😔🌸💕
Years ago I was on post-op only forum with her. I'm sorry to hear of her passing.
-Karen
Lynn and I met thru work. We named a conference after her. I emailed her... we started zooming periodically. I consider her a teacher, mentor, and friend. I take a little pride in knowing she'd take notes of what I was saying as well. She's a remarkable part of my own transition story.
I took this screen shot last time we zoomed, in late March.
(https://i.imgur.com/lXodQTO.png)
Lynn was the subject of a chronicle about her decisive work for chips design on the very serious "France Culture" French radio. The journalist talked about her work, asking why she was so unknown when her work was so important. He answered it saying "probably because she was a woman". After a long talk about the usual invisibilization of women (in sciences and elsewhere), he ended telling the story of her life, revealing her transition as another explanation. I liked the way he did it, the transitioning issues coming only in a second time after the fact she was female.
May Lynn Rest In Peace