Bjarne Stroustrup
Early Life and Education
Bjarne Stroustrup was born on December 30, 1950, in Aarhus, Denmark. He showed an early interest in mathematics and graduated from the University of Aarhus in 1975 with a master's degree in Mathematics and Computer Science.
Stroustrup then moved to the United Kingdom, where he obtained a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge in 1979. His doctoral thesis was titled "Communication and Control in Distributed Computer Systems."
Career and Contributions to Computer Science
After earning his Ph.D., Stroustrup joined the Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey, in the United States. It was here that he began his pioneering work on the C++ programming language.
Stroustrup's work on C++ began as an extension of the C programming language, with the aim of incorporating features of Simula, a language that introduced the concept of object-oriented programming. The first version of C++, initially named "C with Classes," was released in 1980.
In 1985, Stroustrup published "The C++ Programming Language," the definitive guide to the language, which has since been updated and revised several times. The same year, the name of the language was officially changed to C++.
Stroustrup's work on C++ has had a profound impact on the field of computer science. The language has been widely adopted in various fields, including software development, game development, and systems programming. It has also influenced the design of several other programming languages, such as Java and C#.
In 1993, Stroustrup was made a Fellow of the ACM for his work on C++. He has also received numerous other awards and honors for his contributions to computer science, including the IEEE Computer Society Computer Pioneer Award and the Dr. Dobb's Journal Excellence in Programming Award.
In 2014, Stroustrup joined the faculty of the Columbia University as a visiting professor. He is currently a Managing Director in the technology division of Morgan Stanley in New York City, and a Visiting Professor in Computer Science at Columbia University.
Legacy and Influence
Stroustrup's development of C++ has had a significant influence on the field of computer science. The language's combination of efficiency and abstraction has made it a popular choice for a wide range of software development projects. Its influence can also be seen in the design of several other popular programming languages, including Java and C#.
Stroustrup's work has also had a significant impact on the practice of programming. His emphasis on the importance of good programming practices and the use of high-level abstractions has influenced the way many programmers approach their work.