Prof. Emeritus Jay Forrester, whose research on computing and organizations led to the field of computer modeling, died at age 98, reports Katie Hafner for The New York Times. Prof. John Sterman explained that thanks to Forrester’s work, “simulations of dynamic systems are now indispensable throughout the physical and social sciences.”
Prof. Susan Lindquist, who conducted research on yeast in an effort to better understand human disease, died on Oct. 27, writes James Hagerty of The Wall Street Journal. “Her studies of deformed proteins have spurred research that may lead to treatments for certain types of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis."
Bryan Marquard writes for The Boston Globe about Prof. Susan Lindquist, one of the most honored scientists in the nation, who died on Oct. 27. “She did not want to do an experiment unless she thought it would deliver deep biological impact and make a difference to the world,” said Dr. Vikram Khurana of Yumanity Therapeutics.
Prof. Susan Lindquist, a former director of the Whitehead Institute known for her “conceptually daring work with yeast proteins,” died on Oct. 27, writes William Grimes for The New York Times. Her research “demonstrated that protein-folding errors occurred in all species and that biological changes could be passed from one generation to the next through proteins alone.”
Writing for Nature, Gary Stager spotlights the work of Prof. Seymour Papert, who dedicated his career to using technology to help children learn. Stager writes that Papert “built a bridge between progressive educational traditions and the Internet age to maintain the viability of schooling, and to ensure the democratization of powerful ideas.”
Washington Post reporter Emily Langer chronicles the life and work of Prof. Emeritus Seymour Papert, who died last week at age 88. Langer explains that Papert “led an early campaign to revolutionize education with the personal computer, a tool he championed not as a classroom gadget but as a key to unlocking a child’s excitement for learning.”
Barb Darrow writes for Fortune about the career of Prof. Emeritus Seymour Papert, who died July 31. “In the 1960s, when computers were pricey and huge, Papert saw them as a way to help children learn by doing. He developed the Logo programming language for children, who initially used it to program and animate a small robot turtle.”
Lisa Mullins of WBUR’s All Things Considered speaks with Suzanne Massie, wife of the late Prof. Emeritus Seymour Papert, about Papert’s dedication to using technology to provide children around the world access to education. Massie notes that Papert was “the visionary who first saw the potential of the computer as an instrument of education of children.”
Prof. Emeritus Seymour Papert, a leading expert on using technology to help children learn, died on July 31, reports Glenn Rifkin for The New York Times. Prof. Mitchel Resnick notes that Papert was “the first person to see that the computer could be used to support children’s learning and development.”
Prof. Emeritus Robert Fano, known for his instrumental work in the development of interactive computers, died on July 13 at age 98, reports John Markoff for The New York Times. Markoff writes that Fano made “fundamental theoretical advances, both in the ways computers handled information and in the design of interactive software.”
Boston Globe reporter Bryan Marquard writes about the life and work of Prof. Emerita Suzanne Corkin, who was widely known for her work with the famous amnesiac Henry Molaison. Brenda Milner, a neuroscientist at McGill University, noted that Corkin’s “painstaking attention to detail and her enormous enthusiasm – it’s a very nice combination, and she showed that always.”
Washington Post reporter Matt Schudel writes about the impact Prof. Emerita Suzanne Corkin’s work had on our understanding of memory and cognitive disorders. Schudel writes that Corkin, who died on June 4, “made significant contributions to the study of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, and helped identify regions of the brain affected by degenerative disorders.”
Prof. Emerita Suzanne Corkin, whose work with a famous amnesia patient was instrumental in uncovering the nature of memory, died on May 24, reports Benedict Carey for The New York Times. Carey writes that Corkin’s work “helped settle a debate about the function of the hippocampus in retrieving and reliving past experiences.”
Scott Malone of Reuters writes that Prof. Lester Thurow, a former dean of MIT Sloan, has died at age 77. Malone writes that Thurow’s, “policy recommendations focused on promoting education and long-term investment in companies and economies.”
Former Sloan School of Management Dean Lester Thurow has died at age 77, the Associated Press reports. “Thurow became a leading public voice in examining the defining features of globalization, including the competitiveness of national economies at a time of industrial change, and worker welfare.”