Lynn Conway
Born 1938 · Age 87
American computer scientist, electrical engineer, pioneer of VLSI design (Mead–Conway), transgender rights activist, professor and inventor.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Mount Vernon, New York
Lynn Ann Conway born to Christine Alice (née Burney) Savage and Rufus Savage.
Parents divorced; raised by mother
After parents' divorce, Conway and her brother Blair were raised by their mother.
Built 6-inch (150 mm) reflecting telescope
Constructed a reflecting telescope as a youth, demonstrating early aptitude in science.
Graduated White Plains High School; entered MIT
Graduated high school and enrolled at Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study physics.
First attempted gender transition while at MIT
Conway began an attempted gender transition (purchased/injected estrogen and presented as woman off-campus).
Worked as electronics technician
Worked several years as an electronics technician after leaving MIT.
Withdrew from MIT
Left MIT amid pressures related to gender transition and returned to living as a man for a period.
Earned B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Columbia
Completed Bachelor of Science degree at Columbia University's School of Engineering and Applied Science.
Married (first marriage)
Married a woman (referred to as 'Sue' as a pseudonym in some sources); had two daughters.
Earned M.S.E.E. from Columbia
Completed Master of Science in Electrical Engineering at Columbia.
Recruited by IBM Research (Yorktown Heights)
Joined IBM and selected for the Advanced Computing Systems (ACS) architecture team.
Invented generalized dynamic instruction handling (conceptual)
Developed multiple-issue out-of-order dynamic instruction scheduling concepts contributing to superscalar/out-of-order execution.
IBM-ACS technical publications (multiple)
Series of internal ACS design and simulation publications (multiple dates in 1966–1968) documenting architecture advances.
Publication: 'Dynamic Instruction Scheduling' (IBM-ACS)
Coauthored IBM-ACS technical paper documenting dynamic instruction scheduling.
Publication: 'ACS Simulation Technique'
Published ACS simulation technique report (IBM-ACS team).
Resumed hormone replacement therapy
Under counseling of Harry Benjamin, Conway resumed hormone therapy in preparation for gender transition.
Publication: 'MPM Timing Simulation'
Authored an MPM timing simulation report for IBM-ACS.
Publication: 'A Proposed ACS Logic Simulation System'
Authored a proposed ACS logic simulation system report.
Publication: 'ACS Logic Design Conventions: A Guide for the Novice'
Published ACS logic design conventions paper (IBM-ACS internal).
Published 'The Computer Design Process' (IBM-ACS)
Authored IBM-ACS document proposing a plan for ACS computer design (Aug 6, 1968).
Fired by IBM after revealing intention to transition
IBM terminated Conway's employment after she revealed plans to undergo gender transition.
Divorced and lost access to children
Divorced (1968); under laws and social constraints at the time, denied access to her daughters after transition.
Completed gender transition; surgery abroad
Traveled abroad (Mexico) for gender-affirming surgery and adopted new name and identity.
Restarted career in stealth-mode as contract programmer
Worked as a contract programmer at Computer Applications, Inc., while living as a woman but not disclosing transgender history.
Joined Memorex as digital system designer/computer architect
Worked at Memorex from 1969 to 1972 as a digital system designer and computer architect.
Joined Xerox PARC; led LSI Systems group
Hired at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center and led the 'LSI Systems' group under Bert Sutherland (1973–1983).
Visiting associate professor at MIT; taught VLSI course
Served as visiting associate professor at MIT and taught a seminal VLSI design course using a Mead–Conway textbook draft.
Founded Multiproject Wafers (MPW) technology at PARC
Initiated MPW (multiproject wafer) methods for sharing prototype runs of chip designs (year approximate within PARC tenure).
Publication: Introduction to VLSI Systems (Mead & Conway)
Coauthored seminal textbook 'Introduction to VLSI Systems' (Addison-Wesley), revolutionizing chip design education and practice.
MOSIS institutionalized for prototyping and short-run fabrication
The Metal Oxide Semiconductor Implementation Service (MOSIS) was institutionalized, enabling rapid prototyping/foundry model.
Electronics magazine Award of Achievement (with Carver Mead)
Mead and Conway received Electronics magazine's annual award of achievement for their VLSI work.
Invited lecture: 'The Design of VLSI Design Methods' (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
Delivered an invited lecture on VLSI design methods at the European Solid-State Circuits Conference (Sept 23, 1982).
Mead–Conway textbook adoption milestone
By 1983, the Mead–Conway textbook and methodology were used in nearly 120 universities and had sold over 70,000 copies.
Left Xerox PARC to join DARPA
Joined DARPA and became a key architect of the U.S. Department of Defense's Strategic Computing Initiative.
Mead–Conway VLSI revolution widely influencing industry
By the early 1980s, Mead–Conway methods reshaped academic curricula, design tools, and the foundry model for VLSI.
Harold Pender Award; IEEE EAB Major Educational Innovation Award
Received Harold Pender Award (Moore School) and IEEE EAB Major Educational Innovation Award (both with Carver Mead).
John Price Wetherill Medal; IEEE Fellow recognition
Received the John Price Wetherill Medal (with Carver Mead) and was named Fellow of the IEEE 'for contributions to VLSI technology'.
Joined University of Michigan as professor and associate dean
Appointed professor of electrical engineering and computer science and associate dean of engineering at UMich.
Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Awarded the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Civilian Service Award for contributions (May 1985).
Met Charles 'Charlie' Rogers
Met future husband Charles Rogers, a professional engineer with shared outdoor interests.
Elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering
Elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering for contributions to VLSI and computing.
National Achievement Award, Society of Women Engineers
Received the Society of Women Engineers' National Achievement Award (1990).
Patent issued: US 5046022 (Teleautonomous System)
Patent issued for 'Teleautonomous System and Method Employing Time/Position Synchrony/Desynchrony'.
Member of the Corporation, Emerita, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory
Served as Member of the Corporation, Emerita, at Draper Laboratory (1993–2010).
Bought rural home in Jackson, Michigan
With Charles Rogers, purchased a 24-acre property in rural Jackson, Michigan.
Patent issued: US 5444476 (System for Teleinteraction)
Patent issued for 'System and Method for Teleinteraction'.
Appointed to USAF Academy Board of Visitors (Presidential appointment)
Received a presidential appointment to the United States Air Force Academy Board of Visitors.
Patent issued: US 5652849 (Remote control using visual stream)
Patent issued for 'Apparatus and Method for Remote Control Using a Visual Information Stream'.
Retired from University of Michigan; professor emerita
Retired from active teaching and research and was named professor emerita at UMich (1998).
Honorary Doctorate, Trinity College
Awarded an honorary doctorate by Trinity College (1998).
Patent issued: US 5719622 (Visual Control Selection of Remote Mechanisms)
Patent issued for 'Visual Control Selection of Remote Mechanisms'.
Patent issued: US 5745782 (Organizing/presenting audio/visual information)
Patent issued for 'Method and System for Organizing and Presenting Audio/Visual Information'.
Began publicly discussing gender transition
Started coming out to friends and colleagues and prepared to tell her story publicly.
Public profiles: Scientific American and Los Angeles Times
Major profiles published (Scientific American, LA Times) bringing Conway's story and career to wider attention.
Married Charles 'Charlie' Rogers
Married longtime partner Charles Rogers on August 13, 2002.
Became active transgender rights advocate publicly
After coming out publicly in 1999–2000, Conway provided resources, counsel, and advocacy for transgender people and inclusion in tech.
Performed in first all-transgender production of The Vagina Monologues
Cast member in the first all-transgender performance in Los Angeles; featured in documentary 'Beautiful Daughters'.
Named one of 'Stonewall 40 trans heroes'
Recognized as one of the Stonewall 40 trans heroes by the Imperial Court System and the National LGBTQ Task Force.
IEEE Computer Society Computer Pioneer Award
Received the Computer Pioneer Award from the IEEE Computer Society for early contributions to computing.
Publication: 'IBM-ACS: Reminiscences and Lessons Learned from a 1960's Supercomputer Project'
Contributed a long chapter on IBM-ACS in a collected volume (2011).
IEEE Solid-State Circuits Magazine special issue and career memoir
IEEE published a special issue devoted to Conway's career including her memoir 'Reminiscences of the VLSI Revolution' (2012).
Campaign against J. Michael Bailey's research/book (community advocacy)
Joined Andrea James and Deirdre McCloskey in campaigning against academic/ethical issues related to 'The Man Who Would Be Queen' (early 2000s activism; date approximate to campaign period).
Lobbied IEEE for transgender inclusion in Code of Ethics
With Leandra Vicci and industry supporters, lobbied IEEE directors for transgender-inclusive code of ethics.
IEEE Code of Ethics became LGBT inclusive; Computer History Museum Fellow
IEEE code became fully LGBT inclusive (Jan 2014); Conway named Computer History Museum Fellow (2014).
Honorary Doctorate, Illinois Institute of Technology
Awarded an honorary doctorate by Illinois Institute of Technology (2014).
Named one of Time's '21 Transgender People Who Influenced American Culture'
Recognized by Time magazine for cultural influence (2014).
IEEE/RSE James Clerk Maxwell Medal; Steinmetz Memorial Lecture
Received IEEE/RSE James Clerk Maxwell Medal (2015) and delivered Steinmetz Memorial Lecture (2015).
Honorary Doctorate, University of Victoria; AAAS Fellow; Magill Lecture (Columbia)
Received an honorary doctorate from UVic, elected AAAS Fellow, and delivered Magill Lecture at Columbia University.
Publication: 'The Disappeared: Beyond Winning and Losing' (Computer magazine)
Published an article discussing overlooked innovators and the 'Conway effect' in IEEE Computer (Oct 2018).
Honorary Doctorate & Commencement Address, University of Michigan
Awarded an honorary doctorate and delivered the commencement address at UMich (2018).
Pioneer in Tech Award, NCWIT
Received the Pioneer in Tech Award from the National Center for Women in Technology (2019).
Interview for Trans Activism Oral History Project
Interviewed in 2020 for inclusion in the Trans Activism Oral History Project.
IBM public apology and Lifetime Achievement Award
IBM publicly apologized for firing Conway in 1968 and presented her with an IBM Lifetime Achievement Award at a public event.
Honorary Doctorate, Princeton University
Awarded an honorary doctorate from Princeton University (2023).
Inducted into National Inventors Hall of Fame
Inducted into the NIHF for inventions and impact on VLSI and computing.
Launch: 'Lines in the Sand' comic book
Collaborated on and launched the short comic book 'Lines in the Sand' telling the story of the invention of VLSI; launch at Centre for Computing History.
Honorary Doctor of Science, Syracuse University
Awarded an honorary Doctor of Science by Syracuse University (2024).
Died in Jackson, Michigan
Conway died from a heart condition at home on June 9, 2024.
Named to National LGBTQ Wall of Honor (posthumous)
Posthumous recognition on the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor (2025).
Key Achievement Ages
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