IFI-aktuelt: Kristen Nygaard er død
Professor Kristen Nygaard died in his home on 10. August 2002, at the age of 75.
After a successful career in computer science, Nygaard shifted his attention to information systems in 1971. He pioneered the first action research project in the field on behalf of a trade union, and it demonstrated how the Iron and Metal Workers? Union could influence development of information systems. Subsequently, user participation and action research have been cornerstones of information systems research in Scandinavia. The Norwegian legislation on working environment also adopted these ideas of user involvement. In October 1990 the American association Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility awarded him its Norbert Wiener Prize for responsibility in social and professional work. In the 80?s, Nygaard was effective in building a research group on information systems in the Department of Informatics, University of Oslo. The group is now attracting a large number of post-graduate students. He was awarded the John von Neumann Medal and the A. M. Turing Award in 2001 for developing the first object-oriented programming language SIMULA in 1967. Both these awards were shared with his co-inventor, professor Ole-Johan Dahl, who also passed away recently. Nygaard also developed the first object-oriented system description language DELTA in the 70's. Lately, he initiated a new research project on learning object-oriented methodologies. In these days, our thoughts go to his family and especially to his wife Johanna, who warmly welcomed all the the academic visitors, whom Nygaard so often received in his home.
Jens Kaasbøll