The computer software program Make emerged from the work of Stuart Feldman, an engineer and mathematician who played a pivotal role in early Unix operating system development. His career spans decades of technical leadership in both corporate and academic settings, marked by the design of foundational programming tools and compilers that continue to influence software engineering standards.
Academic Background
Feldman pursued his undergraduate studies at Princeton University, where he earned an A.B. in astrophysical sciences. He later advanced his mathematical expertise at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, completing a Ph.D. in applied mathematics. His academic contributions were later recognized in 2010 when the University of Waterloo awarded him an Honorary Doctorate of Mathematics.
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While working at Bell Labs, Feldman contributed significantly to the creation of the Unix operating system. He served as an author for the first Fortran 77 compiler and participated in the development of the EFL and ALTRAN programming languages. His most recognized achievement remains the creation of Make, a utility for controlling the generation of executables and other non-source files from source code. This specific contribution earned him the ACM Software System Award in 2003.
Leadership and Professional Service
Throughout his career, Feldman has held senior roles at major research and technology organizations, including serving as Vice President of Computer Science at IBM Research and Vice President of Engineering for Google on the East Coast. He currently serves as the president of Schmidt Sciences, following his tenure as Chief Scientist at Schmidt Futures. His service extends to governance roles within the Computing Research Association and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
Industry Governance and Fellowships
Feldman has been a long-term active member of both the Association for Computing Machinery and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He held the position of chair for ACM SIGPLAN and was the founding chair of ACM SIGecom, eventually serving as President of the ACM in 2006. He also helped found the magazine ACM Queue, serving on its Editorial Advisory Board. His professional recognition includes being named an IEEE Fellow in 1991, an ACM Fellow in 1995, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2007.
Fast facts
- Born: 2000
- Citizenship: United States
- Education: Princeton University (A.B.), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph.D.)
- Key Software: Make
- Professional Fellowships: IEEE (1991), ACM (1995), AAAS (2007)
- Significant Award: ACM Software System Award (2003)
Questions readers ask
What is Stuart Feldman's most notable software creation?
He is best known for creating the software program Make, which earned him an ACM Software System Award.
What leadership roles has Feldman held in professional organizations?
He served as the President of the ACM in 2006 and was the founding chair of ACM SIGecom.
Achievements
- Held posts at Google and Schmidt Sciences
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