Alfred Aho

Updated: 12/30/2019 by Computer Hope
Alfred Aho

Name: Alfred Vaino Aho

Born: August 9, 1941, in Timmins, Ontario, Canada

Computer-related contributions

  • Canadian computer scientist and author.
  • Known for the Aho–Corasick string matching algorithm.
  • Noted for his work with programming languages, related algorithms, compilers, and his textbooks on the art and science of computer programming.
  • Designed indexed grammars and the nested-stack automaton as ways for extending the power of context-free languages.
  • Former vice president of the Computing Sciences Research Center at Bell Labs (1997-2002).

Significant publications

  • Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools (2006).
  • The AWK Programming Language (1988).
  • Data Structures and Algorithms (1983).

Honors and awards

  • Sits at the Lawrence Gussman Chair of Computer Science at Columbia University (2011).
  • IEEE John von Neumann Medal (2003).
  • Great Teacher Award, Society of Columbia Graduates (2003).
  • FACM (1996).
  • IEEE Fellow (1988).
  • Doctor of Philosophy, honoris causa, University of Helsinki (1986).
  • Fellow, Bell Laboratories (1984).

Related computer pioneers

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