Pioneering Computer Scientist Lynn Conway Dies at 86

Lynn Conway, a pioneering computer scientist and transgender trailblazer, passed away at 86 due to a heart condition. Conway revolutionized the microchip industry by co-authoring the seminal work 'Introduction to VLSI Systems' with Carter Mead, which laid the foundation for modern chip design. Her career faced significant challenges, including being fired by IBM in 1968 for transitioning from male to female, but she later rebuilt her career at Xerox PARC and DARPA and became a professor at the University of Michigan. Her story, concealed until 2000, has inspired many in both the tech and transgender communities, with IBM issuing a formal apology in 2020. Colleagues and friends remember her as a brilliant mind and a courageous individual who broke barriers and advocated for others.