Nell B. Dale

Professor Dale is a leader in the movement to promote empirical research in Computer Science education. Her careful experimental studies have been extremely influential, and her training of graduate students has extended her impact.

Professor Dale is known to students and educators around the world for her many successful textbooks. Her first textbook, "Pascal and Structured Design" broke new ground. Programming textbooks had, until then, focused on language syntax. Professor Dale moved the attention away from syntax to problem solving and software engineering principles, using them to motivate language constructs. Revolutionary at the time, this is now the standard model for computer science textbooks. With this and numerous subsequent successful textbooks, Professor Dale has reached many thousands of students, at both the undergraduate and high school level.

Professor Dale has also made a direct contribution to the training of Computer Science educators by organizing and leading conferences throughout the world for the preparation and development of high school and post-secondary educators.

Professor Dale is renowned by her students and colleagues as a wonderful mentor and role model. Her Women in Science program has improved the lives of many women by retraining them for successful careers in Computer Science. These women received outstanding instruction, guidance and support from Professor Dale, and have themselves recruited many other women into the discipline.

Professor Dale has had a "large and direct influence on students and educators at all levels. She is a vital force in the Computer Science education community."