Ellis, Clarence 'Skip'
1943-2014 · Contribution: 1970s-1990s
Computer scientist
First African American to earn a PhD in computer science (1969); pioneer of groupware and computer-supported cooperative work -- at Xerox PARC created OfficeTalk and pioneered operational transformation, the foundation of modern real-time collaborative editing (e.g., Google Docs); first Black Fellow of the ACM (1997)
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Quick facts
- Born
- 1943, Chicago, Illinois
- Active since
- 1969
- Category
- Technology & Engineering
- Best known for
- First African American to earn a PhD in computer science
Impact on the world
Ellis pioneered groupware, software that lets people work together on a computer at the same time, laying the groundwork for the collaborative editing billions now use.
Sources
- University of Illinois (CS @ Illinois)
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