Andrea Lawrence

Andrea Lawrence (born October 6, 1946 in Asheville , North Carolina ) is an American computer scientist . She was the first African American to earn a PhD in computer science from the Georgia Institute of Technology .

life and work

Lawrence was born to Jeanne Hayes and Emory Williams and graduated from Allen High School in Ashville in 1964. She graduated from Spelman College and graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1970 . From 1979 to 1983 she taught mathematics at the Cincinnati Public Schools and earned her master's degree in computer science from Clark Atlanta University in 1985 . She taught at Spelman College and was promoted to director of the computer science program in 1986. In 1993, she was the first African American to receive her PhD in computer science from the Georgia Institute of Technology and returned to Spelman College as an assistant professor of computer science. In 1994 she became Chair of the Department of Computer and Information Sciences and in 1995 she was promoted to Associate Professor of Computer Science.

She has published numerous articles on human-computer interaction , including the use of computer animation to teach algorithms and human-computer interactions. She also oversaw Antarctic remote sensing projects, which use satellites or aircraft to collect information about the Antarctic ice . Lawrence lives in Atlanta and has three grown children.

Awards (selection)

• 2004: Technical Achiever of the Year, National Technical Association
• 2005: Technology All-Star, National Women of Color (NWOC)
• 2012: Science Maker 2012
• 2014: SIGCSE award

Web links

• Biography at The History makers
• Florida Professor Leads Effort to Aid Black Comp-Sci PhD Students
• Andrea Lawrence at Computer Scientists often h African Diaspora
• Publications
• Researchgate profile