Peter Naur
Danish computer scientist who edited the ALGOL 60 report and refined Backus–Naur form
- Lived
- 87 yrs
- 1928 – 2016
- Works listed
- 2
- Report, Essay
- Honours
- 3
- Most recent 2005
- Profile views
- 0
- 0 followers
Peter Naur was a Danish computer scientist who edited the influential ALGOL 60 report and refined the notation for programming-language grammars now called Backus–Naur form. He received the Turing Award in 2005.
Biography
From astronomy
Naur began as an astronomer, earning a PhD in astronomy at the University of Copenhagen. Using early computers in Cambridge in the early 1950s to calculate planetary orbits drew him into programming.
ALGOL 60
At the Danish computing institute Regnecentralen he became editor of the ALGOL 60 report. Its clear, precise description, using a grammar notation adapted from John Backus, became a model for defining languages. The notation became known as Backus–Naur form.
Software and thought
He co-edited the report of the 1968 NATO conference that popularised the term “software engineering”. His 1985 essay “Programming as Theory Building” argued that a program lives in the minds of its developers and is still widely read.
Later career
Naur became Denmark’s first professor of datalogy, his preferred word for computer science, at the University of Copenhagen in 1969. He died in 2016.
Timeline
-
1928
Born in Frederiksberg, Denmark
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1957
PhD in astronomy, University of Copenhagen
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1959
Joins Regnecentralen
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1960
Edits the ALGOL 60 report
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1968
Co-edits the NATO software engineering report
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1969
Professor of datalogy in Copenhagen
-
1985
Programming as Theory Building
-
2005
Turing Award
-
2016
Died, aged 87
Notable works
-
1960
Report on the Algorithmic Language ALGOL 60 Report
Editor.
-
1985
Programming as Theory Building Essay
Awards and honours
-
G. A. Hagemann Gold Medal
1963
-
Computer Pioneer Award
1986
-
Turing Award
2005
Did you know?
-
1
He preferred the term “datalogy” to “computer science”.
-
2
He was critical of the idea that programming is mainly mathematics.
-
3
He worked with EDSAC in Cambridge as a young astronomer.
Connections
Related people
Frequently asked
Who is Peter Naur?
Peter Naur was a Danish computer scientist who edited the influential ALGOL 60 report and refined the notation for programming-language grammars now called Backus–Naur form. He received the Turing Award in 2005.
When did Peter Naur die?
Peter Naur died on 3 January 2016 at the age of 87.
Where is Peter Naur from?
Peter Naur was born in Frederiksberg, Denmark.
What is Peter Naur known for?
Peter Naur is best known for ALGOL 60 report; Backus–Naur form; “Programming as Theory Building”; Turing Award 2005.
What awards has Peter Naur received?
Notable honours include G. A. Hagemann Gold Medal (1963), Computer Pioneer Award (1986), Turing Award (2005).
References
- Peter Naur — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Peter Naur — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Peter Naur (Q92618) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Peter Naur”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 4 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Peter Naur.” TrackFame, last updated 4 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/peter-naur
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