Harlan D. Mills Award
Established in memory of Harlan D. Mills to recognize researchers and practitioners who have demonstrated long-standing, sustained, and impactful contributions to software engineering practice and research through the development and application of sound theory.
Nomination Deadline:
1 October 2025 - 11:59PM EDT
Past Recipients
2025
Bashar Nuseibeh
For outstanding research on requirements engineering of evolving critical systems, to improve both software development practices and user experiences.
For outstanding research on requirements engineering of evolving critical systems, to improve both software development practices and user experiences.
2024
Premkumar Devanbu
For impactful contributions to the statistical modelling of source code and development practices, to improve software tools and processes.
For impactful contributions to the statistical modelling of source code and development practices, to improve software tools and processes.
2023
David Harel
For the development of visual formalisms and for the invention of Statecharts, which had a profound impact on software engineering.
For the development of visual formalisms and for the invention of Statecharts, which had a profound impact on software engineering.
2022
2021
Dieter Rombach
For contributions and leadership in research, teaching, and technology transfer in the area of empirical software engineering.
For contributions and leadership in research, teaching, and technology transfer in the area of empirical software engineering.
2020
Nachiappan Nagappan
For outstanding contributions to empirical software engineering and data-driven software development.
For outstanding contributions to empirical software engineering and data-driven software development.
2019
Mark Harman
For fundamental contributions throughout software engineering, including seminal contributions in establishing search-based software engineering, reigniting research in slicing and testing, and founding genetic improvement.
For fundamental contributions throughout software engineering, including seminal contributions in establishing search-based software engineering, reigniting research in slicing and testing, and founding genetic improvement.
2018
Gail Murphy
For outstanding research on understanding software-development practices and tools that improve the productivity of developers.
For outstanding research on understanding software-development practices and tools that improve the productivity of developers.
2017
Pamela Zave
For groundbreaking use of formal methods in the development of telecommunication software and for enduring contributions to software engineering theory.
For groundbreaking use of formal methods in the development of telecommunication software and for enduring contributions to software engineering theory.
2016
Wolfram Schulte
For research and research leadership contributions leading to major theoretical and practical advances in software verification.
For research and research leadership contributions leading to major theoretical and practical advances in software verification.
2015
Gerard Holzmann
For fundamental contributions to improving software quality, in particular through model checking tools and coding standards, and for successfully transferring these contributions to practitioners developing mission-critical software.
For fundamental contributions to improving software quality, in particular through model checking tools and coding standards, and for successfully transferring these contributions to practitioners developing mission-critical software.
2014
Patrick Cousot
For the invention of "abstract interpretation", development of tool support, and its practical application.
For the invention of "abstract interpretation", development of tool support, and its practical application.
2014
Radhia Cousot
For the invention of "abstract interpretation", development of tool support, and its practical application.
For the invention of "abstract interpretation", development of tool support, and its practical application.
2012
Lionel Claude Briand
For practical and fundamental contributions to Model-based Software Testing and Verification.
For practical and fundamental contributions to Model-based Software Testing and Verification.
2011
John Rushby
For practical and fundamental contributions to Software & Hardware Reliability with seminal contributions to computer security, fault tolerance, and formal methods.
For practical and fundamental contributions to Software & Hardware Reliability with seminal contributions to computer security, fault tolerance, and formal methods.
2009
Bertrand Meyer
For practical and fundamental contributions to object-oriented software engineering, software reuse, and the integration of formal methods into the above.
For practical and fundamental contributions to object-oriented software engineering, software reuse, and the integration of formal methods into the above.
2007
Bev Littlewood
For leading research on the application of rigorous probabilistic and statistical techniques to problems of assessment in software engineering, particularly in systems dependability.
For leading research on the application of rigorous probabilistic and statistical techniques to problems of assessment in software engineering, particularly in systems dependability.
2006
John C. Knight
For encouraging software researchers to focus on practical results as well as theory, and for critically analyzing their assumptions and evaluating their research claims.
For encouraging software researchers to focus on practical results as well as theory, and for critically analyzing their assumptions and evaluating their research claims.
2004
Elaine Weyuker
For leading research on rigorous software testing including industrial evaluations of the comparative effectiveness and costs of such testing methods.
For leading research on rigorous software testing including industrial evaluations of the comparative effectiveness and costs of such testing methods.
2003
Victor R. Basili
For significant contributions to programming languages, program reading and writing, and empirical methods.
For significant contributions to programming languages, program reading and writing, and empirical methods.
2002
Jesse H. Poore
For significant contributions to function-based software development and statistical software testing.
For significant contributions to function-based software development and statistical software testing.
2001
Meir (Manny) Lehman
For pioneering contributions to the empirical study of software processes and program evolution.
For pioneering contributions to the empirical study of software processes and program evolution.
2000
Barry Boehm
For development of empirical software engineering models of cost, schedule, and quality.
For development of empirical software engineering models of cost, schedule, and quality.
1999
David Parnas
For fundamental contributions to large-scale systems development by establishing software engineering as an engineering discipline.
For fundamental contributions to large-scale systems development by establishing software engineering as an engineering discipline.
