100 years of Kristen Nygaard: Celebrating a pioneer who helped shape modern computing

For most people, the name Kristen Nygaard is unfamiliar. Yet much of the software we use every day is built on ideas he developed more than 60 years ago. On 27 August 2026, Kristen Nygaard would have turned 100 years old.

To mark the occasion, Aarhus University will host an international celebration of his scientific legacy and lasting impact on computer science.

The programme brings together researchers who worked alongside Nygaard as well as internationally renowned pioneers whose own work builds on his ideas. Speakers include Alan Kay, creator of Smalltalk; Bjarne Stroustrup, creator of C++; and leading researchers in object-oriented programming, systems development and participatory design.

Together, they will reflect on how Nygaard's ideas continue to shape modern software development and human-centred computing, and why they remain just as relevant in an era defined by artificial intelligence as they were when they were first conceived more than six decades ago.

The event is free and open to everyone with an interest in computer science and the history of computing, but registration is needed.

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