1. Niklaus Wirth: Creator of the Pascal programming language, which revolutionized programming education, and the Modula-2 and Oberon languages.

2. John Walker: Co-founder of Autodesk and key figure behind AutoCAD, which democratized computer-aided design (CAD).

3. Herbert Kroemer: Nobel laureate for his work on heterostructures, foundational to laser diodes and advanced semiconductors.

4. Daniel C. Lynch: Pioneer in computer networking; contributed to TCP/IP adoption and founded Interop to enhance compatibility in the industry.

5. Robert Dennard: Inventor of the one-transistor DRAM memory cell, critical to modern computing, and contributor to Dennard scaling for transistor miniaturization.

6. C. Gordon Bell: Architect of DEC’s PDP and VAX computers, pivotal in minicomputer development and high-performance computing.

7. Lynn Conway: Co-developer of VLSI (very large-scale integration), foundational to modern microchip design, and an advocate for transgender rights.

8. Trygve Reenskaug: Creator of the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design pattern, instrumental in GUI and web application development.

9. Bruce Bastian: Co-founder of WordPerfect, which pioneered features like function-key shortcuts and scripting in word processing.

10. Lubomyr Romankiw: Inventor of magnetic thin-film storage heads, critical for modern hard drives, and holder of 65 patents.

11. Susan Wojcicki: Key executive at Google and former CEO of YouTube, overseeing its global expansion and monetization.

12. Roy L. Clay Sr.: Developer of HP’s first minicomputer, advocate for diversity in tech, and known as the “Godfather of Silicon Valley.”

13. Ward Christensen: Inventor of XMODEM protocol and co-creator of the first computerized bulletin board system (CBBS), enabling early online communities.

14. Thomas E. Kurtz: Co-creator of the BASIC programming language, which introduced countless people to programming.

15. Donald Bitzer: Inventor of the plasma display and creator of the PLATO learning system, a precursor to modern interactive and online education.