Planet Mainframe on LinkedIn
Planet Mainframe on LinkedIn
Planet Mainframe
Register for SHARE Orlando taking place February 22–26

More Mainframe Trailblazer Trivia

Jun 2, 2025

Trivia

Frances Allen Trivia

Sonja Soderlund

Frances “Fran” Allen was a trailblazing computer scientist whose work at IBM helped shape the direction of modern computing. Known for her expertise in compiler technology and performance optimization, she made lasting contributions to how software runs on large-scale systems like mainframes. Allen’s career broke barriers not only in technology but also in representation, earning her recognition as a pioneer in a field historically dominated by men. 

Today we’re exploring her life, legacy, and impact on computing, especially in the context of mainframe innovation. Take the quiz and see if you learn something about mainframe history!

1. In which year did Fran Allen join IBM?

 
 
 
 

2.  Fran Allen was a pioneer in developing optimizing compilers for which IBM mainframe system?

 
 
 
 

3. What programming language did Fran Allen help optimize early in her career?

 
 
 
 

4. What groundbreaking title did Fran Allen earn in 2006?

 
 
 
 

5. Fran Allen’s research contributed to what key concept in modern computing?

 
 
 
 

6. Which IBM project did Fran Allen notably contribute to in the 1970s?

 
 
 
 

7. What was the Stretch-Harvest project focused on?

 
 
 
 

8. Fran Allen was instrumental in developing techniques for what kind of code analysis

 
 
 
 

9. What academic degree did Fran Allen hold when she joined IBM?

 
 
 
 

10. Fran Allen was a fierce advocate for what cause later in her career?

 
 
 
 

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign up to receive the latest mainframe information

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recently Published

Read More

❓Mainframe Professional Skills Trivia

❓Mainframe Professional Skills Trivia

by

Our last trivia quiz explored the legacy of mainframe pioneers, and this week we’re going to continue looking into the lineage of skills in mainframe professional practice, examining how early design and operational decisions shaped the way mainframe expertise is...

❓ Workforce and Training Trivia

❓ Workforce and Training Trivia

by

Happy 2026—and welcome to a whole new year of Planet Mainframe Trivia! As our January theme focuses on Workforce and Training, this quiz looks at mainframe pioneers and the early decisions that shaped how mainframe skills are learned and passed on. Mainframe expertise...

Mainframe Miscellaneous Trivia!

Mainframe Miscellaneous Trivia!

by

As the year draws to a close (whether your days are growing shorter and darker or longer and brighter), December tends to invite a little reflection. Over the past year, Planet Mainframe Trivia has dished out a veritable smorgasbord of topics, from the early days of...