Computers and technology play central roles in our lives for work, entertainment, communication, and information management. It is difficult to imagine a time without these tools and even harder to envision living without them now. How were these wonderful toys of technology created? Who is developing future innovations? Think of some of the most famous and familiar services and platforms: Google, eBay, Yahoo, Facebook. Did you know that immigrants such as Sundar Pichai, Jerry Yang, and Jan Kuom, are the creative engines behind these tech juggernauts? This book tells the story of seven of the amazing Americans changing our world.

Computers and technology play central roles in our lives for work, entertainment, communication, and information management. It is difficult to imagine a time without these tools and even harder to envision living without them now. How were these wonderful toys of technology created? Who is developing future innovations? Think of some of the most famous and familiar services and platforms: Google, eBay, Yahoo, Facebook. Did you know that immigrants such as Sundar Pichai, Jerry Yang, and Jan Kuom, are the creative engines behind these tech juggernauts? This book tells the story of seven of the amazing Americans changing our world.

The United States has been the one of the world leaders in scientific discovery for almost a century, and that is due in no small part to the contributions of immigrants. Yet new arrivals to the country have always faced some measure of hostility and suspicion, despite the fact that American success continues to be built on the backs of immigrants. This volume looks at the scientific achievements of early immigrants, from Joseph Priestley and Nikola Tesla to Enrico Fermi and Albert Einstein, as well as the contributions of modern immigrant scientists from every continent.

At a time when immigration makes daily news headlines, the contributions of newcomers to our nation's economy cannot be ignored. Their talent and determination drove them to leave their homelands for a better life. But they didn't just make their lives better; some immigrant entrepreneurs have built empires, and reshaped our lives in the process. Focusing on those individuals who truly embody the American Dream, this volume touches on powerhouses like news mogul Arianna Huffington from Greece, computer innovator An Wang from China, steel magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie from Scotland, and many more from across the globe.

We are a nation of immigrants. Even many of the faces we see on TV and in the news are recent immigrants. Meet these new Americans and learn their stories, whether they are athletes, musicians, artists, politicians, or businesspeople. Discover how all immigrants, along with natural-born American citizens, form a mosaic of different cultures and traditions.

Praise for the previous edition: "Entries are written with enough clarity and simplicity to appeal to general audiences. The additional readings that end each profile give excellent pointers for more detailed information...Recommended."—Choice "This well-written collection of biographies of the most important contributors to the computer world...is a valuable resource for those interested in the men and women who were instrumental in making the world we live in today. This is a recommended purchase for reference collections."—American Reference Books Annual "...this one is recommended for high-school, public, and undergraduate libraries."—Booklist The significant role that the computer plays in the business world, schools, and homes speaks to the impact it has on our daily lives. While many people are familiar with the Internet, online shopping, and basic computer technology, the scientists who pioneered this digital age are generally less well-known. A to Z of Computer Scientists, Updated Edition features 136 computer pioneers and shows the ways in which these individuals developed their ideas, overcame technical and institutional challenges, collaborated with colleagues, and created products or institutions of lasting importance. The cutting-edge, contemporary entries explore a diverse group of inventors, scientists, entrepreneurs, and visionaries in the computer science field. People covered include: Grace Hopper (1906–1992) Dennis Ritchie (1941–2011) Brian Kernighan (1942–present) Howard Rheingold (1947–present) Bjarne Stroustrup (1950–present) Esther Dyson (1951–present) Silvio Micali (1954–present) Jeff Bezos (1964–present) Pierre Omidyar (1967–present) Jerry Yang (1968–present)