Diana E. Forsythe

Diana Elizabeth Forsythe (November 11, 1947 – August 14, 1997) was a leading researcher in anthropology and a key figure in the field of science and technology studies. She is recognized for her significant anthropological studies of artificial intelligence and informatics, as well as for her studies on the roles of gender and power in computer engineering.

Early life and education Forsythe was born in 1947 in Santa Monica, California to computer scientists Alexandra Illmer Forsythe and George Forsythe. Her family moved to Palo Alto, California in 1957, and she attended Palo Alto High School. Forsythe attended Swarthmore College for her bachelor's degree in anthropology and sociology and earned her PhD in cultural anthropology and social demography from Cornell University in 1974. She completed fieldwork in Scotland and produced a number of papers on anthropology in Europe before turning her attention to knowledge engineering and medical informatics in the United States.

Diana Forsythe Prize The Diana Forsythe Prize was created in 1998 to recognize the best book or series of articles relating to feminist anthropological research on work, science, and technology. The Prize is awarded annually at the American Anthropological Association meeting and is supported by the General Anthropology Division.