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Peter Chen and the Entity-Relationship Model

Paul Barlow

This text profiles Peter Pin-Shan Chen, a Taiwanese-born computer scientist renowned for creating the Entity-Relationship (ER) Model in 1976. The ER Model, detailed in his influential paper, provided a visual and conceptual method for designing databases using entities, attributes, and relationships. This innovation standardised database design across industries, influenced software engineering tools like CASE and UML, and remains a foundational concept in computer science education. Chen's significant contribution earned him numerous accolades and established his lasting legacy in data management.