As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let’s honor the legacy of three women who forged the early trail of creating a more inclusive and equitable future for women in tech.
In the male-dominated world of technology, the contributions of pioneering women often go unnoticed or underappreciated. Yet, throughout history, there have been trailblazing women who defied gender expectations and made significant technological advancements. Let’s dig in and look at the stories of three remarkable women who paved the way for generations of female technologists: Ada Lovelace, Grace Hopper, and Katherine Johnson.
Ada Lovelace
Ada Lovelace has been hailed as the world’s first computer programmer. Born in 1815 in England, she was the daughter of renowned poet Lord Byron and was exposed to a world of creativity and intellect from a young age. Her collaboration with mathematician Charles Babbage was the project that cemented her place in history. She became fascinated with the potential applications of Babbage’s Analytical Engine, an early mechanical computer design.
In 1843, Ada translated an article about the Analytical Engine written by Italian mathematician Luigi Federico Menabrea and supplemented it with her own extensive notes. She was the first to recognize that the machine had applications beyond pure calculation. Her notes included an algorithm for calculating Bernoulli numbers, which is considered the first computer program ever written. Ada’s visionary insights laid the groundwork for modern computing and earned her the title “the Enchantress of Numbers.”
Grace Hopper
Grace Hopper was a pioneering computer scientist and naval officer who revolutionized the field of programming languages. Known as “Amazing Grace,” she was born in 1906 in New York City. Grace demonstrated advanced math skills early on, earned Ph. D.s in both mathematics and mathematical physics from Yale University, and joined the US Navy during World War II.
While in the Navy, Grace worked on the Harvard Mark I computer, one of the earliest electromechanical computers, and developed the first compiler, translating written instructions into machine code. Her groundbreaking work laid the foundation for modern programming languages and earned her substantial recognition, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
While at Harvard University, she and her associates discovered a moth stuck in a relay, which was impeding computer operation. This led to the notation of a “bug being found” in the computer – with subsequent “debugging” to remove it, and today, the term “bug” is still used to describe computer malfunctions.
Katherine Johnson
Katherine Johnson’s story was immortalized in the book and film “Hidden Figures.” Along with Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, she was a pioneering female mathematician whose calculations were critical to the success of NASA’s early space missions. Born in 1918 in West Virginia, Katherine showed mathematical aptitude from a young age. She graduated summa cum laude from West Virginia State College and began her career as a teacher before joining the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which was NASA’s predecessor.
At NACA, Katherine’s mathematical expertise caught the attention of the space program, and her calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights, including John Glenn‘s orbit around the Earth in 1962. During her 33-year career at NACA and NASA, she earned a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations and helped pioneer the use of computers to perform those same tasks. As an African-American woman in a segregated society, she faced substantial discrimination. Despite that, Katherine persevered and became a trailblazer for women and minorities in STEM fields.
In conclusion
These extraordinary women defied the odds and left an indelible mark on the world of technology, inspiring generations of female technologists to dream big, break down barriers, grow their careers, and achieve success.
At Thurman Co., we help businesses manage projects to significantly impact their growth and success. When you’re ready to put your project in the hands of a trusted professional organization, contact us to learn more about working together.