Breaking the Glass Ceiling – On the footprints of iconic women in technology

The first programmers of notable modern-day inventions were not machines, nor were they men, in fact, as far as tech history goes, they were women

They are known to have built the foundation for unveiling the structure of the DNA, they broke sound barriers, inspired movements, discovered the genes, set the groundwork for early programming, were skilled computer programmers for the second World War and along the way they broke gender barriers, while inspiring more women to take up careers in STEM fields.

 

If we travel back in time, from 18th century French mathematician, Nicole-Reine Lepautre to the enigmatic Hedy Lamarr, we see the legacies of these stalwarts are a continued inspiration for the budding tech talent amongst women today. As innovation is not gender-exclusive or the bastion of the male-dominated world, the impact that women have had in innovation and technology in the world, needs no further propagation.

 

These are the stories of far too many women who drove tech in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, many of them unheard of, yet were to the technological architecture of modern life. As we arrive at the cusp of tech-based revolutions impacting the entire world, what we consider as the male-dominated industry, we track a list of awe-inspiring women who have laid the foundation for the future of women in technology.

 

Turn of the century pioneers

 

Ada Lovelace

An 18th century Countess, Ada Lovelace was a mathematician who is known for her work on the Analytical Engine, a proposed mechanical general-purpose computer by Charles Babbage.

 

nicoleNicole-Reine Lepautre

An 18th century French mathematician and astronomer, Nicole-Reine Lepautre was instrumental in predicting the return of the Hailey’s Comet and calculating the timing of the solar eclipse.

 

Ana Roqué de Duprey

The writer of the Botany of the Antilles, one of the most comprehensive books on the study of flora in the Caribbean given, a suffragist and the First Puerto Rican woman to become a member of the Public Library, Ana Roqué de Duprey was a pioneer in the 20th century.

 

Computer revolutionaries

 

Edith Clarke

Pioneering electrical engineer of the 20th century, known as the “computer”, Edith Clarke was known for performing some complicated mathematical calculations even before the invention of today’s computers. She has laid the foundation for women in STEM and engineering and since 2015, she has been inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

 

eniac programmersThe ENIAC Programmers

Kay McNulty, Betty Jennings, Betty Snyder, Marlyn Wescoff, Fran Bilas and Ruth Lichterman, were the six ENIAC’s (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) primary programmers were known then as the ‘refrigerator ladies’ as part of a secret World War Two project. Yet, they not only determined how to input ENIAC programs, but also developed an understanding of ENIAC’s inner workings.

 

Grace Hopper

A forerunner of computer and programming language development from the 1930s through the 1980s, Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper’s achievements include the common business computing language known as COBOL, which is still in use today. The Annual Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference honours her legacy.

 

calutron girlsCalutron Girls

These young girls joined the World War II efforts and established during the Manhattan project, to develop nuclear weapons within the US. They were instrumental in mining uranium, and set the future of nuclear energy across the world.

 

Maria Klawe

Inspiring an entire generation into STEM fields, Maria Klawe has continued to ignite the passion for technology as a prominent computer scientist with the Harvey Mudd College. Today, she is responsible for raising the level of around 40% women are involved in this research from 15%.

 

rajeswari chatterjeeRajeswari Chatterjee

An Indian with a US degree in Electrical Engineering in 1949, Rajeswari Chatterjee is the country’s pioneer in microwave and antennae engineering.

 

Ground-breaking scientists

 

Rachel Carson

The writer of the revolutionary book ‘Silent Spring’, Rachel Carson is credited as being the catalyst for the modern environmental movement, even though she passed away in 1964.

 

Lydia Villa-Komaroff

A trailblazer in molecular biology, Lydia Villa-Komaroff is responsible for the discovery of the bacteria that could be engineered to produce insulin in the human body.

 

ruthRuth Rogan Benerito

Developer of wrinkle-cotton fabrics, Ruth Rogan Benerito’s also developed a technique to harvest fats from seeds for medical use in intravenous feeding, a system which is the foundation for us today. Benerito is an American pioneer in bioproducts and a receiver of the Lemelson-MIT Lifetime Achievement Award both for her contributions to the textile industry and her commitment to education.

 

Barbara McClintock

The discoverer of the ‘jumping gene’, Barbara McClintock is a Nobel prize winner and is one of the most notable cytogeneticists.

 

kadambini gangulyKadambini (Basu) Ganguly

During the dominion of the British Empire, Kadambini Ganguly was one of the first women trained in western medicine, not only in India but in Asia.

 

 

Where no woman has gone before

 

Sally Ride

The first American woman to fly into space, Sally Ride has inspired numerous women in their dream to reach for the stars. She founded Sally Ride Science is dedicated to the students who are interested in STEM.

 

Ellen Ochoa

The first Hispanic astronaut in 1993, Ellen Ochoa served on a nine-day mission aboard the Discovery. She has flown four times, logged in 1000 hours in orbit, and has been the second woman director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

 

Katherine Johnson

American space history will never be the same without the inclusion of an African American space mathematician and scientist. She has played a key role in the calculation of the trajectory for the first American in space, Alan Shepard in his 1969 Apollo 11 flight to the moon.

 

Margaret Hamilton

A trailblazing MIT computer programmer, Margaret Hamilton is the creator of the onboard flight simulator for space missions including the Apollo 11, one of the most sophisticated software of the day.

 

hedy lamarr

Hedy Lamarr

The bombshell beauty of the 1940s, Hedy Lamarr’s story is iconic to say the least. She invented and pioneered the foundation of today’s WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth communication systems, which were disregarded at the time.

 

 

Anne Easley

The barrier-breaking mathematician, Anne Easley helped us unravel the mystery of the solar system. She worked on NASA’s centaur technology which is a high-energy rocket technology using liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to boost rockets into space.

 

Radia Perlamn

Profoundly impacting communications today, Radia Perlman needs mention due to her innovations in building state routing protocols that are robust, scalable and easy to operate. She is also known as the ‘Mother of the Internet’, has dispelled the notion that technology is a male-dominated realm.

 

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ET Edge Insights, its management, or its members

Leave a Comment

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

Scroll to Top