Women in Tech
“Outstanding women can function as inspirational examples of success, illustrating the kinds of achievements that are possible for women around them. They demonstrate that it is possible to overcome traditional gender barriers, indicating to other women that high levels of success are indeed attainable.”
-Penelope Lockwood, Psychologist
I love the quote above. When I see powerful women doing awesome things, then I believe I can be powerful and do awesome things.
Here are some inspirational women who broke barriers with technology and show us how to lead the way.
Ada Lovelace
Augusta Ada King was born to Lord Byron and his wife Isabella Milbanke in December of 1815. Yes, THAT Lord Byron, and yes, we are going that far back! Ada, despite the tradition of limited education of women at that time received advanced training in mathematics and logic. Her studies were encouraged by her mother. Lord Byron abandoned the family in the early years.
When she was 18 years old, she began a working friendship with British mathematician Charles Baggage, after attending one of his lavish weekly parties with her mother and her private tutor. Baggage was experimenting with the theory of an “Analytical Engine,” a machine that would automatically make mathematical calculations. Ada wrote long explanations describing the method the machine would use to calculate, and because of this she is credited as the first computer programmer! She was also first to recognize that the use of a “computation machine,” now a computer, would have large-scale utility, other than just solving equations. Unfortunately, the Analytical Engine was never built, but the groundwork for modern computers was established!
Ada was always intelligent and celebrated in court for her “brilliant mind.” Baggage also was impressed by her analytical skills and called her the “Enchantress of Number.” Cute. I would like to read more about her as the Wikipedia article contained much drama and sensationalism. She must have been fascinating!
Painted portrait of Lady Lovelace, 1840
Annie Easley
Annie Easley was born to Bud and Willie McCrory in April of 1933 in Birmingham, AL. She was raised by her mother, who emphasized education and hard work. Her mother instilled the belief in Annie that she could do anything in the world. Why am I crying?
Annie took classes at Xavier University in New Orleans, an HBCU (Historically Black College & University), and then finished her degree in Mathematics at Cleveland State University after moving to Ohio with her husband. I got to visit Xavier when I lived in New Orleans!
In 1955, Annie read an article about two twin sisters working at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA – later to be renamed NASA) doing long-hand computations. She applied and was hired two weeks later, but was lied to about the level of her position and pay grade. She did very well at manual math calculating and moved into programming computer languages and code development. Some of her work contributed to eventual development of car batteries for hybrid cars! She is most notably known for work on the Centaur rocket program. The Centaur program specifically worked on the platform used to launch rockets more powerfully from the ground using liquid hydrogen. Without this program, we could not have launched satellites into space.
Annie was hired during the segregation and Jim Crow era of the US. When hired, she was one of four Black Employees at NACA out of over 1200 total employees. She served the organization as an Equal Employment Opportunity counselor to help mediate and resolve discrimination cases at work. She encouraged more women and minorities to study science and apply to NASA. While living in Alabama, Black and African-American men and women were not allowed to vote unless they took a test and paid a poll tax. After she passed the test and paid her tax, she helped others prepare for the test. In the 1970s, she was one of the first women to wear pants at work. At this time, women were required to wear dresses at work, in court, and every other professional setting.
In 2021, the International Astronomical Union named a 5.5-mile-long crater on the moon “Easley” in memory of her great contributions. Beautiful.
Let’s thank the Universe for these inspiring women and keep pursuing excellence. Shine like the moon, who will be named for you and your daughters.
Annie Easley, photo