The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, held on February 10, is an opportunity to look back at the remarkable achievements of women […]
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, held on February 10, is an opportunity to look back at the remarkable achievements of women who have made tech history. Here’s a tribute to some of these inspiring women who were pioneers in the field of technology.
Considered the first female programmer in history, Ada Lovelace wrote the first algorithm to be processed by a machine. Working with Charles Babbage on the analytical machine, Lovelace laid the foundation for computer programming. His early vision and insight paved the way for the digital age we are experiencing today.
Nicknamed “Amazing Grace,” Grace Hopper played a crucial role in the development of early computers and programming languages. She helped create the COBOL language, which has become essential in commercial applications. Her perseverance paved the way for women in computer science, and her legacy lives on through the Grace Hopper Foundation, which promotes diversity in tech.
Known as a legendary actress, Hedy Lamarr was also a passionate inventor. She co-invented frequency hopping, a technique that laid the foundations for Wifi and Bluetooth that we all use on a daily basis. Unfortunately, her contribution to technology was not fully recognized until later in her life and Hedy Lamarr’s main image will always remain primarily that of an actress.
Mathematician and physicist Katherine Johnson played a crucial role in NASA’s early space missions. His precise calculation work was essential for the trajectories of the first manned space flights, including John Glenn’s in 1962. Johnson broke racial and gender barriers, becoming an inspirational icon for women and minorities in science.
Turing Award winner Shafi Goldwasser is a theoretical computer scientist who has made significant contributions to cryptography. His work on the complexity of probabilistic evidence and computer security has had a significant impact on data protection in the digital world. As Professor Emerita at MIT, she continues to inspire the next generation of women in computer science.
Maybe she was the inspiration for the creation of Qwant 😉
