The 8th of March is known globally as International Woman’s Day, and to celebrate the occasion this year, we’re giving you an overview of just a few women that have had a significant impact to the world of tech, and as a result our daily lives.
Did you know that the very first computer programmer was a woman? And without the work of some brilliant women, it’s unlikely that we’d have everything from Wi-Fi to men on the moon. So, to celebrate International Women’s Day and to give an overdue shout out to overlooked genius, here are 6 women who have totally changed tech.
Telecommunications: Dr Shirley Jackson
Not only was Jackson the first black woman to ever earn a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), but her research into theoretical physics has led to some of the key things our modern world couldn’t function without. Whether it’s touch tone telephone, solar cells or fibre optic cables, Dr Jackson’s impact on the world of tech is hard to overstate.
WiFi: Hedy Lamarr
Most film buffs know who Hedy Lamarr was - a world-famous movie star during the golden age of Hollywood. Fewer people know that she also had a brilliant mind and loved inventing things on breaks from movie making. During World War 2, she even created a new communication system to help guide Allied torpedoes to their targets using radio frequencies. Her work went on to inspire the creation of frequency hopping technologies like Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth.
Space exploration: Katherine Johnson
In 1962, the USA launched its first astronaut, John Glenn, into orbit. But his success was all based on the work of Katherine Johnson – who did the manual calculations at NASA. When she was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom at the age of 97, Johnson remembers that Glenn said: “If she says they’re numbers are good, then I’m ready to go.”
Moon landing: Margaret Elaine Hamilton
When you think about landing on the Moon, the first names that come to mind might be Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. But how about Margaret Elaine Hamilton? Although Hamilton never wore a space suit, her work as a computer scientist was just as important. In fact, the code that Hamilton and her team wrote at MIT helped Apollo 11 land on the Moon in 1969. Hamilton went onto have a very successful career and even coined the term “software engineer” – helping to promote computer programming as a respected career.
Computer programming: Ada Lovelace
Speaking of coding, did you know that the very first computer programmer was both a woman and lived in the nineteenth century? As the daughter of the poet Lord Byron, Ada Lovelace mixed in some very famous circles. But it was her brilliance as a mathematician that she’s now chiefly remembered for. Becoming a friend of Charles Babbage (who invented the first computer – known as the Analytical Engine), Ada Lovelace is widely considered to have created the first ever algorithm. So put a note in your calendar - the second Tuesday in October is Ava Lovelace Day!
Home security: Marie Van Brittan Brown
Because Marie Van Brittan Brown was a nurse and her husband was an electrician, they both had irregular working hours. Often at home alone, Marie didn’t feel safe in her New York neighbourhood, so in the early 60s she had the idea for the first home security system. The prototype was a bulky set up - a peephole camera attached to some monitors with a microphone to scare away intruders. But later improvements included a remote-control door locking mechanism and a panic alarm. When the couple were awarded their patent in 1969, Marie’s name came first. So, if you have smart security at home, you have Marie Van Brittan Brown to thank.
We’ve only really scratched the surface of the contribution that women have made to science and tech. But do you have a favourite that we’ve missed out? Let us know below.