Women in Technology and Computing: 10 Pioneers

Women have played a vital role in the field of computing and information technology (IT), developing some of the essential components of modern IT. Some of the achievements of women in technology include the creation of the first computer program, the invention of computing methods and devices, the development of programs that influence the functioning of today's computers, among others.

In the early 21st century, the number of women earning science degrees was rising in all areas except one: computer science. This gender gap is partly due to the fact that the contributions of many women to science have historically not been recognized, as well as the comparative lack of female role models in the technology industry.

Today, women represent less than 20% of technology jobs in the United States, even though they make up more than half of the U.S. workforce. Worse still, women now hold a lower proportion of computer science jobs than in the 1980s.

One of the main reasons women have left their jobs in IT is the lack of professional growth, which is strongly linked to sexism. According to a survey conducted by The Guardian, 73% of workers in the technology industry believe that the industry is sexist.

However, as technology companies seek to resolve the talent crisis, many are already implementing initiatives to recruit more women and shape the future of the technology industry.

To make the technology industry more diverse, it is essential that we celebrate the technology pioneers of the past and the women who make a difference in today's industry. Here are 10 women who were technology pioneers:

Ada Lovelace:

Recognized as the world's first computer programmer. In 1842, she wrote the first algorithm for processing numbers on the first general-purpose mechanical computer, or analytical engine, by Charles Babbage who, impressed by her mathematical skills, referred to her as "The Enchantress of Numbers". The computer language ADA bears her name.

Grace Hopper:

Known as the mother of COBOL, she is one of the most famous pioneers of computer science in the United States. In 1944, she was one of the first programmers of the electromechanical computer Harvard Mark I, and in 1952 she developed the first compiler for a computer programming language. Hopper conceptualized the idea of machine-independent programming languages, which led to the development of COBOL, one of the first modern programming languages.

Jean E. Sammet:

She graduated with a master's degree in mathematics in 1949. In 1961, she became manager of IBM's Programming Center in Boston and oversaw the development of FORMAC (Formula Manipulation Compiler), the first widely used general language for manipulating algebraic expressions.

Hedy Lamarr:

One of the stars of Hollywood's "Golden Age," she co-designed in 1941 a radio-guided torpedo system based on "frequency hopping" (changing signal frequencies to avoid electrical interference from enemy devices) that became known as spread spectrum, which would later become a key element in the anti-interference devices used by the U.S. armed forces' satellite communications control systems, as well as a key element of digital wireless mobile phone technology.

Williamina Fleming:

The head of the observatory, Edward Charles Pickering, needed someone to calculate astronomical numbers so that he could calculate ratios and effectively measure the universe. Pickering asked his maid, Williamina Fleming, to work as a "computer" at Harvard. Fleming agreed, leading a team of more than 80 women who did the computational work that is responsible for how we understand the universe today.

Katherine Johnson:

African American mathematician whose orbital mechanics calculations as a NASA employee were of the utmost importance to the success of America's first and subsequent crewed space flights. In 1970, she worked on the Apollo 13 mission to the moon. The mission was aborted, and Johnson's work on backup procedures and charts helped the crew return safely to Earth.

Dr. Ellen Ochoa:

Former astronaut, current director of the Johnson Space Center, and spacecraft technology pioneer, having designed optical systems for Sandia National Laboratory. She also developed a computer system designed for aeronautical expeditions at NASA's Ames Research Center. In addition, she was the first Hispanic woman in space.

Sister Mary Kenneth Keller:

She was the first woman to earn a doctorate in computer science and was present at the development of the BASIC computer language at Dartmouth. Before Sister Mary, Dartmouth was considered a place of study and work "for men only".

Carol Shaw:

Considered the first woman video game designer. Initially, Shaw got her start at Atari and joined Activision, where she programmed the classic scrolling shooter game River Raid. She is also responsible for 3-D Tic Tac Toe, Super Breakout, and Happy Trails.

Joan Ball:

The woman who invented dating sites, as she started the first computer dating service in England in 1964. Ball's computer dating service is also a predecessor of the first American computer dating services, such as Operation Match at Harvard.