Celebrating the 10 Most Famous Women in Tech

Numerous women across history have made ground-breaking contributions to the field of technology. Unfortunately, their legacies do not match the impact that their achievements have had throughout the ages, many of which are still influential on today’s digitally native society. Their pioneering work has paved the way for future generations in tech, and it is important we never let them be forgotten. To honour the first-ever Women In Tech Week, we honour the achievements of ten of the most inspiring women in tech.

Ada Lovelace: The First Computer Programmer

Ada Lovelace, often considered the world’s first computer programmer, worked on Charles Babbage’s early mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine. Her notes on the engine include what is recognized as the first algorithm intended to be processed by a machine, making her a true pioneer in the field of computing.

Marie Curie: Pioneering Physicist and Chemist

Marie Curie, though primarily known for her Nobel Prize-winning work in physics and chemistry, made significant contributions to technology through her research on radioactivity, including the discoveries of radium and polonium. Her discoveries laid the groundwork for the development of X-ray machines, which have become indispensable in medical technology.

Hedy Lamarr: Inventor of Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum

Hedy Lamarr brought glamour to the world of tech, as a Hollywood actress with a knack for invention. During World War II, she co-invented a frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology, which was initially intended to prevent torpedo jamming. However, her incredible efforts were used outside of patent during wartime, and she was never fairly credited for her work. This technology later became the foundation for modern wireless communication, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Mary Jackson: NASA’s First Black Female Engineer

Hollywood was not only home to women in tech like Hedy Lamarr, but also made stories about them. Mary Jackson was one of the three women whose careers were honoured in the Oscar-nominated film Hidden Figures. She broke barriers as NASA’s first black female engineer. Her work in aerodynamics and her advocacy for women and minorities in engineering have left a lasting impact on the field. Jackson’s contributions were crucial to the success of numerous NASA missions.

Katherine Johnson: Mathematical Genius Behind NASA’s Success

Alongside Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson’s extraordinary mathematical skills were also covered in Hidden Figures, and her talents were instrumental to the success of the United States’ space missions. Her calculations of orbital mechanics were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. manned spaceflights, including the Apollo missions.

Dorothy Vaughan: Trailblazing Mathematician and Computer Programmer

The final member of the Hidden Figures trio, Dorothy Vaughan was a trailblazing mathematician and one of the first African-American women to work as a supervisor at NASA. She was an expert in FORTRAN programming and played a key role in the development of computer programs that were essential to NASA’s operations.

Annie Easley: Computer Scientist and Rocket Scientist

Annie Easley was a computer scientist, mathematician, and rocket scientist who worked at NASA and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Her work on the Centaur rocket project and her contributions to software development have been vital to space exploration.

Margaret Hamilton: Software Engineer Who Took Us to the Moon

Margaret Hamilton led the team that developed the onboard flight software for NASA’s Apollo missions. Her pioneering work in software engineering – a term she is credited with coining – and her development of concepts such as asynchronous software and priority scheduling were crucial to the success of the moon landings.

Rosalind Franklin: The Unsung Hero of DNA Research

Rosalind Franklin’s work in X-ray crystallography was critical to the discovery of the DNA double helix structure, but famously underrepresented compared to the work of her colleagues Crick and Watson. Her photographs and data provided the foundation for understanding the molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal, and graphite, significantly advancing the field of molecular biology.

Grace Hopper: The Queen of Code

Grace Hopper, known as the “Queen of Code,” was a computer scientist and United States Navy rear admiral. She developed the first compiler for a computer programming language and was instrumental in the creation of COBOL, one of the earliest high-level programming languages. Her work has had a lasting impact on computer science and programming.

These famous women in tech have not only made significant contributions to their respective fields but have also paved the way for future generations of women in technology. Their legacies continue to inspire and remind us of the importance of diversity and inclusion in tech.