Women in Computing Science
7th November 2007
Do you know that there is a problem? There are less and less women taking computing science as a subject. But why is this? Read on to find out more about the women who have revolutionised the world of computing.
1. Introduction.
Do you know that there is a problem? There are less and less women taking computing science as a subject.
Only about 10% of all graduates are female. Why do you think this is? Is it that the subject is too nerdy, too much maths, too male dominated or too isolationist? Computing science is a very creative subject, just think of some of the amazing devices that have been developed in recent years – pinnacles of creativity. These were all influenced by computing scientists. As for isolationism, you just have to look at companies such as Google who emphasise teamwork in all things that they do and create. This is almost certainly true for many of the other companies out there. It is a very sociable science; it has to be in order to survive - communication is an integral part of computing.
Maybe I should start at the beginning; I really don’t want to bore you with facts and figures. Let’s start with some inspirational women in computing history instead. It may surprise you to know that the first computer programmer was a woman, she even invented the concept. It may surprise you even further that she was related to a remarkable character in history and she was surrounded by some of the most prominent figures in the late 19th century.
2. Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace.
Fig 1, Ada Lovelace the ‘Mother’ of Software Engineering
Ada was the only legitimate child of Lord Byron - a man best known for his poetry and numerous love affairs.
She never met her father; her mother separated from him after Ada was only one month old – divorce was something that was almost unheard of in that day and age. Imagine yourself at this period of time. It’s the late 19th century and women’s involvement in anything other than motherhood was deeply discouraged. Her mother Annabella, obsessed with rooting out any of the insanity of which she accused Lord Byron - had Ada schooled in mathematics at an early age. Perhaps it was this that drove her on to helping her friend Charles Babbage with the difference engine. If you could say that he was the ‘Father’ of computer science then you could very well say that Ada Lovelace was the ‘Mother’ of software engineering. During a nine-month period in 1842-1843, Ada translated Italian mathematician Luigi Menabrea’s memoir on Babbage’s newest proposed machine, the Analytical Engine. With the article, she appended a set of notes which specified in complete detail a method for calculating Bernoulli numbers with the Engine, recognized by historians as the world’s first computer program. She also thought of some uses of the machine that Babbage never published. She speculated that it could be used to create elaborate pieces of music of any complexity and extent. Ada was an extraordinarily talented woman and one of the few people that understood Babbage’s engine. However, her life was a mixture of tragedy and happiness. In 1835 she married William King, 8th Baron King and 1st Earl of Lovelace and had 3 children Byron, Annabella and Ralph. Tragically, she died at an early age – she bled to death at the age of 36 by medicinal bloodletting, an archaic practice of the physicians at the time.
3. Grace Murray Hopper.
Fig 2, Grace Hopper – ‘Amazing Grace’
Whilst Ada Lovelace can be seen as a ‘romantic’ figure in computing history then this character, Grace Hopper could be viewed as one of the most productive and charismatic. After gaining a Ph.D. from Yale University in Mathematics and Physics she joined the U.S. Naval reserve on active duty in 1942 and was assigned to work on the Harvard Mark 1 computer, the first truly universal calculator. She is also accredited with developing the first compiler for a computer programming language. Due to her breadth of achievements she is sometimes referred to as ‘Amazing Grace’. She had a remarkable career and term of service in the U.S. Navy - she retired an astonishing 3 times. Finally retiring in 1986 she was the oldest serving officer; she was awarded the Defence Distinguished Service Medal and left the service at the rank of Rear Admiral. Most notably she is known for the coining of the term ‘debugging’ or at least making it popular. While she was working on the Harvard Mark 2 computer she found a moth in one of the relays. One of her assistants promptly caught it and stuck it in the lab book annotating it with “first actual case of bug being found’.
Fig 3, first actual case of a ‘bug’ being found.
This ‘bug’ is still shown in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. to this day. After retirement she was much in demand as a speaker at various computer related events, her lively and irreverent style had made her very popular. There are many anecdotes relating to Grace, in particular, she was very proud of her service in the United States Navy. She would often recount being mistaken, in airports, for an airline employee, because of her navy officers’ uniform. Perhaps this gives you an insight into the prevailing male attitude at the time. Augusta Ada King and Grace Murray Hopper both played a major role in the development of computing science and it is obvious that they contributed to other fields of human endeavour and were talented individuals in many other ways.
3. Anita Borg
The two previous women were pioneers in technology and influential in that respect. However, Anita Borg is probably best known for her work for the advancement and inclusion of women in technology. Born on 17th January 1949 she became one of the few female computing scientists with a Ph.D. After attending an industry conference in 1987 she noted how few women attended these so she began ‘Systers’, an email list community of mentors providing information and support for women in technology.
Fig 4, Anita Borg.
Later in 1997 she founded the Institute for Women in Technology which was later renamed in her honour to the Anita Borg Institute of Technology Most notably she was recognised for her achievements and was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the Presidential Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering, and Technology.
4. Summary.
I hope you have found inspiration amongst the stories of some truly remarkable women in computing history. Maybe, it has changed your mind about computing science as a subject. True, it does involve maths, it does involve programming but it involves much much more and hopefully I have been able to highlight that