Mind the gap.
The tech industry’s gender gap is a complex issue deeply rooted in long-held societal stereotypes and cultural biases. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO agrees.
“Stereotypes are very reinforcing because as human beings we expect what is familiar.”
In a recent New York Times article, she discussed the gender gap in technology. “In tech, girls don’t code because girls don’t code.” One way of changing this, she continued, “is carefully documenting the role women played in the dawn of technology.”
Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of Girls Who Code, added.
“It’s about role models. You can’t be what you cannot see.”
Just how big of a role did women play in shaping technology? You may be surprised. Check out the list below to learn about the impressive accomplishments of just a few of the amazing women history forgot.
1. Ada Lovelace
An English mathematician and writer, Ada Lovelace is widely regarded as the founder of scientific computing. In 1843, she published instructions for the world’s first algorithm intended to be processed by a computer. Although the computer wasn’t built until the 21stcentury, her work earned her the title of the first computer programmer in history.
2. Grace Hopper
Grace Hopper was not only one of the first programmers, but she was also the first woman to graduate from Yale with a Ph.D. in mathematics AND the first woman to reach the rank of Admiral in the U.S. Navy. In 1951, she invented the first compiler, effectively creating the basis of modern computing.
3. Margaret Hamilton
In 1969, Neil Armstrong made history when he became the first person to step foot on the moon. What many people don’t know is that Armstrong wouldn’t have made it to the moon without Margaret Hamilton. Hamilton invented the software that allowed the computers on Apollo 11 to prioritize important tasks. Without that software, it’s likely that the mission would have failed.
4. Sophie Wilson
Known as the mother of the smart phone and tablet, Wilson developed some of the world’s first commercially successful personal computers and created the original ARM computer processor, which later became one of the most successful IP cores. By 2012, her design was found inside most of the world’s mobile computers and smartphones.
5. Erna Hoover
In the 1950s, Erna Hoover developed a computerized telephone switching system that eliminated the danger of overload in processing calls. Her work is said to have revolutionized modern communication, and it earned her on of the first software patents ever awarded to a women.
6. Jean Jennings Bartik (and the ENIAC six)
Built for the US Army during World War II, The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was the first general-purpose electronic digital computer. A group of six women, commonly referred to as “The ENIAC six,” were charged with programming it: Jean Jennings Bartik, Frances “Betty” Snyder Holberton, Kathleen McNulty Mauchly Antonelli, Marlyn Wescoff Meltzer, Ruth Lichterman Teitelbaum, and Frances Bilas Spence.
7. Radia Perlman
Known by many as “The Mother of the Internet,” network engineer Radia Perlman helped make ethernet technology a household name. She developed Spanning Tree Protocols, which enabled the scalability of network traffic using ethernet.
Back to the future.
Having more women in tech, and recognizing and celebrating their accomplishments that began over a century ago and continue today, is vital to producing a more powerful future.
Domo is proud to be one of the top companies leading the change for women in tech.
This Wednesday, Feb. 3, Domo CEO Josh James will kick off the first ever Women’s Talent Innovation Summit. Hosted by the Women Tech Council, the summit will highlight innovative ways that companies are solving one of the toughest questions facing tech companies today: “How do we hire more women in tech?”
Following Josh’s keynote on building diverse teams in high valuation tech companies, Domo executives Heather Zynczak, Julie Kehoe, Catherine Wong, and Cathy Donahoe will share how they built an integrated leadership culture at a unicorn technology startup.