Trailblazers: Celebrating Notable Women in Tech

The tech industry is in a near-constant state of progression, and it needs diverse voices and perspectives to continue to innovate and grow. In this post, I'm excited to highlight a few women who have made their mark in the industry and continue to inspire countless other women and me today.?

Edith Clarke?

Clarke was the first woman to be professionally employed as an electrical engineer. She was also the first female professor of electrical engineering. Clarke’s innovation on electric power transmission lines led to the contemporary theories of currents. She also devised the Clark Calculator that solved hyperbolic functions, which is the first tool that supported “power grid” or “smart grid” technology. Edith Clarke went on to become the first female professor of electrical engineering in the United States.

In 2015, Clarke was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Katherine Johnson

Throughout her 33-year career, Katherine Johnson earned a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations and pioneering the use of computers to perform critical tasks. Her work in calculating trajectories, launch windows, and emergency return paths for Project Mercury spaceflights was crucial to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. Katherine's calculations were also instrumental in the Apollo Lunar Module and command module's rendezvous paths on flights to the Moon.

Her remarkable mathematical capability earned her the nickname "human computer." Katherine's work was not only essential to the Space Shuttle program's beginning, but she also worked on plans for a mission to Mars.

Sister Mary Kenneth Keller

Mary Kenneth Keller was an American Catholic religious sister, educator, and the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in computer science in the United States.?

She was a nun with the sisters of Charity, and Mary Kenneth's dedication to innovation in computer science earned her the title of one of the mothers of technology. Her groundbreaking work in computer science paved the way for countless others to follow in her footsteps.

As a leader who recognizes the importance of diversity and inclusivity in the workplace, I am particularly impressed by Mary Kenneth's ability to break through gender and religious barriers to make significant strides in the field of computer science. Her legacy reminds us that anyone, regardless of background or circumstance, can achieve greatness with hard work, dedication, and passion for their work.

Josephine Cheng

I have a great deal of admiration for Josephine Cheng, her impressive career, and her significant contributions to relational database technology. Despite growing up in a traditional home where girls were not encouraged to attend college, Cheng's mother's support enabled her to complete her bachelor's in mathematics and computer science in 1975. Two years later, she earned her master's in computer science.

For almost three decades, Cheng has been a leader in the field of relational database technology. She has been instrumental in producing revolutionary technologies like DB2 World-Wide Web and XML Extender for DB2. Her leadership skills were recognized when she oversaw the China Software Development Laboratory and served as Vice President of IBM China Development Laboratories. She has also served as the Vice President of IBM Research - Almaden.

Cheng's dedication to her work in emerging tech is remarkable, as she has spoken about the challenges, she has faced in selling her ideas and delivering information quickly. Despite these challenges, Cheng has learned to be persistent and persuasive in her work.

Her outstanding contributions to the tech industry earned her numerous accolades, including the prestigious Asian American Engineer of the Year award in 2003. I am inspired by Josephine Cheng's ability to overcome obstacles to become a true pioneer in the tech industry.

As I wrap up this post, I want to emphasize the importance of supporting women in tech. We need to create a culture of inclusion and diversity, where everyone feels welcome and valued, regardless of gender, race, or background. By doing so, we can unlock the full potential of the tech industry and ensure that we are building products and services that meet the needs of everyone. I'm excited to see more and more women entering the tech industry and making their mark, and I'm committed to doing what I can to support them along the way.

Who are some of the women who have inspired you in your journey?

#EmpowerWomen #WomensHistoryMonth #BreakingBarriers #EmbraceEquity