Unsung heroes: The women who shape our digital world

Welcome back to the tech thread, a monthly newsletter that is currently being written and run by some of the finest minds here at ManageEngine. And, surprise, they're women!

Now, let's face the bitter truth. Women's contributions in tech ?have rarely made headlines, ever. Did you know that women cracked codes that ended wars? Or that their calculations at NASA launched us into space? They even laid the groundwork for the internet you're using to read this. Yet, their names remain tucked away in history's footnotes.

This International Women's Day, we're shining a spotlight on the forgotten women who shaped the world that we live in today. Get ready to feel inspired, maybe even a little outraged, and definitely motivated to share their stories.

First, a small history lesson.

From crosswords to code: Women who changed the course of World War II

Within the tense confines of secret underground operations during World War II, a group of brilliant women wasn't just supporting the war effort—they were changing it.

In the 1940s, only 3.8% of women in the United States were college-educated [1] . It was also believed that women who were married wouldn't enter the workforce. Suddenly, there was a demand for college-educated, single women to not only decipher cryptic messages,?but also ensure none of the American ones could be figured out by the enemy. Decoding messages demanded exceptional math skills, as many ciphers involved substituting letters with numbers and further disguising the content through complex equations, a process very similar to how our computers work today.

Women worked tirelessly to decipher coded messages and intercept enemy strategies,?thereby shortening the war by at least two years [2] . Historians estimate that their work saved millions of lives.

Katherine Johnson: NASA's hidden figure

Before Neil Armstrong's historic moonwalk, the path was paved by brilliant women like Katherine Johnson, whose calculations made the once seemingly impossible space travel a reality?[3] . Despite facing the limitations of her time, a Black woman played a pivotal role in the Apollo 11 mission—a testament to the extraordinary figures whose stories are all too often overlooked. Her work wasn't just essential, it was precise—the margin of error for orbital calculations was often less than one percent. While history often remembers the astronauts, it's time the women behind them receive their due recognition.

Ada Lovelace: The visionary who programmed the future

We can't talk about the history of women in tech or, quite frankly, the history of the first ever computer, without mentioning this one name—Ada Lovelace.

In the 1840s, Ada Lovelace collaborated on a theoretical machine that could manipulate not just numbers, but symbols—the basis for modern computing. Her notes described concepts like looping and algorithms over a century before the first working computers existed. Lovelace is considered the world's first computer programmer, a woman whose ideas were so ahead of her time that their full impact wouldn't be understood for generations.

The ongoing under-representation

Sadly, the legacy of hidden brilliance continues, and the data proves it.

?These numbers aren't just statistics; they represent:

Lost potential

When half the population is underrepresented in a field, we miss out on countless ideas, innovations, and perspectives that could benefit us all.

Economic inequality??

The pay gap and lack of funding opportunities for women entrepreneurs contribute to broader economic inequality and limit women's financial power and independence.

Missed role models

Without visible women leaders in tech, it's harder for young girls to imagine themselves in those roles, perpetuating the cycle of under-representation.

Why their stories matter and what we must do

Celebrating these forgotten women isn't just about honoring the past; it's about fighting for a better future. Their stories remind us that the under-representation of women in tech is a deep-rooted injustice, one that robs us of countless brilliant minds.

When girls see women shaping history as pioneers, it ignites their own belief that they can build, innovate, and lead in the tech world. It's time to create a tech industry where everyone, regardless of gender, has the chance to unleash their full potential and change the world.

What you can do?

Break the glass ceiling. It's high time we recognize that feminist principles benefit everyone, from the bottom to the top in an organization. That's step one.

Actively support women-led startups and invest in companies with strong female leadership. Mentor the next generation of women in tech. Most importantly, be honest with yourself. We all hold unconscious biases, and that's just part of being human. Examine your own assumptions about gender and tech, and actively work to counter them.

Let's ensure these women are no longer hidden figures. Because when we celebrate their past achievements, we pave the way for the brilliant women shaping our technological future.

Happy International Women's Day! Until next time!