International Women’s History Month: Women in STEM

In celebration of International Women’s History Month, we’re shining a light on the accomplishments of women in the field of technology and beyond! This week we are looking at the achievements of women in STEM, particularly those who made an impact in the industry.

In the 1940’s computer coding was a woman’s job and their contributions were often overlooked. For example, The ENIAC Programmers were a group of six women who were responsible for programming the first general-purpose electronic digital computer, the Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer (ENIAC).

These women, including Betty Jennings, Betty Snyder, Kay McNulty, Marlyn Meltzer, Fran Bilas, and Ruth Lichterman, were some of the first computer programmers and their contributions were vital to the development of modern computing.

One of the most inspiring examples of women in technology is none other than Katherine Johnson, a pioneering mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to the field of aeronautics and space technology.

She was one of the first African American women to work as a NASA scientist and played a vital role in the success of the first American manned space flights. Her work, along with her colleagues, helped pave the way for future generations of women and people of color in STEM fields.

Have you ever wondered who was responsible for discovering DNA? One woman whose contributions are often overlooked is Rosalind Franklin, a pioneering scientist and X-ray crystallographer whose work played a crucial role in the discovery of the structure of DNA.

Her research on X-ray diffraction images of DNA fibers was vital to the discovery of the double helix structure, yet her contributions were not fully acknowledged at the time. Her story serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for recognition and representation for women in STEM fields. It’s so important to recognize and honor the contributions of women like Katherine Johnson, Rosalind Franklin, and so many other women who have broken barriers and made a lasting impact on the tech industry.

We value our Contributors and want to shine a spotlight on what’s important to you! March is International Women’s History Month and we’d like to know what it means to our Crowd. 

Please take a moment to tell us what Women’s History means to you and you might see your submission featured in a blog post. Click here to send us your submission.