Women Who Shaped STEM
A modern day tech system often associated with driving. Its development was greatly aided by Dr. Gladys West who used data analytics, computer programming, and math to create one of the Earth models this system is based on.
What is a Global Positioning System (GPS)?
This computer scientist developed the first compiler and is known as the “mother of COBOL.”
Who is Grace Hopper?
Kimberly Bryant is the founder of __, a nonprofit focused on supporting Black girls and gender non-conforming youth of color in tech by providing them with computer programming/coding education.
What is Black Girls Code?
The government agency where Katherine Johnson worked as a mathematician and aerospace technologist. She was known as the “human computer” and pioneered the use of computers to solve complex mathematical calculations.
What is NASA?
This HBCU was the first to offer a Computer Science degree program.
What is Howard University?
This pioneering African American scientist developed laser technology used for cataract surgery.
Who is Patricia Bath?
A pioneering Black woman in computer science, she worked on the Apollo space program and developed early coding languages.
Who is Annie Easley?
This form of digital entertainment, used by platforms like Hulu and Netflix, was revolutionized by Lisa Gelobter, whose work on animation tools helped lay the foundation for its technology.
What is video streaming?
Was first invented by Marie Van Brittan Brown when she wanted a way to increase her level of personal security in her home by allowing her to know who was at her home at all times and either let them in remotely, or contact relevant authorities.
What is a home security system/home surveillance system?
The first video game console created by a Black engineer, Jerry Lawson, was called the
What is the Fairchild Channel F?
A chemist and the first Black woman to receive a Ph.D. from Columbia University, she helped develop chemotherapy treatments
Who is Marie Maynard Daly?
This influential computer scientist co-developed the programming language LISP, widely used in AI research.
Who is Jean Sammet?
This former YouTube CEO played a key role in Google acquiring the platform.
Who is Susan Wojcicki?
Alice Parker designed a natural gas furnace so effiecient it became the first step towards _ .
What is modern central heating/ central heating?
The first African American to receive a Ph.D. in Computer Science was from this Ivy League university.
What is Dr. Clarence "Skip" Ellis from the University of Illinois ?
This engineer was one of the first Black women to receive a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering and helped design aircraft engines for NASA.
Who is Aprille Ericsson?
The creator of the Smalltalk programming language, she helped lay the groundwork for modern object-oriented programming.
Who is Adele Goldberg?
The first Black woman to lead a Fortune 500 tech company, she was CEO of Xerox
Who is Ursula Burns?
This Black female chemist made major contributions to hair care and was a self-made millionaire in the early 1900s.
Who is Madam C.J. Walker?
This Black scientist and engineer was a key figure in the development of fiber optics technology
Who is Dr. Thomas Mensah?
A NASA engineer, she was instrumental in the Mars Rover landing, serving as the flight director for the historic mission.
Who is Swati Mohan?
his computer scientist was the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in computer science, making groundbreaking contributions to artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction.T
Who is Dr. Valerie Taylor?
A trailblazer in AI ethics, she founded the Algorithmic Justice League to address bias in artificial intelligence.
Who is Dr. Joy Buolamwini?
This aerospace engineer was a leader in designing the stealth bomber for the U.S. military.
Who is Dr. Aprille Ericsson?
This NASA engineer was one of the first Black women in the field and played a crucial role in developing space shuttle software.
Who is Dr. Christine Darden?