Remembering Grace Hopper

Grace Hopper, a pioneering figure in computer science, is celebrated for her significant contributions to the field and her role as a trailblazer for women in technology. Born on December 9, 1906, she became the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics from Yale in 1934. During World War II, she joined the Naval Reserve and was assigned to the Bureau of Ships Computation Project at Harvard, where she worked on the Mark I computer. Hopper is credited with creating one of the first programming manuals and popularizing the term "debugging" after famously removing a moth from the machine. She later developed user-friendly programming languages, including FLOW-MATIC and COBOL, which allowed programmers to write in English rather than machine code. Throughout her career, Hopper advocated for programming standards to ensure software portability. She retired from the Navy multiple times, ultimately serving until the age of 79. After her military career, she worked as a consulting engineer at Digital Equipment Corporation, where she continued to promote user-friendly computing. Hopper received numerous awards, including the National Medal of Technology and 40 honorary degrees. Her legacy is marked by her motto, “It’s always easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission,” and her innovative spirit continues to inspire future generations in the tech industry.

- Grace Hopper was a pioneer in computer science and a role model for women in technology.

- She developed the COBOL programming language and popularized the term "debugging."

- Hopper advocated for programming standards to ensure software portability.

- She served in the Navy until age 79 and received numerous awards for her contributions.

- Her innovative mindset and motto encouraged thinking outside conventional boundaries.