Here’s a fascinating historical twist: before the 1940s, a ‘computer’ wasn’t a machine — it was a person who performed calculations professionally. During a keynote last month, I explored this era of ‘human computers,’ when organizations hired teams of people to tackle complex mathematical calculations by hand. These teams operated in a way that resembles today’s parallel computing, with different groups working simultaneously on various aspects of the same problem based on their mathematical expertise. The most remarkable part? These early computers were predominantly women. So, back then women weren’t just part of the early tech industry — women WERE the tech industry.

A team of human computers at work.

It seems crazy to me that in this day and age we still struggle with awarding women their deserved representation and recognition when we owe so much of our tech salaries to them! Women like…

The world’s first programmer. I wonder what her opinions would be on Rust?

Often regarded as the world’s first computer programmer, Ada Lovelace wrote the first algorithm for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine in the 1840s. Her visionary insights into the potential of computing went far beyond mere number-crunching — she imagined machines that could create art and music, foreshadowing the creative possibilities of modern technology.

Grace Hopper — creator of COBOL and also credited to be the first hacker!

A pioneer in computer programming, Grace Hopper developed the very first compiler, which translated human-readable code into machine language. Her work laid the foundation for modern programming languages, and she famously championed the idea that programming should be accessible to everyone, not just mathematicians.

Dorothy Vaughan, Katherine Johnson, and Mary Jackson (left to right) — three pioneering mathematicians whose groundbreaking work at NASA’s Langley Research Center was vital to America’s space program.

It was thanks to the groundbreaking work of these three women that the American space program managed to take off (excuse the pun, but I couldn’t resist 😆)!

Vaughan became NASA’s first African-American supervisor and mastered early computer programming. Johnson calculated crucial trajectories for the Mercury and Apollo missions, including the historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Jackson became NASA’s first female African-American engineer and later worked to help other minorities advance their careers at NASA. Their amazing story was depicted in the film “Hidden Figures” (2016) which I highly recommend.

There’s not enough room on a photo montage to include all the women that I know who continue to shape the tech industry and our futures. I’m sure I’m not alone on this — you all probably know female engineers, architects, product and project managers, teachers, tech leaders, and so many others who continue to make an impact on our tech lives and futures.

So today, is a as good an excuse to celebrate them all! 🕺

As I always say, in a perfect world, we shouldn’t need a specific day to celebrate anyone. At the end of the day, we’re all human — women, men, and everyone in between. No one should receive special treatment based on who they are, but until opportunities, recognition, and rewards are even and fair, International Women’s Day is here as a reminder that we can still do better.

Let’s honor the women who paved the way, support the women shaping the future now, and work together to build a tech industry that truly reflects the diversity of the world it serves.

Happy International Women’s Day everyone!! 🤗