The Untold History of Women in Science and Technology

Listen to women from across the Administration tell the stories of their personal heroes across the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Share them yourself. Add your own. And honor their legacy in the best possible way: By committing to encourage a young woman to pursue a career in science.

They were leaders in building the early foundation of modern programming and unveiled the structure of DNA.Their work inspired environmental movements and led to the discovery of new genes.They broke the sound barrier — and gender barriers along the way. And inspiring more young women to pursue careers in science starts with simply sharing their stories. Let’s write their stories permanently into history. Listen to the Stories.

Grace Hopper

Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper was at the forefront of computer and programming language development from the 1930s through the 1980s. One of the crowning achievements of her 44-year career was the development of computer languages written in English, rather than mathematical notation — most notably, the common business computing language known as COBOL, which is still in use today.  Hopper's legacy is still honored by the annual Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference. With commentary from U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith. Source: US Navy

Katherine Johnson

Katherine Johnson, an African-American space scientist and mathematician, is a leading figure in American space history and has made enormous contributions to America’s aeronautics and space programs by her incorporation of computing tools. She played a huge role in calculating key trajectories in the Space Race -- calculating the trajectory for Alan Shepard, the first American in space, as well as for the 1969 Apollo 11 flight to the moon. Johnson is now retired, and continues to encourage students to pursue careers in science and technology fields. With commentary by NASA Chief Scientist Dr. Ellen Stofan. Source: NASA

 

Rachel Carson

Rachel Carson was a marine biologist and environmentalist — whose groundbreaking book, Silent Spring, has been credited as the catalyst for the modern environmental movement. Carson passed away in 1964, but her work has been credited with the legacy of “awakening the concern of Americans for the environment.”With commentary from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy. Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior)

 

Maria Klawe

Despite growing up as a self-described outcast, Maria Klawe pursed her passion for technology and became a prominent computer scientist. Klawe is now the first female president of Harvey Mudd College and works hard to ignite passion about STEM fields amongst diverse groups. During her tenure at Harvey Mudd College, her work has helped support the Computer Science faculty's ability to innovate, and has raised the percentage of women majoring in computer science from less than 15 percent to more than 40 percent today.With commentary from U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith. Source: MAKERS

 

Lydia Villa-Komaroff is considered to be a trailblazer in the field of molecular biology.

Lydia Villa-Komaroff

She faced many adversities she faced throughout her lifetime -- at one point, an advisor told her that women did not belong in chemistry, fortuitously inspiring her to switch her major to biology -- but she pursued her passion in spite of opposition. In 1978, Villa-Komaroff made waves with a published paper detailing her most notable discovery -- that bacteria could be engineered to produce human insulin. She currently serves as the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) at Cytonome/ST. With commentary from Jo Handelsman, Associate Director for Science in the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Source: NIH and MAKERS

Ada Lovelace is considered to be the founder of scientific computing and the first

Ada Lovelace

computer programmer. Her algorithm — which history has come to know as the first one designed for a machine to carry out — was intended to be used for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, which Lovelace would sadly not see built during her lifetime. Lovelace passed away in 1852, but her previously little-known work and "poetical" approach to science has broken through to inspire present-day young women interested in computer programming. With commentary from U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith. Source: MAKERS and Google Blog

Sally Ride

On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride transformed history when she became the first American woman to fly into space. After her second shuttle flight, Ride decided to retire from NASA and pursue her passion for education by inspiring young people. As a result, she founded Sally Ride Science, an organization dedicated to supporting students interested in STEM. Ride passed away in 2012, but her work continues to inspire young women across the country. With commentary by NASA Chief Scientist Dr. Ellen Stofan. Source: NASA

Barbara McClintock was an American geneticist and is still considered to be one of the

Barbara McClintock

world’s most prestigious cytogeneticists. In 1983, McClintock won the Nobel Prize in Physiology for her discovery of the “jumping gene” or the ability of genes to change position on the chromosome. McClintock passed away in 1992, but her publications still influence geneticists across the world. With commentary from Jo Handelsman, Associate Director for Science in the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine (NIH and HHS)

The Mercury 13, also sometimes known as the “Members of the First Lady Astronaut Trainees” (FLATs), were a group of women who participated in training to become

The Mercury 13

astronauts for the country's first human spaceflight program in the early 1960s. FLATs was never an official NASA program, and was unfortunately eventually discontinued, but the commitment and determination of these women to get into space has been credited with paving the way for such astronauts as Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space. With commentary from U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith. Source: NASA

The ENIAC Programmers: As part of a secret World War Two project, six young women programmed the first all-electronic programmable computer. When the project

The ENIAC Programmers

was eventually introduced to the public in 1946, the women were never introduced or credited for their hard work -- both because computer science was not well understood as an emerging field, and because the public's focus was on the machine itself. Since then, the ENIAC Programmers Project has worked hard to preserve and tell the stories of these six women. With commentary from U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith. Source: ENIAC Programmers Project

Rosalind Franklin

Rosalind Franklin was a British chemist and crystallographer, best known for her research that was essential to elucidating the structure of DNA. During her lifetime, Franklin was not credited for her key role, but years later she is recognized as providing a pivotal piece of the DNA story. Franklin spent the last five years of her life studying the structure of plant viruses and passed away in 1958. With commentary from Jo Handelsman, Associate Director for Science in the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Source:

U.S. National Library of Medicine (NIH and HHS)

Leadership

Leadership in Churches: Should they become Leaders By Elections or By the Utterance of the Holy Spirit?

All Churches which appoint candidates vying for posts of leadership in the same way like in the secular society by casting votes to elect church leader are wrong. Biblically it is not correct. When you question members of these churches they will quote to justify themselves the scripture in Acts 1:20–26 where the apostles appointed Barnabas and Mathias and voted Mathias to be one of them. Now after the voting of Mathias, did you ever hear about Mathias again? This was not the will of God but the will of the apostles. Let’s also look at Acts 13 how church leaders should be made.

In Acts 1:20–26. I quote “For It is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein, and his bishoprick let another take. Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus and Mattias.

And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou has chosen,

That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Mathias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Acts 13:2–5 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia, and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister. To conclude just look at the works of Paul and Mathias then you will see that Paul did greater works of the Lord and ever since Mathias was voted his name never appear again anywhere in the bible meaning it is the method in Acts 13:2-5 that church leaders should follow.

By Coni T. Tawong

The Kites, the crows, and the fox

The kites and the crows made an agreement among themselves that they should go halves in everything obtained in the forest. One day they saw a fox that had been wounded by hunters lying helpless under a tree, and gathered round it.

The crows said, “we will take the upper half of the fox.” “Then we will take the lower half,” said the kites.

The fox laughed at this, and said, “I always thought the kites were superior in creation to the crows; as such they must get the upper half of my body, of which my head, with the brain and other delicate things in it, forms a portion.”

“Oh, yes, that is right,” said the kites, “we will have that part of the fox.” “Not at all,” said the crows, “we must have it, as already agreed.” Then a war arose between the rival parties, and a great many fell on both sides, and the remaining few escaped with difficulty.

The fox continued there for some days, leisurely feeding on the dead kites and crows, and then left the place hale and hearty.

Observing, “the weak benefit by the quarrels of the mighty.”

Indian Fables

NEXTTEL, Until Now The Exclusive 3G Permit Holder In Cameroon

The Minister of Postal Services and Telecom, Jean Pierre Biyiti bi Essam, stated that mobile service provider, Nexttel, until now the exclusive 3G permit holder, already has 400,000 subscribers since the start of its activities on September 18, 2014. The company which has billing rates of 54 FCFA within its network and 66 FCFA to other networks, has been offering promotions and bonuses to lower fees for intra network and extra network calls by 50 FCFA.

The Postal Services and Telecommunications Minister revealed this information on December 2, 2014 before the parliament. He was presenting to members of parliament what he has achieved with his 12.7 billion FCFA budget (close to 24 million dollars).

Before the Finance and Budget Commission, Jean Pierre Biyiti bi Essam also defended his budget proposal for 2015 which is 13.673 billion FCFA (25.6 million dollars). This is an increase of 914 million FCFA (1.7 million dollars) relative to 2014.

With his new budget, the Minister of Postal Services and Telecoms would like “to consolidate the company’s activity in 2014 in order to stimulate and accelerate growth so as to accompany our country on its path towards emergence by 2035,” stated Jean Pierre Biyiti bi Essa

Basic Education Cameroon:4,620 electronic school bags handed out to promote distance education

In the pilot phase of its Basic Education Improvement (PAQEB) in Cameroon, the government provided 51 primary schools in six regions with 4,620 electronic school bags to promote distance education.

On November 27, 2014, following a government seminar on the development of electronic administration (e-government) in Cameroon, government officials announced the experiment will be expanded to include several other primary schools.

To develop e-government, the Ministry of Postal Services and Telecoms (Minipostel) issued a call for expressions of interest to have a study conducted about “the implementation of e-service platforms on-line within the framework of the e-post initiative.”

Minipostel explained that, as a part of the e-post project, which involved digitising and connecting all 234 post offices nationwide, a datacentre was set-up “to host e-commerce, e-banking, e-money, e-health, e-education and e-government platforms. […] The proper execution of this project could be a decisive step for Cameroon towards the current push to build an information inclusive company.”

3G and Mobile Services: NEXTTEL & CAMTEL

World Bank doubts Camtel’s ability to turn a profit on mobile services and 3G
In a November 2014 report, from which some excerpts were revealed on December 3, 2014 by the weekly Cameroonian publication, Repères, the World Bank has expressed some doubt about Cameroon Telecommunications’ (Camtel), ability to make the 3G technology it will be offering as of 2015 profitable.

“Camtel has been making minimal offers and poor service. It could not manage CDMA technology (with the CTphone) which is equivalent to 3G technology,” writes the Bretton Woods institution in its report. With this finding, the World Bank goes on to say that, “Done probably without any financial contribution due to the company’s deteriorated finances, the granting of a 3G licence to Camtel seems entirely politically motivated, particularly in light of the fact that Camtel seems to lack the human competence required to implement a quality network.”

The company’s recent “BBB” rating from the Bloomfield Investment firm will hardly withstand the criticism levied by these organisations. Bloomfield itself noted that Camtel’s finances are characterised by a “fragile financial structure, inadequate liquidity” and, especially, a “chronic liquidity deficit resulting from an oversized working capital which accentuates [the company’s] flexibility and financial dependency.”

3Gs popping-up in Cameroon

From this point of view, Camtel’s financials up to December 31, 2013, reveals a cash-flow deficit of 4.9 billion FCFA, an abysmal debt estimated at 141.2 billion FCFA in late December 2013 (compared to 91.7 billion in 2012), despite a net result of a little over 3 billion FCFA recorded at the end of the year.

But, more generally, the World Bank finds that Cameroon, which is planning to have 4 3G permits active in 2015 (Nexttel, MTN, Orange and Camtel), could move from being “one of the rare African countries not to have 3G permits to the country that has the most.” The situation does not reassure the World Bank which states, “With 4 3G licences, it is highly probable that the 20 million consumer market won’t be enough for the four operators to make a profit on the necessary investments necessary for the transition while providing quality 3G service.”

Furthermore, due to this kind of 3G excess on the Cameroon telecom market in 2015, the Bretton Woods institution notes that “it is highly probable that these operators will focus their investments in high value areas and neglect the rest of the country, further widening the digital divide in Cameroon.”

By Brice R. Mbodiam

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