4 Women Who Changed the Tech Industry

  • Following the lead of the female pioneers who came before them, these women forged their own paths in the tech industry. Whether they were the first to receive a prestigious degree or simply the first professional in their chosen fields, these women made their mark.

  • The Telecommunications Trailblazer

    Erna Schneider Hoover made it possible for telephone systems to function properly as they switched from electronic to digital technology in the 1970s. Hoover's patented invention replaced the hard-wired mechanical switching equipment with a more efficient computerized system, and that technology is still used today in call centers around the world.

  • The Video Game Pioneer

    Carol Shaw opened the door for women who — like her — grew up in the world of technology and wanted to create more of what they love. She programmed Super Breakout, 3D Tic-Tac-Toe, Happy Trails and the classic scrolling shooter River Raid during her time with Atari and Activision. Shaw was so successful, she was able to retire at the age of 35 in 1990.

  • The Iconic Designer

    Susan Kare is best known for her work with Apple in the 1980s. The graphic designer and artist created icons and fonts — including Chicago and Geneva — for Macintosh devices. She's also the creative mind behind the Happy Mac and Command key icon: a stylized castle viewed from above that still appears on keyboards today.

  • The Math Doctor

    Mathematician Evelyn Boyd Granville's work took her — and her country — far. After becoming only the second African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics at an American university in 1949, she analyzed orbits and developed computer procedures that would help humans leave the Earth for NASA's Project Mercury: America's first manned space mission.