Back in March, we interviewed Sue Black, a Professor of Computer Science and Technology Evangelist at Durham University, who told us she believes female role models in the sector aren’t discussed nearly as often as they should be. She gave Stephanie ‘Steve’ Shirley as an example, and, having been ashamed to admit that I hadn’t heard of her myself at the time, I thought I’d highlight Steve Shirley and a selection of some other inspirational yet criminally under-recognized female computer scientists in modern history, who deserve to be remembered as role models for women in tech today.

Steve Shirley

Starting with Sue Black’s own example, Dame Stephanie ‘Steve’ Shirley arrived in the UK as a child refugee of the Kindertransport in 1939 and went on to found her own software company, Freelance Programmers, in 1962. She adopted the name ‘Steve’ to help her in the male-dominated business world, having found that company letters using her real name were not responded to.

While planning to start a family, she decided to create part-time job opportunities for women with children, and almost exclusively employed women until the Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 made this illegal. Among her team’s projects was Concorde’s black box flight recorder.

Shirley retired in 1993 and has since focused on her philanthropy, having set up The Shirley Foundation in 1986, which aims to support medical research in the field of autism spectrum disorders, and is now among the top-50 grant-giving foundations in the UK.

Amongst other honors, Shirley was appointed an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in 1980 for her services to industry, and was also the first female President of the chartered British Computer Society, as well as the UK’s Ambassador for Philanthropy in 2009.

Joan Clarke 

Amongst other campaigns, Professor Sue Black successfully crusaded to crowdfund to restore Bletchley Park, a 19^th-century mansion which was the top-secret center of decrypting enemy messages during World War Two, as featured in the 2014 film The Imitation Game. One of the codebreakers was Joan Clarke, who worked alongside fellow cryptanalyst Alan Turing.

Clarke studied at the University of Cambridge in 1936, achieving a double first degree in mathematics, although she was prevented from receiving a full degree as Cambridge only awarded these to men until 1948. One of her professors at Cambridge noted her mathematical ability and recruited her to the Government Code and Cypher School (GCCS) at Bletchley Park, where she initially undertook clerical work, earning far less than her male counterparts. However, her talents soon shone through and she was promoted to Linguist grade in recognition for her hard work, as there were no protocols in place for a senior female cryptanalyst (despite not knowing another language – much to Clarke’s enjoyment when she filled forms in with ‘grade: linguist, languages: none’).

Working at a time when female cryptanalysts were unheard of, Clarke tirelessly encrypted enemy messages from the German navy in real-time, with her messages resulting in military action being taken almost instantly, therefore saving countless lives from potential U-boat attacks.

Unfortunately, Clarke’s efforts have been almost forgotten by history, in part due to the secrecy surrounding the work at Bletchley Park, and also as Clarke herself never sought the spotlight, although she was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), in 1946 in recognition of her work.

Margaret Hamilton 

Next in our look at amazing female computer scientists you probably haven’t heard of, Margaret Hamilton is one of the first computer software programmers, and is credited with coining the term ‘software engineering’ to describe her work at MIT’s Instrumentation Laboratory.

Hamilton, who studied mathematics at the University of Michigan and Earlham College, graduated in 1958 and first worked as a high school math teacher before joining MIT to work on software to predict the weather. In 1961 Hamilton joined the Lincoln Laboratory at MIT, working on the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) project, the very first US air defense system, in which she created software to help search for unfriendly aircraft.

Her efforts in this project led her to joining the Instrumentation Laboratory, where she led a team credited with developing the in-flight software for the Apollo space program, with Hamilton personally focusing on programming software to detect system errors and recover information in the event of a computer crash. Working at a time when software engineering courses simply didn’t exist, Hamilton and her team had to fix problems on their own, and her work was crucial in making the first moon landing, Apollo 11, possible in 1969. 

Grace Hopper 

Rear Admiral Dr Grace Murray Hopper was one of the most influential computer scientists of all time, famous for her ground-breaking work in developing the first accessible computer programming languages written in English.

Hopper was noted for her curiosity since early childhood, having been caught by her mother dismantling seven alarm clocks to see how they worked (she was limited to one afterwards). She first studied at Vassar College, a liberal arts college, before completing her master’s and PhD in mathematics at Yale University, graduating in 1934.

After the US’ entry into World War Two, Hopper tried to enlist in the navy, but was rejected due to her age and small size. However, she persisted and eventually received a waver in order to join the Women’s Reserve. Her perseverance was also notable in her programming work, as she was told very quickly that her idea for a new programming language using entirely English words couldn’t work because computers didn’t understand English. It took years before her idea was accepted, but she persisted and the COBOL (Common Business Orientated Language) has gone on to become the most widely used business language to date. Amongst other awards, Hopper was granted the Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award in 1964, and has earned the nickname ‘Amazing Grace’.

The ENIAC Women 

Last but not least in our look at female computer scientists who changed the world, the six ‘ENIAC Women’, Fran Bilas, Jean Bartik, Ruth Lichterman, Kay McNulty, Betty Snyder, and Marlyn Wescoff, programmed the first all-electronic, programmable computer, the ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer). The women, who were helped to join the field by the labor shortage at the time, had to learn how to program using only logical diagrams, as no programming languages yet existed.

The women completed the ENIAC in 1945 and it was first put to use in December that year, causing great fanfare with the press, who referred to it as a ‘giant brain’. Sadly, most of the women didn’t receive recognition for their work during their lifetimes, with historians at first mistaking them for ‘Refrigerator Ladies’ (models posing in front of the computer). However, it’s important to recognize that this large, clunky machine was the predecessor of modern general-purpose computers we use on a daily basis today, and we have the ENIAC women, amongst others, to thank.

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来源：里昂商学院

你知道吗，全世界每天都要创建超过2.5万亿字节的数据？从点赞到刷屏，从数据流到点击页面，数码世界在爆炸式扩大，写在数据产生速度曾经一度被认为是不可能的。

但实际发生了什么呢？对于那些身处数据科学领域、尤其是数码营销领域的人来说，这是一个激动人心的时代。由于数据科学在继续革新数码营销的设计与实施方式，这些学科共同为企业和品牌提供了显著的优势。

有兴趣？你当然应该感兴趣。如果你有出色的分析思维和丰富的想象力，你可能也会考虑攻读数码营销与数据科学的理科硕士学位，和里昂商学院的法比安·卡布雷拉与尤斯拉·萨迪两位学生一样。接下来，我们请他们分享一下研究这一前沿领域的真实感受。

全面接触出这一领域最新的发明与科技

今年领英（Linkedln）的一项调查发现，企业所寻求的大多数硬性技能都与数码技术有关，其中包括用户体验设计、分析推理、云计算与人工智能。

为了让你深入了解算法、编码甚至Python学习，里昂商学院等商学院正在引入项目与课程，来帮助填补这一领域不断扩大的技能与知识缺口。

“自我本科毕业后，我就决定专心学习Python编程，因为我真的很期待能学到分析、机器学习与数码工程方面的技术与专门知识。”法比安说。

不过他们学习的理学硕士学科并不仅限于数据。尤斯拉告诉我们，她认为攻读的项目能提供多元科际研究法同样重要：

“我决定继续学习数码营销，在很大程度上是因为我希望能更好地了解影响数码营销计划成功的因素。”

“我对一个项目很感兴趣，它能激发学生的好奇心与兴趣，同时我也希望能突破数码营销的基本原理，将其与数据科学结合起来。”

能够将理论应用于实践

“作为项目的一部分，我们刚刚开始了一个公司内部咨询项目，为了完成公司提出的任务而一起合作。这个项目的目的是确定项目范围、可交付成果，并提出建议。”尤斯拉说。

从小组项目到迷你编程马拉松，体验式学习是任何课程的关键部分，能帮你培养全球视野，提出全球战略——尤斯拉在参加迷你编程马拉松项目时发现了这一点。

她告诉我们：“我们超越了传统的课堂内容，与同学们一起参加了一个迷你编程马拉松项目，这让我们参与到了设计创新的过程中。这很有挑战性，因为我们只有有限的时间来说明这一概念，并在同学面前展示。”

“我很高兴看到我们所有同学共同努力，攻克这个项目，并将课堂上学到的各方面知识都利用起来。”

“学习这门课程、参加小组项目让我对用户体验设计有了更深的理解。还帮我换了一种新的思维方式、最大限度地利用创新、科技与创造力，将用户体验提升到更高的水平。”

国际方面——从巴黎到上海再到波士顿（或旧金山）

如果在巴黎和上海学习还不足以满足你的旅行欲望，那么好消息是，里昂商学院的数码营销与数据科学硕士专业会给学生提供机会，在波士顿或旧金山待上一周。

“波士顿学习之旅给了我们一种课外体验，让我们接触比如旅行、参观一个新城市、建立人脉关系等新的活动。”尤斯拉说。

“这次机会让我对创业团体和加速器的概念有所了解，同时也帮助我确定了将来我可能从事的工作领域。与同学们分享这段经历也让我交了许多朋友，留下了许多愉快的时光。”

数据科学的进步促使以数据驱动的数码营销机会不断增加，因此，了解数码行业是如何塑造，及重塑社会在全球范围内消费媒体与信息的方式至关重要。

你将向专业人士学习

在波士顿学习期间，尤斯拉有机会聆听了麻省理工学院设计实验室主任林义炫的讲座。

她说：“我们必须加深利用物联网和人工智能来提供以人为中心用户体验的这个认知。”

尤斯拉目前在上海学习，她正在不断拓宽对数码营销与数据科学的全球视角。她告诉我们，“我们有机会聆听专业人士讲课，他们对于中国文化与趋势有着深刻的了解。由于他们经验丰富，我们能够清楚了解一些与当地市场有关的案例。”

你的职业人脉会不断扩大

尤斯拉和法比安不仅可以向该领域一些最有名的专业人士学习，他们还可以与业内人士建立宝贵的人脉。

法比安说，“从一开始，我们就参与了许多活动，接触了大量社交场合，这些活动不仅涉及创业公司和一些大公司，而且涉及到投资者、风险资本家以及其他具有创业之志的学生。

“我的社交网络遍布巴黎、里昂、波士顿与上海，并且很期待与全球各地有影响力的人士建立联系。”

数码营销与数据科学理学硕士是一个创新项目，吸引了来自世界各地的思想活跃的人们，所以，与班级同学、教授、访问学者及其他专业人士的联系会让你抢占先机受益无穷。

“我扩大了自己的社交网络，有机会认识了其他学生。他们帮助我养成了全球化思维、提高了我的团队合作能力，让我能够与来自世界各地的重要高管进行交流。”尤斯拉说。

不断增强征服数字职场的必要技能与专业知识

未来，十分之九的工作需要数码技能。随着数码时代的不断发展，对训练有素的、技能高超的新一代数码营销技术人员的需求也在不断增长，他们精通数码与数据方面的知识。

如果你渴望进入这个赚钱又刺激的行业，那么数码营销与数据科学理学硕士学位可能是个黄金门票。

“这个项目提供的资源可以让我更好了解当前趋势，从而帮助我克服管理上的障碍，优化我的数码营销策略。毫无疑问，这不仅有益于我的教育水平与专业水平，而且可以提高我个人的水平。”尤斯拉说。

Jiashin Ling (pictured in the center above) currently studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, specializing in ecology. She recently took advantage of the opportunity to travel to Russia and study at Tomsk State University’s summer school, allowing her to experience a new country and broaden her academic knowledge of ecology and environmental science.

We asked her to share some of her favorite experiences from her time in Russia and explain more about what the summer school program involves.

What attracted you to the summer school program at Tomsk State University?

As someone from a country with a tropical climate, being able to go to the glaciers was a very intriguing and luring idea. The climate, ecology and animals in Russia are very different from what we can see in the tropics and, while my school brings us on field trips to different countries to study, they are mainly in the tropics so we don’t get to learn about temperate zones.

When I heard about the summer school program, I was really excited to visit Russia and see and set foot on the glaciers myself, as well as to learn about the ecology in this area - which carries its own uniqueness and beauty.

Why were you interested in studying in Russia?

The mere idea of going to Russia was exhilarating. It carries so much history and culture that I was really excited to see the country for myself.

Having read about Russia during my studies of international history, I was really interested to see Russia with my own eyes and to build my own impression of the nation by experiencing the place.

What expectations did you have about studying in such an unusual part of the world? What were your first impressions when you arrived?

One thing I expected was that the weather would be really cold since we were heading to the glaciers...but really it was summer weather, and sometimes just as hot as being in Singapore.

Another thing I expected was to be wowed by the differences in culture and environment. Russia was very different from Singapore - there were fewer tall buildings and you could tell the culture of the country from the buildings alone. I really loved being on the streets in Russia, because it was so spacious and you could see the skies clearly. It was also a lot less busy than being in Singapore, which was so different and calming for the mind.

Another expectation I had was the food. Many friends warned me the food in Russia would be very different from what we have in Singapore and that I might not be used to it. However, I really liked the food in Russia, especially kasha (grains cooked in water or milk, like porridge).

The food they prepared for us in Aktru was so homely and comforting that it really made you feel at home!

What was the summer school experience like, both academically and socially? What were your fellow students like?

Academically, the summer school content was very new and more difficult than what we usually learn in Singapore - probably because most of the participants were at graduate level and above. As undergraduates, it was a bit overwhelming at the start, but they were all very open in sharing and teaching us concepts we didn't understand.

Even though it could be difficult at times, I really enjoyed what we were able to learn in the summer school. Socially, I met so many people from different cultures and backgrounds, and it was such a pleasant experience to be able to meet these people. It was such an enriching experience to learn about what they do academically, as well as the culture they come from.

Everyone was so nice, accommodating, helpful and open to share, which made the entire experience in Aktru even better.

What were the most interesting elements of your experience?

I think the most interesting element of my experience was climbing up to the glacier. It was very different from anything else I’ve done in my life, even though I’ve climbed up mountains and volcanoes before. I wasn't very used to climbing on icy terrain, but my fellow students were so helpful in teaching me how to walk and climb. It was an interesting experience that I'll remember for my whole life.

Another thing is that it was very amazing to see how the ecology of the place gradually changes as we climbed to higher elevations. Even though we did learn about the ecological succession in the area, it was completely different to see it with our own eyes. 

One more really interesting element was the banya experience. Even though I had tried onsen in Japan, where everyone shares the same bathroom, banya is so different because it was a sauna and a shower at the same time. I was so shocked and amazed at how there is a culture to jump into the freezing pool after being in the banya. Despite hearing about this before, seeing it with my own eyes was completely different!

What advice would you give to anyone participating in the summer school program at Tomsk State University in the future?

My advice would be to have an open mind and to socialize. Ask questions and talk to people! There's so much you can learn throughout the duration of the program, and you will only be able to learn more by talking to people.

Russia is a place that has a unique culture, so don't shy away from it just because it’s different from what you’re used to. Step out of your comfort zone and treasure every moment you get to spend in this place.

Finally, when they say it will be summer, it really will be, so bring clothes that can withstand very cold situations in the glacier and also clothes that are suitable for warm weather.

You will definitely not regret applying for this summer school program!