Dr. Grace Brewster Murray Hopper: An Innovative Woman in STEM

Welcome to Women’s History Wednesdays!

We have come a long way in the field of computer science and we have Dr. Grace Brewster Murray Hopper to thank for that. Dr. Grace Brewster Murray Hopper, an innovative computer scientist, mathematician, and United States Navy rear admiral, left an indelible mark on the world. Walter Murray and Mary Campbell Van Horne welcomed Grace Brewster Murray Hopper into the world on 9 December 1906, in New York City. 

Math Minded

Being an inquisitive child, she dismantled alarms clock to see how they worked, fueling her engineering curiosity. She attended Vassar College and graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1928 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physics. She earned her master’s in mathematics at Yale in 1930, got married to Vincent Hopper, a professor at New York University in 1930 and began teaching mathematics at Vassar in 1931. In 1934, she earned her Ph.D. in mathematics and mathematical physics from Yale.

Naval Career

Dr. Grace Hopper’s great grandfather served as a Navy Admiral during the Civil War. Trying to follow in her ancestor’s footsteps, she tried to commission with the Navy during World War II but was turned down because of her age – she was only 34 years old. That didn’t stop her and she circumvented the system! She joined the Naval Reserves in 1943 as part of WAVES – Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. After graduating from Midshipmen’s School in 1944, the Navy assigned the new lieutenant to the Bureau of Ships Computation Project at Harvard University.

The Field of Computer Science

At Harvard, Dr. Hopper began her computing career as part of the Harvard Mark I team. She became one of its first programmers and only woman. She pioneered the theory of machine-independent programming languages and played a crucial role in developing the FLOW-MATIC programming language and COBOL (common business-oriented language). This computer language is still used today. Her most notable achievements included:

• Authoring the first computer manual, titled “A Manual of Operation for the Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator.”
• Working at Eckert–Mauchly Computer Corporation, she contributed to the development of the UNIVAC I computer.
• Simplifying programming that led to the creation of an English-based compiler that converted terms into machine code.

Retirement?

Dr. Hopper rose to the rank of rear admiral (lower half) before she retired from active duty service. She retired several times – once in 1966; recalled to active duty in 1967 and retired in 1971; recalled to active duty in 1972 and retired finally in 1985, she received a special approval from Congress to continue enlistment beyond the mandatory retirement age of 60. Dr. Hopper was 79 years, 8 months and 5 days old.

Presidential Medal of Freedom

Not being able to retire gracefully, Dr. Hopper took a position a corporate consultant engineer for Digital Equipment Company and continued to work until her death on 1 January 1992 at 86 years old. In 2016, President Barack Obama posthumously awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.  She was recognized for her remarkable contributions to the field of computer science. Her discoveries and passion for math and physics empowers the next generation of technologists and encouraging their passion for learning. Beyond her professional achievements, Hopper’s legacy lies in inspiring countless individuals to pursue STEM fields.