Girls Are Geeks Too

by Barbara Eastom Bates | More from this Blogger

I've always been a little bit amused by the idea that geek girls are somewhat of a rare breed. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact I was learning to code BASIC before I knew how to wear make-up. Or, maybe it's compensation for the glazed "I don't understand" look you'd see from me in front of something domestic like a sewing machine. Martha Stewart, I'm not (but then, I've never done jail time either).

Either way, the idea that science and technology are not the forte of the feminine set is decidedly foreign to me, despite that computer science remains one of the few fields where the gender barrier remains unbroken.

In 1994, fewer than one in five bachelor's degrees in computer science were awarded to women. In 2004, the figure remained steadfast at 17 percent.

The glass ceiling shattered a little, however, with Wednesday's announcement naming Frances E. Allen, 74, retired IBM computer scientist, the first ever female recipient of the A. M. Turing Award for technical merit.

The Turing Award, the highest honor in the computer science field for over 40 years, has been awarded since 1966 to visionaries like Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn, who created the underpinnings of the internet, Marvin Minsky, artificial intelligence guru, and Douglas Englebart, creator of the modern computer mouse.

During her 45 year career with IBM, Allen's contributions included working alongside the U.S. National Security Agency in the creation of a computer that cracked Cold War-era code, and assisting meteorologists in analyzing large batches of data to predict weather.

Allen will be recognized for her achievements at the Association for Computing Machinery annual banquet in San Diego on June 9. She remarked, "I believe we're moving into a whole new era for women in our field."

It's about time.

Learn more about Barbara Eastom Bates

Barbara Eastom Bates is a freelance writer and self-professed computer geek living in southern California.

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