“One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind” all started with a woman who was not given acknowledgement for her efforts until 50 years after the Apollo mission landed on the moon. Margaret Hamilton helped coin the term “software engineering” by developing and writing the code that allowed NASA to land on the moon. Hamilton aided in legitimizing software development as a science and with the help of her colleagues at MIT, wrote the code for the world’s first portable computer. She often brought her daughter with her to work and after observing her daughter make errors from playing in the simulator, adapted and changed her programming to ensure these errors could be corrected if the astronauts were to replicate these errors. After leaving NASA and using fault tolerance testing, Hamilton co-founded a software technology company (Higher Order Software) which further develops fault tolerance testing and error prevention. She also founded Hamilton Technologies Inc which shows her passion and drive revolves around technology, software and the advancement of women in the hard sciences. I chose Margaret Hamilton as I find her contribution to science and the creation of software astounding. Reading that she built her business based on fault and errors displays she was always one step ahead and had no problem adjusting strategy to achieve success. She is a pioneer in the world of programming and provides an amazing example to girls and women everywhere.
Links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Hamilton_(software_engineer)
References
Andrew, Scottie, and Katherine Dillinger. CNN, Cable News Network, 19 July 2019, https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/19/us/apollo-11-margaret-hamilton-50th-anniversary-trnd/index.html.
Margaret Hamilton. (2019, September 3). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Hamilton_(software_engineer)
Image retrieved from: http://news.mit.edu/2016/scene-at-mit-margaret-hamilton-apollo-code-0817
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