First Computer Programmer: Ada Lovelace Invention in technology

Date:

Introduction:

An international celebration of women in science and technology! English Mathematician Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) is widely considered the world’s first computer programmer for her invention of the computer algorithm. Born in 1815 to the poet Lord Byron and Anne Isabella Byron, Lovelace’s Mathematical talents led to an ongoing collaboration with Mathematician Charles Babbage, who called Lovelace the “Enchantress of Numbers.”

Mathematician Professor:

Charles Babbage (1791-1871) was a Lucasian professor of Mathematics, a Chair once helped by Isaac Newton (1643-1727), James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879), Paul Dirac (1902-1984) and more recently by Stephen Hawking (1914-2018). I want to relay two little anecdotes regarding these “Giants”.These Giants played a vital role in many fields of science and technology.

Newton:

The first is about Newton. Newton was a terrible teacher during his time at Trinity College Cambridge. He often had his lectures independently with no one in attendance, despite his contract requiring him to deliver 4 hours of teaching per term. Newton was a terrible teacher during his time at Trinity College Cambridge. He often had his lectures independently with no one in attendance, despite his contract requiring him to deliver 4 hours of teaching per term. Scholars suggest he was a strange man, placing pins in his eyes to test his pain threshold. Newton played a vital role in many inventions of technology.

Charles:

After Newton, there were only a few notable mathematicians in the UK for the next 150 years, while the continent saw a surge of great mathematicians. This has been attributed to the UK’s adherence to Newtonian notation of the derivative. Ada and Charles put their efforts into inventing a computer algorithm. proramIn Europe, Leibniz’s notation of dy/dx was commonly used, and it was particularly useful for integration purposes. Babbage brought back the textbook of Sylvestre Lacroix in Mathematics from Paris, which introduced the notes used globally for Calculus. Hence, the UK schools of Applied Mathematics caught up with Europe. Charles Babbage, who invented the first computer, evolved the history of technology.

Conclusion:

Returning to Ada, this was such a great day for Computer Science before the epoch-making contribution of Alan Turing (1912-1954). Ada Lovelace Day celebrates women in STEM and inspires future generations to pursue these fields. It supports gatherings, discussions, and initiatives that advance gender inclusivity and diversity in the STEM fields. The celebration may include panel discussions, workshops, presentations by women in STEM, and networking opportunities. It highlights women’s achievements in various STEM fields.

Disclaimer

The content presented in this article is the result of the author's original research. The author is solely responsible for ensuring the accuracy, authenticity, and originality of the work, including conducting plagiarism checks. No liability or responsibility is assumed by any third party for the content, findings, or opinions expressed in this article. The views and conclusions drawn herein are those of the author alone.

Author

  • Dr Vasos Pavlika has a BSc in Physics and Mathematics, a MSc in Applied Mathematics, and a two-volume PhD thesis in Mathematical Physics (Magnetostatics and Fluid Dynamics).
    Vasos has 30+ years of experience in lecturing, he has been a Field Chair, Senior lecturer and is currently Associate Professor (Teaching) at University College London. Vasos has been involved with many HE institutions including: the University of East London, the University of Gloucestershire, the University of Westminster, SOAS University of London (both on-campus and online), Into City University, St George’s University of London, Goldsmiths College University of London (online and on-campus), the London School of Economics and Political Science, the Department for Continuing Education University of Cambridge and the Open University.

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