1967.
Where it all started
‘I thought if she can work with computers why can’t we – why can’t you – my girls’
I was inspired by my maths teacher – she was referring to Sister Mary Kenneth-Keller from Chicago – the first woman to graduate with a Phd in Computer Science. She was a nun and so was my teacher.
‘Come along and say Hello to a computer’ my maths teacher said to me one morning.
Hello Computer
1999.
Becoming the first female professor
‘You realise that her promotion devalues our position’
I’d just been promoted, the first female professor in the thirty year history of the department. As we were leaving the interview room, I overheard one of the departmental professors say this.
A stark reminder that it can be difficult for some men to accept women as equals.
‘Be a leader : just do it’ I may aspire to be like one of my role models but, ultimately, they are not me. I found it important to get to know myself, articulate my values and choose my own leadership style. Not to be a ‘female leader’ but simply to be a leader and a woman in tech.
Linda Macaulay
2017.
50 Years of Computers
Everyone has a story to tell, mine is of a life empowered by working with computers. Computers that have enhanced people’s lives, made a difference to the effectiveness of organisations however small and most fun of all writing software to make something out of nothing.
Available now! Hello Computer
Hello Computer’ is a story of a working-class girl who begins a life-long love affair with technology after seeing a computer for the first time in 1967.
A story of ambition, passion and programming, inspirational for future generations of women and girls in STEM.
Disclaimer: This work depicts actual events in the life of the author as truthfully as recollection permits and/or can be verified by research. Occasionally, dialogue consistent with the character or nature of the person speaking has been supplemented. The names of some individuals have been changed to respect their privacy. Where names have been used they are already in the public domain and links to them or their works is cited.
2023.
The Future
My fascination with new technologies continues especially as interest in Artificial Intelligence is booming. It like the early days of the internet, I worry that there is not enough understanding of how algorithms and programs come about and too much trust in AI. A whole new technological revolution is unfolding before us together with its implications to people and the environment.
