Ada lovelace, a role model for the ages

Ada Lovelace Day celebrates women in STEM careers, but also raises awareness of the challenges that women have faced in science, as well as the importance of female role models in STEM. More

than seventy years before the invention of airplanes, twelve-year-old Ada Lovelace dreamed of a world where she could fly, leading her to observe birds, investigate different materials that

could be used as wings, and eventually write a guide called _Flyology_. Her curiosity and imagination, though, did not stop there. A mathematician and a writer, she met inventor Charles

Babbage at the age of seventeen when he was working on a machine called the Analytical Engine, which was a precursor to the modern computer. Fascinated by it, Lovelace translated a paper on

this machine, wherein her notes were three times the length of the original study. Lovelace’s insights into the potential of the machine went beyond mere calculations, as she envisioned its

ability to compute any form of information that could be represented with numbers and operations1. The algorithm that she designed for the Analytical Engine to calculate Bernoulli numbers

using a recursive mechanism is what makes her recognized as the world’s first computer programmer1. Lovelace’s contributions to the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)

fields do not end there, and her theories about the capabilities of the Analytical Engine are still relevant to this day. In her notes, she argued that “the Analytical Engine has no

pretensions whatever to originate anything” and that “it can do whatever we know how to order it to perform”1. This assertion remains relevant in the present day as artificial intelligence

(AI) continues to gain prevalence in our daily routines. The Lovelace Test was proposed by Selmer Bringsjord, Paul Bello and David Ferrucci2 to validate her theory that computers will only

have ‘minds’ once they can create something original and independent of human input. With her sharp insights into the potential of computing devices, she was able to envision a challenge

that has not yet been met these days. Her groundbreaking achievements, however, went largely unrecognized during her lifetime, mirroring the unfortunate experiences that women in STEM fields

have faced throughout history. A number of historians have also raised questions about the extent and significance of her work, giving scathing interpretations of her expertise3. Lovelace’s

story exemplifies how deeply ingrained stereotypes and biases can hinder recognition of women’s contributions to STEM, as her work was overshadowed by Babbage’s reputation. More than two

centuries have passed since Lovelace’s time, and Katie Bouman — the researcher who led the development of the algorithm that generated the first ever image of the black hole — received

similar criticism, with some people questioning the extent of her contributions4. Clearly, the situation for women in STEM still has a long way to go before we can achieve complete equality.

A major takeaway from Lovelace’s story is the need to provide education and opportunities to girls at a young age. Daughter of a renowned poet and an educational reformist, she had access

to advanced mathematics education at a time when girls were denied even basic schooling. Statistics have shown that women are underrepresented in STEM, a trend that is seen across different

fields. This is also a consequence of the leaky pipeline, a phenomenon where the proportion of women decreases with each career level5. The gender gap in STEM fields is a persistent issue

that hampers progress and limits diverse perspectives. Stereotypes, bias, and a lack of representation continue to dissuade young girls and women from pursuing careers in STEM. There have

been multiple initiatives to help get more women in STEM fields, such as Girls Who Code and Bioinfo4Women. Nevertheless, a major challenge to accomplish this task is providing mentorship to

young girls who need to see women in leadership roles, as studies have shown that women are more inspired by outstanding females than male role models6,7. It was with this goal in mind that

Ada Lovelace Day was conceived. Celebrated on the second Tuesday of October since 2009, Ada Lovelace Day is a platform for celebrating the achievements of women in STEM fields and for

encouraging young girls to pursue careers in these disciplines. It prompts us to reflect on the progress made towards gender equality in science and technology, as well as the work that

still needs to be done. Lovelace’s story stands as a symbol of the gender gap in STEM fields, while also representing the immense potential that lies within women in these areas. It is

crucial that we continue to recognize and highlight the achievements of women like Lovelace, who defied societal norms and made invaluable contributions to the fields of science and

technology. To celebrate Ada Lovelace Day, we at _Nature Computational Science_ talked to some (of the many) female researchers about their work, gender disparity in STEM, and the steps we

can take to overcome these challenges. We welcome you to explore these conversations in our Special issue that celebrates women in STEM. Closing the gender gap in STEM is not just a matter

of fairness; it is essential for creating a better future. By embracing diversity and promoting gender equality, we can unlock untapped potential and drive innovation. The breakthroughs and

discoveries of tomorrow will depend on the creativity and collaboration of people from all backgrounds. REFERENCES * Aiello, L. C. _Artif. Intell._ 235, 58–62 (2016). Article  MathSciNet 

Google Scholar  * Bringsjord, S., Bello, P. & Ferrucci, D. In _The Turing Test: The Elusive Standard of Artificial Intelligence_ (ed. Moor, J. H.) 215–239 (Springer, 2003). * Hollings,

C., Martin, U. & Rice, A. _BSHM Bull.: J. Brit. Soc. Hist. Math._ 32, 221–234 (2017). Article  Google Scholar  * Filipovic, J. The misogynist trolls attacking Katie Bouman are the tip of

the trashpile. _The Guardian_ (17 April 2019); https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/17/katie-bouman-black-hole-image-online-trolls * Clark Blickenstaff, J. _Gend. Educ._ 17,

369–386 (2005). Article  Google Scholar  * Lockwood, P. _Psychol. Women Q._ 30, 36–46 (2006). Article  Google Scholar  * González-Pérez, S., Mateos de Cabo, R. & Sáinz, M. _Front.

Psychol._ 11, 2204 (2020). Article  Google Scholar  Download references RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Ada Lovelace, a role model for

the ages. _Nat Comput Sci_ 3, 807 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43588-023-00541-z Download citation * Published: 10 October 2023 * Issue Date: October 2023 * DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1038/s43588-023-00541-z SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is not

currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative