Oct 07, 2011 - Claremont, Calif. -

Harvey Mudd College’s female faculty reflected today on the women who inspired them and several shared their stories in honor of Ada Lovelace Day, an international celebration of the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

HMC President Maria Klawe honored Anita Borg, founder of the Institute for Women and Technology, who was known for her ability to motivate and move women to embrace technology, not fear it.

“Anita Borg is one of my heroes because she recognized that having more females working in technology would significantly improve the technology that got created,” Klawe said. “Diverse teams are better problem solvers and designers.”

Talithia Williams, assistant professor of mathematics, remembered Etta Falconer as her female STEM role model. “She was among the first cohort of African American women to get doctorates in mathematics, and she spent her life encouraging others to do the same,” said Williams. “She always wanted me to find balance in life.”

Engineering and biology Professor Liz Orwin shared how her Ph.D. advisor, Dr. Allison Hubel, made the impossible seem possible. “She just never let anyone diminish her contributions due to her gender or anything else, and powered her way through a high-powered career while raising a family,” Orwin said.

Lisette de Pillis, HMC Global Clinic director and mathematics professor, credited her middle school math teacher, Georgia Huling, with having tremendous impact on her career trajectory. “I came into her seventh-grade class convinced that I didn’t like math,” said de Pillis. “She somehow recognized ability in me, and pushed me to do more challenging mathematics—she even gave me curriculum different from the rest of the class. She signed me up for math competitions (which I won, to my amazement) and got me enrolled in math at the nearby high school during my eighth-grade year."

Associate Professor of Computer Science Christine Alvarado fondly recalled the positive influence of Manuela Veloso, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University. "Her work inspired me when I was just getting into the field of Artificial Intelligence, and she was a warm and supportive host when I interviewed for a faculty position at Carnegie Mellon," said Alvarado.

Similar female mentors abound at Harvey Mudd College, a campus where female faculty work closely with students in the classroom and on many undergraduate research projects. In fact, with more than a third of HMC’s female students pursuing computer science majors, it’s a place that may well have delighted Ada Lovelace herself. 

Often referred to as the world’s first computer programmer, Lovelace was the offspring of poet Lord Byron. At age 19, she married William King, the Earl of Lovelace and later became known as Ada Lovelace. Trained in science, logic and mathematics during her childhood years, Lovelace mentored under scientist and polymath Mary Sommerville, who introduced her to Charles Babbage, a mathematics professor working on a device that had the essential elements of a modern computer. While working with Babbage, Lovelace developed several early “computer programs,” which were the first to be published, earning her the title of the world’s “first computer programmer.” Lovelace died at age 36 of cancer.

Ada Lovelace Day was inspired by the work of psychologist Penelope Lockwood, who found that women need to see female role models to overcome traditional gender barriers. The first celebration was held on March 24, 2009 and had nearly 2,000 participants. It is now celebrated each year on October 7.

Harvey Mudd College is a national leader in undergraduate education in engineering, science and mathematics, with a strong emphasis on humanities and the social sciences. The college’s mission is to produce citizens sensitive to the impact of their work on society. HMC's undergraduate women and men do world-class research alongside outstanding faculty, understand societal relevance, achieve excellence and develop leadership skills to benefit an increasingly technological world. HMC's educational outreach programs to K-12 institutions help encourage interest in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields and increase the pool of future engineers and scientists from groups that are traditionally underrepresented.