Centre for Computing History

Suw Charman-Anderson talks about why she set up Ada Lovelace Day and some of the other women who have made outstanding contributions to computer science. With time for questions from the audience at the end. 6:30-8pm - Doors open at 6pm Suw Charman-Anderson is the founder of Ada Lovelace Day, an international celebration of the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths. Each year, ALD hosts a flagship science cabaret event in London, whilst around the world independent groups put…

Our Ada Lovelace Day evening event. Ada Lovelace wrote the world’s first complex algorithm in 1843 and was then written out of history. This performance tells her story using an LED dress which she operates – live on stage – using her wearable tech satin glove. Ada.Ada.Ada exists to help people, especially girls and women, engage with technology and stem as a career. A talk precedes the performance to explain why everyone should get involved with computers to help create our future! Join us for this…

HIDDEN FIGURES is the hitherto untold tale that reorients our view of the space race of the 1960s by telling the stories of 3 brilliant African-American mathematicians at NASA (Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson) who serve as the brains behind a stunning achievement that galvanised the world but who were then written out of history. This is the incredible story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe), a visionary trio who crossed all gender and race…

Jean Bacon was the first woman to be appointed to a Lectureship in the Computer Laboratory at the University of Cambridge in 1985. She is now Professor Emerita of Distributed Systems at the Computer Laboratory where she co-headed the Opera Research Group from its founding in the 1990s. Don't miss this chance to hear Jean Bacon discuss her career with Dr Valerie Lynch, who began her own career as a programmer / analyst with British Telecom in the 1970s. Time:…

Ada Lovelace is widely celebrated as "the first programmer”, the “enchantress of numbers” whose unique “poetical science” enabled her to make startling predictions about modern computing in a famous 1843 paper about Charles Babbage’s proposed analytical engine. In this talk, Professor Ursula Martin (CBE FRSE, University of Oxford) will separate fact from myth, talk about what the famous paper actually says, and look at Lovelace as a member of a dynamic community of nineteenth century British scientists. In particular, she will…

Her Story is an interactive exhibition celebrating women who live, breathe and work computing and tech. The focus is on celebrating women who work or have worked in technology through the stories that they can tell. The festival will include an interactive exhibition (included in standard museum admission price) as well as a series of events for the public, for schools and for teachers (various prices - see website for details).

Please dust down your neurones and join us at the Centre for Computing History on 9th October for an evening of networking and STEM based trivia. Doors open at 6.30, quiz starts at 7.00. Play in teams from 2-10 people (we can help you find a team on the night if you want). Roam the CCH looking for answers and getting your hands dirty with games and computers you probably haven't seen for years. This event is supported by the…

Give IT a Go: is it as easy as it sounds? is our 2018 panel debate on women and computing, chaired by Suw Charman-Anderson, founder of Ada Lovelace Day. Can women get in, stay in and get back in to careers in tech? Bring your stories on careers in tech (broadly defined, not just computing!) and join us in this lively debate to help us work out how women can survive and succeed in this field. Panellists include Anne Clarke (former Chair of Cambridge AWISE, Anne…

There seems to be a well documented and growing gender gap in technology and STEM subjects in schools and universities on a background of a recognised STEM skills shortage in the UK. But what is going here? Are there wider issues around gendered classrooms, gendered school activities, gendered language and are these all contributing to turning girls away from STEM? Get together with other teachers to discuss and unpick the issues and share good practice in encouraging girls into tech…

Part of our Women in Computing Festival 2018: Her Story What do the most beautiful actress of the 1930s and 40s and the inventor whose concepts were the basis of cell phone and bluetooth technology have in common? They are both Hedy Lamarr, the Hollywood icon who was the inspiration for Snow White and Cat Woman and a technological trailblazer who perfected a secure radio guidance system for Allied torpedoes during WWII. Weaving interviews and clips with never-before-heard audio tapes of Hedy speaking on the…

Two days of fast-paced, all-day activities perfect for KS3 students, our Ada Lovelace Day events for schools encourage girls and boys to engage with technology and STEM. Ada Lovelace wrote the world’s first complex algorithm in 1843 and was then written out of history until recently. Her story explains why everyone should get involved with computers to help create our future! The day starts with a series of 3 activities in small groups in the morning: a Women in Computing Tour…