Computer science was originally female-invented and remained female-dominated until the 1960s. While a man may have stepped on the moon, it was a woman who calculated how to get him there.
We often hear about the father of the web, but few know about the mother of the internet—she invented the Spanning Tree Protocol, an essential technology that keeps our networks running, unnoticed until it fails.
Back in the 1990’s, during my gap year, I had the opportunity to work with Sophie Wilson, the mind behind the RISC chip found in every modern phone.
When I began teaching Computer Science, I knew girls were more than capable of excelling in the field.
Yet, at Garden, my first class was entirely male—just three students. I had my work cut out. Teaching is about building relationships and creating engaging contexts, like using Minecraft to spark interest. Some students are drawn to puzzles, but computing is ultimately about solving problems and improving lives.
Both genders can achieve remarkable success, and my female students have gone on to University of Cambridge, University of California, Berkeley, University of St Andrews, Imperial College London & Carnegie Mellon University. Today, their voices shape our digital world. And in case you’re wondering—our A-level program is now two classes, with a perfect 50/50 male-female split!
Next week, we have Girls in Code SE Asia and I hope your female coders (aged 12-18) will join us:
https://sites.google.com/gardenschool.edu.my/girlsincode/
