Happy Ada Lovelace Day! On October 13, 2015, we’ll celebrate Ada Lovelace Day, an annual event recognizing achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and math.
This year, we’re taking up the challenge issued by the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA): to celebrate Lovelace through the vast DPLA digital collections available. Many notable scientists that were graduates or faculty members from Vassar College have materials throughout the United States, and quite a lot of material can be found through DPLA (http://dp.la). Inspired by Vassar’s mission, we want to use this year’s Ada Lovelace Day to highlight three of the many Vassar scientists that believed strongly in using science for the public good: Ellen Swallow Richards (VC 1873), Marian Elliott Koshland (VC 1942), and Ellen Kovner Silbergeld (VC 1967).
Want to know more about some of the many alumnae/i who chose careers in science? Our guide to Vassar scientists (http://libguides.vassar.edu/content.php?pid=661952&sid=5482307) provides a wonderful starting point. The DPLA has links to the personal, scientific, and professional papers of many of these scientists, including computer scientist Grace Murray Hopper, astronomer Caroline Furness, and anthropologist Ruth Benedict (whose personal papers are at Vassar College).
Wishing you a happy Ada Lovelace Day and best wishes for a wonderful semester for the arts, sciences, and social sciences alike!