Kimberly Blessing is a computer scientist, a Web developer, a standards evangelist, a feminist, and a geek. This is where she writes about life, technology, women's issues, and whatever else comes to mind.
Posted December 8, 2007 at 10:21 AM | Tagged as: People I Admire | Comments Off
It’s been 27 years since John Lennon’s death. 27 years! It’s hard to believe, because I can recall hearing the news of his death like it happened yesterday; yet I’ve been to plenty of vigils in Central Park to prove that it’s true.
Each year it hits me hard… sometimes it’s when I’m at home in the shower getting ready for my day, sometimes it’s in the car… this year it’s been on my mind for the past few days. It’s been so long and yet our world is still so (and increasingly more) violent. For all that John did for the world, don’t we owe him? Can’t we realize his final wish?
And then there’s Yoko Ono Lennon, ever the tower of strength and spokesperson for a peaceful world. She’s posted a very moving letter to John over at IMAGINE PEACE (the focal point of an online peace demonstration that started back on October 9). Here’s the end of the letter:
Let’s not waste the lives of those we have lost. Let’s, together, make the world a place of love and joy and not a place of fear and anger. This day of John’s passing has become more and more important for so many people around the world as the day to remember his message of Peace and Love and to do what each of us can to work on healing this planet we cherish.
Let’s: Think Peace, Act Peace, and Spread Peace. John worked for it all his life.
He said, “there’s no problem, only solutions.” Remember, we are all together.
We can do it, we must. I love you!
This video was just too good to be left in my sidebar; the sheer fact that it exists mandated a full entry for it and its hilarity makes watching it a moral imperative.
Watch as a young(er) David Letterman is upstaged by Grace Hopper, not long after her retirement in 1986. My favorite part? Dave asks, “How did you know so much about computers then?” and Grace replies, “I didn’t. It was the first one!”
Delivered by Frances E. Allen, recipient of ACM’s 2006 A. M. Turing Award, the presentation calls for software systems designers to develop new tools that can improve the performance of computer software.
Allen, the first woman to win the Turing Award, issued the challenge in her Turing Award Lecture, delivered in June at the 2007 FCRC Conference in San Diego, CA.
Ms. Allen received the 2006 A.M. Turing Award for “pioneering contributions to the theory and practice of optimizing compiler techniques that laid the foundation for modern optimizing compilers and automatic parallel execution.” In her Turing Award Lecture presentation, she warns that computer software capabilities have fallen far behind the capabilities of computer hardware, and proposes several approaches to boost the performance of software in the face of the new hardware developments.
While I was dealing with all sorts of travel problems this past weekend, Telle Whitney was in San Diego to see Fran Allen receive the Turing Award. I hope Telle took pictures, because the ACM still hasn’t learned to use online social networking tools to quickly distribute the media that its members want to see…
However, while I was looking around for photos or video from the awards banquet, I found this Congressional resolution, passed by the House of Representatives on May 1 (how’d I miss this?), which honors:
…the pioneering life work of Frances Allen in computer research and development and salutes the Turing Award Committee for recognizing, through the selection of Frances Allen, that creative women have contributed mightily to the development of this important field.
I’m not sure what made me tear up more: Fran receiving such recognition or the acknowledgment that women have made great contributions to computer science.
ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, has named Frances E. Allen the recipient of the 2006 A.M. Turing Award for contributions that fundamentally improved the performance of computer programs in solving problems, and accelerated the use of high performance computing. This award marks the first time that a woman has received this honor. The Turing Award, first presented in 1966, and named for British mathematician Alan M. Turing, is widely considered the “Nobel Prize in Computing.” It carries a $100,000 prize, with financial support provided by Intel Corporation.
Over at USA Today, Kevin Maney has a great article on Fran. He tells her story and comments on the lack of women in technology fields at the same time.
Maney writes, “Allen, now retired from IBM Research, started in computing in 1957 — a time when tech companies, believe it or not, seemed like wide-open and exciting places for women to build careers.” This echoes the sentiments expressed to me by Milly Koss last year, when she told me the story of how she was hired by Eckert-Mauchley just after getting engaged (typically a death knoll for a woman trying to start a career in the 50’s).
I love how Maney confronts the hype around girls and women not being suited for math and science — head on. “First of all, it’s ridiculous to suggest that girls are less predisposed to math and science. Allen is not a freak of nature. Instead, something happened to the technology profession — and to public attitudes about it — to scare off girls.” I couldn’t agree more.
I remember first learning about Fran Allen, back when I was an undergrad. (Deepak encouraged us to learn about the history of computer science and, in particular, about the role of women in its history.) Ever since, she’s been a role model to me, and I know she’s been a role model and mentor to many other women as well. I’m so excited for her to receive this award, not only because it acknowledges her valuable contributions and dedication to the field, but also because it will make her story better known to scores of people (especially young women) considering a career in computing.
Speaking at An Event Apart Boston, June 23-24, 2008 (Get $50 off with code AEABLESS!)
Latest Links
WorldWide Telescope Microsoft Research's tool for exploring the night sky is now available for download.
Intelligence And Rhythmic Accuracy Go Hand In Hand People who score high on intelligence tests are also good at keeping time. Researchers suspect that accuracy in timing is important to the brain processes responsible for problem solving and reasoning.
Average Web Page Size Triples Since 2003 Within the last five years, the size of the average web page has more than tripled, and the number of external objects has nearly doubled.
