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Ada Lovelace was an English mathematician and writer. She is often referred to as "the first programmer", due to the way she aided in revolutionizing the trajectory of the computer industry. She was the first person to recognize that computers had a much larger potential than mathematical calculation.
Though it was unusual for young women at the time, Ada had a sharp mind, allowing her to analyze language and numbers, and thus she studied mathematics. She hypothesized that programming could work with other things besides numbers. The idea of a machine that could manipulate symbols according to rules marked the important transition from calculation to computation. Thanks to Lovelace's insights, computers have developed over time in ways previously not considered possible.
Her contributions to technology were unknown until a century after her death. October 2nd each year is now known as Ada Lovelace Day, where the contributions of women to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are honored.
