Founded by journalist and software activist Suw Charman-Anderson in 2009, Ada Lovelace Day is celebrated on the second Tuesday of October every year.
The aim is to recognise the achievements of women in STEM, as well as to highlight key issues, such as the shortage of women, in these fields.
Ada Lovelace was a British mathematician and writer, who is often described as the world’s first computer programmer.
She studied science and mathematics and went on to work with mathematician Charles Babbage on his Analytical Engine, a predecessor to today’s computer systems, which was a device designed to solve mathematical problems.
It happened at a time when women had limited access to study STEM subjects. In honour of Ada Lovelace Day, here are ten women in technology that influencing the landscape today.
1. Sarah Wood, co-founder and COO, Unruly Media
Sarah Wood co-founded Unruly Media, a video advertising technology business, with university her friend, Matt Cooke. Last year the company was acquired by News Corp for £58m.
Unruly uses emotional audience data and user-friendly video formats to boost viewer engagement, brand performance and publisher revenues across the web.
Wood is now an associate lecturer at the University of Cambridge. She lectures on devising and delivering the Creation, Consumption, Revolution: Online Video Culture module as part of the screen cultures MPhil course.
2. Maggie Philbin, CEO, TeenTech
Maggie Philbin co-founded TeenTech to help young people, their parents and teachers to better understand the real opportunities available in science and technology.
Philbin has had an extensive radio and television career, including working with the BBC on Tomorrow’s world and Bang Goes the Theory. She has also worked with ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. She is president of the Institute of Engineering Designers.
3. Emma McGuigan, managing director, Accenture’s UK and Ireland technology group
Emma McGuigan heads up Accenture’s UK and Ireland technology operations, after joining the company in 1994.
She oversees the company’s work with Stemettes – a charity dedicated to increasing the number of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers.
McGuigan is a board member of industry body, TechUK, as well as treasurer of the Orchid Project.
4. Sherry Coutu, founder of Founders4Schools and angel investor
Sherry Coutu is one of Britain’s most successful angel investors, having made direct angel investments in more than 50 companies. She also holds investments in three venture capital firms.
With decades of experience in technology and education, she advises and serves on the boards of organisations and institutions including the London Stock Exchange, Cambridge University, LinkedIn, Raspberry Pi and Care.com.
Coutu is the executive chair and founder of Founders4Schools. She also serves as ambassador for London and the YourLife Campaign.
5. Eileen Burbidge, chair of Tech City; partner, Passion Capital
One of London’s most influential venture capitalists, Eileen Burbidge is a partner at Passion Capital, the London-based VC firm she launched with Stefan Glaenzer and Robert Dighero.
Burbidge is the special envoy for financial technology (fintech) for HM Treasury, as well as the chair for Tech City UK. She is also a member of the prime minister’s business advisory group.
6. Anne-Marie Imafidon, founder, Stemettes
Anne-Marie Imafidon is the founder of Stemettes, which aims to inspire the next generation of women into science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Imafidon started her career in IT as a business analyst intern and web designer before becoming an enterprise collaboration strategist at Deutsche Bank. She is a board member at Inspirational You, a fellow of the RSA and director at Avisami.
7. Chi Onwurah, shadow digital economy minister, Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central
Chi Onwurah is the shadow minister for culture and digital economy. She was first elected as MP for Newcastle upon Tyne at the 2010 general election. In her time in office she has led Labour’s pre-election review of digital government policy.
Onwurah is a chartered engineer and former head of telecoms technology at UK telecoms regulator Ofcom. She is co-chair of the Parliamentary ICT forum.
8. Susan Cooklin, CIO and route services director, Network Rail
Cooklin was appointed as Network Rail’s route services director in January 2016, to oversee the supply of services to each of Network Rail’s eight routes.
She became CIO and director of shared services at the organisation in 2009. Her 20-year career has seen her work in financial services and technology firms.
Last year she launched Could IT Be You? – a competition for girls aged between 16 and 18, which gives them a chance to receive first-year university fees sponsorship from Network Rail.
9. Melissa Di Donato, area vice-president, Wave Analytics Cloud, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Salesforce.com
As area vice-president of Wave Analytics Cloud at Salesforce, Melissa Di Donato work with startups, developers and entrepreneurs to move their operations on to cloud computing.
She previously chaired a European ISV Advisory Innovation Board and has been board member and adviser to various technology companies in the UK and in Silicon Valley.
Di Donato is currently chair of the 30 per cent Club’s technology group. She is spearheading STEM initiatives and campaigns to get more females working in the sector.
10. Hannah Dee, senior lecturer in computer science, Aberystwyth University
Hannah Dee created the BCSWomen Lovelace Colloquium – a one-day conference for female undergraduates.
Dee also conducts research on computer vision and helps to run a weekly after-school robotics club, as well as day workshops in robot programming and app development for kids aged six to 16.
She has been on the committee of BCSWomen, the Chartered Institute for IT’s group for women, for nearly 10 years.
