Grace Hopper by jenmalone411

Grace Brewster Murray

jenmalone411 — 2014-04-15 19:43:38 UTC

born December 9, 1906 in New York City. She was the oldest of three children. She married in 1930 to Vincent Foster Hopper but divorced in 1945. She kept his surname.

Captain Hopper

jenmalone411 — 2014-04-15 19:43:42 UTC

Grace fought to enlist in the Navy in 1944. She was told she was too thin and too old at age 34. But she knew it was her duty.

She retired twice: once in 1966 and again in 1971, but was always called back to active service for her invaluable computer knowledge. She was instrumental in developing and using COBOL (COmmon Business-Oriented Language). In other words, how computers "talk". It is still in use to this day.

Early school

jenmalone411 — 2014-04-15 19:52:16 UTC

Grace was always interested in how htings worked, even taking apart her alarm clock. She attended Hartridge School in NJ before attending Vassar . Originally, she was rejected for her low grades in Latin.

Grace graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Vassar College in 1928 with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and physics.

She came back here to teach math in 1931 and was promoted to associate professor in 1941.

Yale University

jenmalone411 — 2014-04-15 19:55:35 UTC

She then went on to attend Yale, earning her masters degree in 1930 and a Ph.D. in mathematics in 1934.

Mark 1 Computers

jenmalone411 — 2014-04-15 19:59:45 UTC

These are the types of computers Grace Hopper worked with. They were in use at Harvard till 1959 for military use. Many people thought computers could only do arthimetic. Grace knew better...

Grace Hopper died January 1, 1992

jenmalone411 — 2014-04-15 20:08:19 UTC

She is buried in Arlington National Cemetery

Ever wonder where the term "debugging" comes from?

jenmalone411 — 2014-04-15 20:11:43 UTC

Thank Grace Hopper! However, at the time this term literally meant 

getting a bug, such as a moth, out of these mammoth computers!!! Here are her actual notes about it. This

image found via http://cs.calvin.edu/p/GraceHopper.

Howard Aiken

jenmalone411 — 2014-04-15 20:23:20 UTC

At Harvard, she worked with Dr. Aiken, the original concept designer of the Mark 1 computer.

references

jenmalone411 — 2014-04-15 20:24:07 UTC

http://www.famous-mathematicians.com/grace-murray-hopper/

http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/hopper.htm

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-h/g-hoppr.htm

USS Hopper

jenmalone411 — 2014-04-15 20:29:38 UTC

Grace has a warship named after her! If it wasn't for her work on computer programming, these missiles would not be able to launch.

National Medal of Technology

jenmalone411 — 2014-04-15 20:38:17 UTC

Amongst many other awards, Grace received this one in 1991 for her work on computers. This is given to American innovators by the President of the United States.