Famous Female Engineers
Most famous female engineers that you’ll likely hear of or have read of in books due to their contribution to the world of engineering and and science generally which has in turn made the world a better place, are listed here with their contribution and field of engineering these female engineers were professionally into.
From inception, when engineering profession was introduced, it was believed to be a job profession for the male gender only due to the fact engineering is a more physical field than most other fields of science and technology.
As times goes by, the profession took a drastic turn when history began to have records of the female gender that showed interest in the profession. Let I not amaze you that these women did so much and had so much influence in the profession. See some math trivia questions.
This gradually put an end to the belief that there is what women cannot do and the ones they can only do. Yea! The world has changed. Here is the list of famous women in the engineering profession from history to the now.
- Edith Clarke
Edith was born in 1883 and after she graduated, one of her first invention was the Clarke calculator used for graphical electrical properties. She was the first female engineer in history and was an award winning personality. No wonder, the American Institute of Electrical Engineers awarded her the Best Regional Prize and the best National Paper Prize.
She was also the first female professor of electrical engineering in America.
- Ellen Ochoa
She is an American Astronaut, she began her research engineer in 1998 and in the 1990 she was among the 4 selected to become an astronaut. Dr. Ellen Ochoa became the first Hispanic female to reach the space.
As a gifted inventor, she and few others developed three patents on optical equipment that has a better quality images and more precise information when used in space.
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- Katherine Burr Blodgett
One of her achievement was that, she was the first female to bag a Ph.D. in physics from Cambridge University. From her various inventions, she advanced glass lens technology thereby revolutionizing everything from glasses to telescope and even the cameras on your mobile phones.
- Patricia Bath
She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Hunter College, attended medical school and interned at Harlem Hospital. She was one of the groups that performed the first eye surgery in Harlem Hospital in 1969.
She immensely helps to develop cutting edge technology in the treatment and removal of cataracts. Never to amaze you that she is the first African American doctor to receive a medical patient. See some science trivia questions.
- Hedy Lamarr
She was born in 1914 and got married her husband Friedrich Fritz in 1933. She fled her marriage and left for London not long after she got married because her husband always see her as a wife to be seen but never heard.
Hedy Lamarr’s achievements include improvements to plane aerodynamics and also frequency hopping invention even though she was a Movie Diva. Thanks to her, the world could boast of Wireless communication today.
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- Marissa Mayer
Marisa Mayer is an American software engineer who studied at Stanford University for her bachelor’s degree in Symbolic System and further to get her Master’s degree in computer science. She is one of the most famous female worth mentioning in Science and Technology.
She was the first female engineer to join Google and became the CEO of Yahoo.
- Emily Warren Roebling
She was one of the unique engineers whose impact in engineering should be over emphasized.
She was an honorary engineer because she did not have the formal education which certifies her as a professional Engineer. She got married to her husband John Roebling who was an engineer. Her husband at that time designed the Brooklyn Bridge which made her a frequent at the construction site. Emily and her husband after been appointed as the chief engineer, took a course in underwater construction practice and not long after, her husband fell ill and became bedridden.
She managed all daily operations at the construction with an outstanding skill and construction of the Brooklyn was successful and she made a first journey across the bridge in a carriage.
You’ve learnt about some of the most famous and wonder female engineers that changed the world and help shape the world of engineering with their inventions, contributions and knowledge generally. We’ll be looking at some of the most frequently asked questions about famous female engineers.
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FAQ
- Which engineering field is best for females?
While all engineering fields are good for females who have zeal and interest of going into engineering, there are some engineering fields that do not require much physical strength, those fields of engineering could be considered to be best for females. The engineering fields best for females are:
- Biotech or Bioengineering.
- Electrical Engineering.
- Chemical Engineering
- Computer Science and IT.
- Electronics and Communication Engineering.
- Who was the first female engineer?
Elizabeth Bragg was the first female engineer, she’s the first woman to receive a bachelor’s degree in engineering, she did so in 1876, in the University of California.
- What percentage of engineers are female?
13 percent of engineers are female, this is according to a research done in the year 2018.
- Which country has the most female engineers?
As of 2017 Canada has the most female engineers in the world followed closely by the US and the UK.
- How many girls are engineers?
About 13 percent of all engineers are female, this is according to a research done in the year 2018.
- Can females be engineers?
Yes, females can be engineers otherwise you won’t be reading this article right now because it is basically celebrating the best and most popular of all female engineers.
- What percentage of engineers are female UK?
12 percent of all engineers in the UK are females.
