Tuesday, October 8 2024 is Ada Lovelace day. A time to remember the mathematical and computer programming prowess of Ada Lovelace – before computers had been invented. And a day to recognise the contribution of women in the STEM sectors of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

So who was Ada Lovelace?

Born in 1815 at a time when most girls receiving formal education were excluded from maths and science Ada’s mother insisted she was schooled in those subjects. Aged 17 she met mathematician Charles Babbage who had invented the mechanical calculator.

Babbage commissioned Lovelace to translate an article about his calculator. Ada took her commission a stage further and developed a theory that the calculator could translate text, music and images into digital format.

She also created an algorithm showing how the mechanical calculator / analytical engine could create Bernoulli numbers.

Her theory was published in 1843 but it was only a century later that her work was recognised as the first computer algorithm and Lovelace became recognised as the first computer programmer.

The photos show some of the women of The Information Factory, at work and play. We stand on the shoulders of giants.