Celebrate Ada Lovelace -- and all women in STEM

     The second Tuesday in October -- this year, Tuesday, October 10 -- is Ada Lovelace Day..  Details of the celebration planned by The Royal Institution of Science are available here at this link.  A careful biography of this pioneering female mathematician -- Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) -- is available here.

"Ada Lovelace Day (ALD) is an international celebration of the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). It aims to increase the profile of women in STEM and, in doing so, create new role models who will encourage more girls into STEM careers and support women already working in STEM."  Quote from https://findingada.com/.

Although her father, poet Lord Byron, had no interest in mathematics, Ada's mother, Lady Byron, was supportive as was astronomer-mathematician Mary Somerville (1780-1872) -- who became a longtime friend and math-encourager. (Lots more details of Lovelace's math-life are available here at the St Andrews Math-History website and her pioneering work with the Analytical Engine is featured here.)

      Below is a poem by Twitter poet Brian Bilston (@brian_bilston) that celebrates Ada Lovelace.

          The Enchantress of Numbers       by Brian Bilston

          She conjures numbers in the night;

          they bow and dance before their queen,

          who labours hard by candle-light

          at work the world has not yet seen.

          She brings the future into sight

          and contemplates the new machine.

          The digits fall beneath her spell,

          no less in beauty than an ode;

          her father's child, she knows so well

          imagination's open road.

          It leads where only time will tell,

          this magic trail she lays with code.

Previous mentions of Ada Lovelace in the blog may be found at this link -- and previous mentions of  Brian Bilston are found here.