Who was Ada Lovelace, and how are her life and contributions significant today? Lady Ada, the daughter of British poet Lord Byron, was a 19th century woman of many talents but with a particular leaning towards mathematics. She is commonly regarded as the world’s first programmer based on her work with Charles Babbage on his Analytical Engine. Her choice to study and specialize in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines was highly exceptional for a woman in 19th century England, but she had an excellent role model in her mother, Anne Isabella (Milbanke) Byron. Lady Byron was herself a woman of high intellect with a passion for mathematics – Lord Byron called her the “Princess of Parallelograms” – and she strongly encouraged Ada in her studies.
Ada’s seminal work in computing was honored by the United States Department of Defense through its choice of the name “Ada” in 1979 for its common high-order computer programming language. This language, with its focus on software engineering, is a fitting tribute to her accomplishments.
