Women in Math Day: The Women Behind Early Computing
- Date
- 21 May 2026, 15:15–16:30
- Location
- Ångström Laboratory, Sonja Lyttkens, 101121
- Type
- Briefing
- Organiser
- Matematiska institutionen
- Contact person
- Anna Sakovich
We mark Women in Math Day with a film screening and panel discussion highlighting the women who helped shape the foundations of modern computing.
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Programmers Betty Jean Jennings (left) and Fran Bilas (right) operating ENIAC's main control panel at the Moore School of Electrical Engineering, c. 1945 (U.S. Army photo from the archives of the ARL Technical Library)
Join us for an afternoon highlighting the often overlooked women who played a crucial role in the early history of computing. We will screen "The Computers", an episode from the documentary series Great Unsung Women of Computing (USA, 2016), which tells the story of the women who worked on the ENIAC in the 1940s.
Recruited for their strong mathematical skills, these women translated complex problems into instructions the machine could execute—laying the groundwork for what would later become programming.
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion on career paths in applied mathematics, professional experiences, and perspectives on working as a woman in the field.
Participants:
- Eleonora Svanberg, PhD in Theoretical Physics, Oxford University
Influencer and co-founder of Girls in STEM - Lina von Sydow, Professor of Computational Science and Section Dean (panellist)
- Robin Hollifeldt, PhD student at the Department of Information Technology (panellist)
- Taisiia Morozova, Postdoctoral researcher in Systems Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Chalmers University
- Ebba Brunvall, Bachelor’s student in Mathematics and Equal Opportunities Administrative Assistant at the Department of Mathematics (moderator)
We conclude with refreshments and the opportunity for further conversation.
Programme
15:15–15:35 Refreshments
15:35–15:40 Introduction
15:40–16:00 Film screening ("The Computers" – see trailer)
16:00–16:30 Panel discussion
About Women in Math Day
International Women in Mathematics Day has been celebrated annually since 2019. The exact date is May 12, the birthday of Maryam Mirzakhani. The aim of the day is to inspire and highlight women in mathematics and to promote openness and inclusion.