Known for being one of the first programmers. Ada liked to call herself a ‘poetical scientist’. Was it the merge of her interests towards mathematics (very much encouraged by her mother) and artistic genes inherited from her father? I’d guess so.
Ada was born on 10th December 1815. She was the daughter of George Byron – the poet – and his wife, Annabella Byron. Although the famous father abandoned his family shortly after Ada was born, she felt connected to him and requested to be buried along his side.
Lovelace is not a surname. Her given name was Augusta Byron (was called ‘Ada’ by her father), after marrying William King who 3 years later became Earl of Lovelace (1838), Ada got the title Countess of Lovelace.
Her interest in computing began when she was still a teenager through friendship with Charles Babbage (aka ‘the father of computers’) whose work on Analytical Engine Ada found interesting. Later she translated an article by Luigi Menabrea on the calculating engine, added notes of her own – and this is considered by many as the first computer program. It is an algorithm designed for such a machine. What’s worth mentioning, Ada recognized that computers could carry applications that weren’t just pure calculations.
Honoring her day I wish you all to not be afraid of pursuing your interests, even if they are from relatively distant fields. Combining technologies, science, and logic, with imagination, art, and soft skills will broaden your perspective, make you see the not-so-obvious connections and grow intellectually since such practices are great exercises for our brains. Many times, the most successful people, aren’t just ‘the smartest’ (with highest IQ) but rather those who combine intelligence with emotional abilities – emotional intelligence.
I am an aeronautical engineer, hobbyist programmer, interested in new technologies, aviation, space and recently remote sensing. At the same time, I love art, photography and theatre. I enjoy writing and exploring new activities as well as new places.
What about you – are you combining some unobvious interests?
And one more thing – is it just me, or Ada looks like Princess Leia?
If you can’t give me poetry, can’t you give me poetical science?
~ Ada Lovelace
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