Ada Lovelace Day

Today is Ada Lovelace Day and I'm honoring this pioneer by highlighting women excelling in the field of technology. I committed to honoring Ada Lovelace because the representation of women in technology could certainly be higher. Women Making Moves has discussed the role of women in technology previously here and here.

I've been exposed to a number of female techies on Twitter. Through my Twitter connections, a new outlet has opened itself up for women to display their knowledge in the field. There is no lack of women interested in technology and these results prove it.

I've wondered why my interest was never sparked in this field. I concluded that I was never exposed to the field. While in my freshman year of college, I was required to take a computer science course, which I detested. But with the proper mentoring, I could have learned to love that course and pursue technology as a career.

Today there are numerous organizations encouraging women and girls to participate in technology. Girls in Tech, Webgrrls and She's Geeky are all committed to mentoring women and encouraging them to take an interest in technology.

One of the women I admire in the tech field is Dr. Dhyana Ziegler. She currently serves as Vice President for Instructional Technology and Academic Affairs at Florida A&M University. Dr. Ziegler also supervises the Division of Instructional Technology. She's a firm believer in exposing children to science and technology and was recognized by the National Science Foundation. Additionally, Dr. Ziegler is the host and co-producer of “The Delta SEE Connection,”a one-hour radio program highlighting the contributions of African-Americans who work in math, science, technology and engineering. Dr. Ziegler peers recognize her commitment to the field and named her as one of the "Top 50 Most Important African-Americans in Technology" three years in a row. She is an outstanding woman! Starting today, I encourage women and girls to commit themselves to being more active in technology. Let's prepare the next generation of women techies.

Women, start making your Moves today!