Sister Mary Kenneth Keller

Sister Mary Kenneth Keller was an American Catholic religious sister, educator, and computer science pioneer. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on December 17, 1913. In 1932, she entered the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Upon graduating from DePaul University in Chicago, Keller earned her B.S. at DePaul University in Chicago in 1943 and her M.S. in 1953. The University of Wisconsin-Madison awarded her a Ph.D. in computer science in 1965, making her the first woman in the country to do so.

A trailblazer in higher education, Keller worked tirelessly to expand computer science's reach. As a learning tool, she recognized the potential of the computer. She founded the Association of Small Computer Users in Education (ASCUE), a technology-focused organization still active today. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Keller founded Clarke University's computer science department. Keller strongly promoted women in computer science and working women, encouraging adult students to bring their babies to class.

One of Keller's most notable contributions was to the development of the BASIC programming language. Dartmouth College's no-women rule was waived for her to work in the computer lab. Keller Computer Center is named in her honor at Clarke College. Sister Mary Kenneth Keller left an impressive legacy in computer science, promoting equal opportunity for women.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Kenneth_Keller

https://www.cs.wisc.edu/2019/03/18/2759/

https://onwisconsin.uwalumni.com/on-alumnae-mary-kenneth-keller/

https://www.vaticanobservatory.org/sacred-space-astronomy/religious-scientists-sr-mary-kenneth-keller-b-v-m-1913-1985-computer-science/