Sister Mary Kenneth Keller was the first American woman to earn a Ph.D. in computer science in 1965. She helped develop the BASIC programming language, making it easier for everyone to write code and bringing computer proficiency to the masses. She later founded the computer science department at Clarke College and was an advocate for women in computer science.
Sister Mary Kenneth Keller was undoubtedly ahead of her time. After taking vows with the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Iowa in 1940, she began following another calling, one that would lead her to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1965, she earned a Ph.D. in computer science, becoming the first American woman to earn that degree. Keller later helped develop the BASIC programming language, which revolutionized the world of computing.
Religious and computer pioneer:
BASIC programming opened the door to writing code more easily, allowing everyone the opportunity to create custom software. Before BASIC, only mathematicians and scientists knew how.
Versions of BASIC made their way onto the first personal computers of the 1970s and 1980s, bringing computer proficiency to the masses.
Sister Mary Kenneth Keller went on to found the computer science department at Clarke College, then a Catholic women’s college. She chaired the department for 20 years and was an advocate for women in computer science.
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