Yesterday was Ada Lovelace Day (ALD) 2022. So a whole year has passed since we chose to launch our new brand name, Difference Engine, on ALD last year. Here’s a reminder of why we chose that date last year, and what was so special about Ada.
Why did we chose to launch ourselves as Difference Engine on Ada Lovelace Day?
As an agency we feel an affinity with Ada Lovelace and the work that she completed throughout her lifetime. Two of our four core values, progressive & bold, speak directly to Lovelace and the efforts that continue in her name through Ada Lovelace Day. We work internally, as well as with our clients, to ensure that we are always doing the best work we can – and that means being inventive, inclusive and always learning.
Who was Ada Lovelace?
Augusta Ada King (nee Byron), Countess of Lovelace, was an English mathematician, writer and crucial part of the founding of Charles Babbage’s “Difference Engine”, regarded as one of the first examples of computing. The first (and only) legitimate child of Lord Byron & mathematician Lady Byron, Ada’s mathematical abilities were undoubtedly nurtured and actively encouraged throughout her upbringing and into womanhood.
What is Ada Lovelace Day?
Aiming to “increase the profile of women in STEM and, in doing so, create new role models who will encourage more girls into STEM careers”, Ada Lovelace Day presented itself to be the perfect opportunity for us to announce our brand new name, Difference Engine, back in October 2021 last year.
Ada Lovelace Day is a chance to not only celebrate the life & achievements of an incredible woman, but also to celebrate the achievements of all of the women in science, technology, engineering & maths (STEM) since Ada. The Day also gives an opportunity to shed light on the progress that is still to be made to encourage female space within the STEM industries.
To mark Ada Lovelace Day 2022, which was yesterday, the Directors of Difference Engine decided to visit Babbage’s (and Ada’s) Difference Engine replica in London’s Science Museum. Here’s a great article from the Science Museum on both the Difference Engine, and Ada’s pivotal role as arguably the first woman in computing.
But why won’t there be any more Ada Lovelace Days?
Yesterday, the organisers of the event (www.findindada.com) announced that it was to be the last ever Ada Lovelace Day – blaming a lack of funding together with a misconceived and false idea that the issue of gender equality in STEM roles has now been fixed.
We hope that this may not be the end of the official event, and that perhaps some of the funding issues can be resolved over the coming year. Regardless, at Difference Engine we’ll ensure to continue marking the day as usual on the second Tuesday of each October – and hope that by the time it comes around in 2023 there will be significantly more women in STEM roles (a mere 24% in 2019).
Let’s watch this space…