Grace Hopper

Date of Birth: December 9, 1906

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: January 1, 1992

Biography

Grace Brewster Murray Hopper was a pioneering American computer scientist and United States Navy rear admiral. Born in New York City, Hopper was one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer and developed the first compiler for a computer programming language. Her work led to the development of COBOL, one of the first high-level programming languages. Known for her trailblazing contributions to computer science, she earned the nickname “Amazing Grace.” Throughout her career, she advocated for the use of machine-independent programming languages, which greatly influenced modern computing. Hopper’s legacy extends beyond her technical achievements. She was a dedicated educator and a role model for women in technology. She received numerous awards and honors, including the National Medal of Technology and Innovation and posthumous induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Grace Hopper passed away in 1992, but her influence continues to inspire future generations of computer scientists.

5 Interesting Facts about Grace Hopper

1. Grace Hopper coined the term “debugging” after removing a moth from a computer.

2. She was the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics from Yale University in 1934.

3. Hopper served in the Navy during World War II and continued to serve in the Naval Reserve until her retirement.

4. She received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the highest non-combat decoration awarded by the Department of Defense.

5. A U.S. Navy destroyer, the USS Hopper (DDG-70), was named in her honor.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Grace Hopper

1. “The most damaging phrase in the language is: ‘It’s always been done that way.’”

2. “A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are built for.”

3. “You manage things; you lead people.”

4. “We’re flooding people with information. We need to feed it through a processor. A human must turn information into intelligence or knowledge.”

5. “I’ve always been more interested in the future than in the past.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Grace Hopper’s highest net worth is not publicly documented, as her contributions were primarily in the fields of academia, military service, and computer science rather than in commercial ventures.