Women in Information Technology

Women have made major contributions to science throughout history, including in the field of information technology. Learn about the lives of some of the most amazing women in information technology, from Augusta Ada King to Radia Perlman, as well as their exciting and important work. Discover what it takes to work in information technology. Find out about the opportunities women in the field have today. Read Women in Information Technology to see if following in the footsteps of the many brilliant women who have made their mark in IT is something you want to do. 

Women in Information Technology gives young readers an inside look at the career opportunities available in information technology. Each of the five chapters follows the same format. The first page lists words and definitions that appear in the chapter; these words include cyberattacks, professional association, and unauthorized. These words appear in bold gray font, which makes them easy to identify.  

One positive aspect of the book is the seven biographies of women who were pioneers in their industry, such as Grace Hopper and Ada Lovelace. The biographies also acknowledge women who are currently working in the IT field, such as Anita Borg, who “helped unite the skilled women working in IT so they could work together more easily.” Each biography focuses on the woman’s contribution to the industry. This allows readers to see how women, who are often overlooked, played a pivotal role in developing the first computers. Four of the women — Telle Whitney, Radia Perlner, Shafri Goldwasser, and Eva Tardos — have also written books that readers may want to read. Four biographies also include a QR code so readers can learn more about the women through educational videos.  

The book is straightforward and easy to understand despite the use of informational technology jargon. The short paragraphs are broken up with photographs of women at work that appear every one to two pages. In addition, the book has “did you know” blurbs that give other interesting facts, such as statistics about video games. Often, important information is presented in lists, such as IT-related jobs. The end of each chapter gives a research project and text-dependent questions that check for understanding.  

Women in Information Technology explains what qualities are necessary to work in the IT field as well as encourages readers to explore their talents by attending a summer camp (a short list of summer camps is provided). The book opens doors by showing readers the different career paths that exist in the IT field and giving examples of women who have made contributions to the field. Even though the book is about women in information technology, boys can also gain knowledge from reading the book.    

Middle school and high school readers who are interested in learning more about STEM careers will find Women in Information Technology an excellent source of information and encouragement. By highlighting different careers and women who have been successful in these careers, the book shows that the path to a job in the informational technology field is possible. To learn more about STEM careers, check out Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World by Reshma Saujani. 

Sexual Content  

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Violence  

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Drugs and Alcohol  

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Language  

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Supernatural 

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Spiritual Content  

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