Mary Kenneth Keller

Mary Kenneth Keller was a pioneer in the world of computers. She was an American educator and a religious sister. Most importantly, she was a leader in computer science. This is the study of how computers work and how to use them. She was the first woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in this field.

A Ph.D. is the highest level of learning a person can achieve. She earned this degree in 1965 from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. On that same day, a man named Irving C. Tang also earned his doctorate. They were the first two people to receive these special degrees in computer science.

Mary helped create new ways for people to use technology. In 1961, she worked at Dartmouth College during a summer program. There, she worked with Thomas Kurtz to help develop a language called BASIC. BASIC is a way for humans to give instructions to a computer.

Mary became a very skilled teacher of this language. She even co-wrote a famous textbook about it in 1973. She wanted to make sure people could talk to machines easily. She believed computers could help everyone get more information.

Mary's life was full of learning and teaching. She was born Evelyn Marie Keller in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1913. Her parents were John Adam Keller and Catherine Josephine Keller.

She joined the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1932. Later, she earned degrees in math and physics from DePaul University in Chicago. Her doctoral work focused on something called inductive inference. This means she studied how computers find patterns in data. She used a system called CDC FORTRAN 63 for her research.

In 1965, Mary moved to Dubuque, Iowa, to start a new department. This department was for computer science at Clarke College.

It was one of the first of its kind at a small college. The National Science Foundation gave her $25,000 to help buy equipment for students. She led this department for twenty years. Mary also helped start a group called the Association of Small Computer Users in Education. She wanted to help more women join the world of computing. She even wrote four books to share her knowledge.

We can see Mary's legacy in schools today. Clarke University now has the Keller Computer Center named after her.

They also have a special scholarship for students in her honor. Mary believed that computers were the greatest tool ever invented. She said they could be used for many different subjects at once. This is called being interdisciplinary. She wanted computers to help people in science, math, and even food service. Her work helped open doors for many people who use computers today.