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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Foundation kicks off ambitious 'Count Me In' fundraising campaign SOU students protest university's free-speech zone Calendar for Thursday, Oct. 16 Carpe Noctem Stricker steps down from Talent council Education Foundation kicks off ambitious 'Count Me In' fundraising campaign SOU students protest university's free-speech zone Earth colliding with dust field left by Comet Halley Event Tuesday to honor first computer programmer Pep band conductor, 3.98 student Wurfl earns Rotary kudos Environment Fires and forests evolved together, but now people are in the mix Marijuana growers are threat to salmon, biologists conclude Annual tour shows how to live green Business Carpe Noctem Cultivating, nourishing and honoring community resources Ashland repeats as a Google 'eCity' Harry & David will hold hiring fair Thursday Silvio Calabi: Nissan’s Taxi of Tomorrow Politics and elections Stricker steps down from Talent council Merkley-Wehby to debate in Medford Ashland land use rule review continues Council backs bump in tax to support buses Travel expert touts pot legalization State News Nation - World Obituaries Marc Lee Sprang Margaret Jones Merlin Wayne Fjarli Marc Lee Sprang Death Notices Sports Latest Stories Ashland hopes soft shells can reduce head injuries SOU wrestler Gutches to compete in NWCA All-Star Classic Grizzlies can't hold lead in five-set loss to Challengers Raider forward Thompson voted CCC preseason POY Guthrie, Royals edge Orioles for 3-0 series lead High school Ashland hopes soft shells can reduce head injuries Grizzlies can't hold lead in five-set loss to Challengers Ashland volleyball team pushes Summit in three-set loss Grizzlies use trick play to stun Comets Undefeated Grizzlies host Crater today Southern Oregon University SOU wrestler Gutches to compete in NWCA All-Star Classic Raider forward Thompson voted CCC preseason POY SOU football team No. 4 in latest poll Oregon special teams excel in UCLA win Southern Oregon women ranked No. 1, SOU men No. 2 in CCC preseason polls Opinion Latest Stories Granlund cartoon: Crist vs Scott fan debate Jim Brock: U.S. Ebola cases could have been prevented Our View: Fostering e-success Letters to the editor Granlund cartoon: Gas prices drop Editorial Our View: Fostering e-success Our View: Elect Talbert and Moro M. 90 lessens partisanship Our View: Seffinger for Position 4 Our View: Retain Marsh on council Letters Letters to the editor Letters to the editor Letters to the Editor, Oct. 13 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 11 Letters to the Editor, Oct. 10 Guest opinions Religion and politics in America City should revise its rules for murals Into the heart of darkness Herb Rothschild: Peace begins at the table City still ignores Plaza suggestions Revels Latest Stories Best Bets: Things to do around Ashland Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Cast makes 'The Judge' worth watching Tutunov Piano Series begins at SOU New plays debut at ANPF Theater New plays debut at ANPF Camelot Theatre presents 'Spotlight on Johnny Mercer' Southern Oregon hosts its Lunacy Theatre Festival Music The Farr Side: Bryan Adams releases album of influential hits Tutunov Piano Series begins at SOU Q&A: Becky Alter Q&A: Band du Pays Swing The Farr Side: Bennett-Gaga collaboration is a cross-generational gem Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk Movies Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Cast makes 'The Judge' worth watching Movie review: ‘The Judge’ doesn’t know when to end Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas 'Gone Girl' is a dark, twisting winner Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Community Blog: Predicting Peace - Part 5 of 7 Barry Lewis: The joys of autumn and corduroy Marketta Gregory: Teach kids love Lost in Suburbia: The guaranteed, surefire Halloween candy plan 5 Things to Do This Weekend (Oct. 17-19) Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs NEWS NOW Foundation kicks off ambitious 'Count Me In' fundraising campaign ... Calendar for Thursday, Oct. 16 ... Calendar: Wednesday, Oct. 15 ... Foundation kicks off ambitious 'Count Me In' fundraising campaign ... Calendar for Thursday, Oct. 16 ... Calendar: Wednesday, Oct. 15 ... ADA LOVELACE DAY Event Tuesday to honor first computer programmer Panel to discuss female participation in scientific fields By John Darling For the Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 12, 2014 @ 6:09 pm By John Darling For the Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 12, 2014 @ 6:09 pm » RELATED CONTENT • Brain Books Discussion Group meets » Social News Thirty years ago, there were lots of women working in the computer profession and going to college in programming. No one knows why, but in recent years, that number has dropped by two-thirds and, in response, people hoping to rekindle female participation have started celebrating International Ada Lovelace Day, in honor of the first person — a female — ever to write a computer program. Lovelace, the daughter of English poet Lord Byron, wrote the first computer algorithm in 1843, for Charles Babbage’s “Analytical Engine,” a pioneering mechanical computer, which flopped when the government couldn't understand it and wouldn't fund it. Obviously, women belong in the computer world and we need to get more females motivated about science at an early age, says Victoria Law of Ashland, a computer programmer who worked for Boeing in Seattle and ran the Ashland Railroad Historic Railroad Museum. To this end, Southern Oregon University will host the first local Ada Lovelace Day observance at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, in the Meese Room of Hannon Library. It features a presentation on the life of Lovelace by Law, then a panel discussion on increasing diversity in STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The panel will explore the importance of including more people of all genders, races and ages in scientific innovation here. It will be led by educator-author Priscilla Oppenheimer of Ashland, formerly of Apple Computer in Silicon Valley. It includes SOU biologist Carol Ferguson, SOU chemistry professor Hala G. Schepmann, Sustainable Valley Technology Group Executive Director Heather Stafford and Oregon Shakespeare Festival IT Manager Andrew Krug. When Law entered the computer field in 1984, over 37 percent of Computer Science undergraduates were women, she says. “Today, when computers are an increasing part of our lives, it is surprising ... alarming to find only 12.9 percent are.” Out of this trend, she says, leaders in science and technology fields, in 2009, started the first Ada Lovelace Day. The Babbage computer is finally being built and will be the size of a locomotive with a “tiny” one kilobyte capacity. Because of lack of financial support, Law is closing the Ashland Historic Railroad Museum on A Street this month. She put $100,000 of her own money into it over the last seven years, but notes that history can’t be a priority in an economy when people are fighting to keep libraries open. She plans to continue to be a historian and write a book, likely on Lovelace. For information on the Ada Lovelace event, call 541-552-6141 or email [email protected]. The event will have refreshments. It is free and open to the public. John Darling is a freelance writer living in Ashland. Email him at [email protected].   By John Darling For the Daily Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Daily Tidings Posted Oct. 12, 2014 @ 6:09 pm » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. 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