Edith Clarke Impact On Women

Recent findings have acknowledged that women only represent approximately 34% of the entire STEM worker population. This low statistic is due to the presence of gender stereotypes in modern society, which have deprived the opportunities available to women for centuries. Women are often underrepresented in various STEM disciplines, including engineering, mathematics, and computer science. In spite of this historical setback, Edith Clarke, the first female electrical engineer, successfully paved the way for future generations of women in STEM through her many accomplishments. Born in February of 1883 in Ellicott City, Maryland, Edith was one of nine children. Edith faced many challenges throughout her childhood, including a learning disability

Edith Clarke was known for her many technological contributions including the first transcontinental telephone line, the Hoover Dam, and the Clarke Calculator. Through her contributions, she disproved stereotypes which many women faced. For example, it was concluded that within 34 countries, 70% of individuals associated science and mathematics with males more than with females. However, through many of her projects, Edith applied mathematical and physic related concepts, proving that women are also able to be involved within STEM fields. As the first employed woman electrical engineer, she started off her career working at General Electric in 1921.Through this company, she advanced the world’s comprehension of power transmission during the construction of the first transcontinental phone lines. Although she was involved in the overall process, she was not known as an engineer but rather as a “computer” for her work associates. Her main role was performing math calculations by hand for the engineers involved in the production of the transcontinental phone lines. Furthermore, Clarke developed a graphing calculator that resolved problems by condensing the equations electrical engineers used to grasp power lines. This innovation was known as the

Consequently, Clarke developed a persevering character which assisted her in overcoming society’s gender barrier. At a young age, Edith Clarke dealt with a learning disability which caused her to struggle with reading and spelling. Nevertheless, she showed proficiency in mathematics and card games. Her advanced skill confounded the expectation many teachers had for girls, as it was previously presumed that math was easier for boys to retain. Additionally, at seven years old she experienced the death of her father, and shortly five years after, the death of her mom. This distressful occurrence left her as an orphan at just twelve years old, with solely her uncle acting as her main caretaker. Once she turned eighteen, she inherited a small portion of money from her parents' estate. She utilized the money to enroll in Vassar College, with a desire to study engineering, regardless of her relatives’ disapproval. Parental expectations for women during Clarke’s life involved becoming a wife, mother, and courteous hostess. Moreover, she obtained an upbringing typical for girls of her status where the emphasis was placed on preparing the young women for marriage and motherhood. However, Clarke was persistent in becoming an engineer and persevered through her personal challenges and ended up breaking away from typical gender roles. Aside from