After studying mathematics, she began her career in a field that didn't really exist yet: computer science. She joined the prestigious MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). There she led the software engineering division and even coined the term "software engineering" to give this new discipline the recognition and rigor it deserved.
Her First Steps in Code
Before her work on Apollo, Margaret Hamilton contributed to major projects. Between 1961 and 1963, she worked on the SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) air defense system, one of the first large-scale computer networks, to detect and intercept threats. She also programmed weather simulations for Professor Edward Lorenz, the father of chaos theory, already demonstrating her ability to tackle complex problems.
Margaret Hamilton working on the Apollo program code. - NASA
A few key words to understand her work:
- Software: The set of programs that allow a computer to function.
- Algorithm: A sequence of instructions to solve a problem, like a recipe.
- Bug: An error in a program that prevents it from working correctly.
As a woman in a very male-dominated environment, Margaret had to face many obstacles. But her team spirit, rigorous method and determination allowed her to overcome these difficulties.
