Ida Rhodes at IBM, 1960

Filming of Ida Rhodes (left) at IBM. Rhodes demonstrates her pioneering work in computer translation of languages. Ida Rhodes (May 15, 1900 - February 1, 1986) was an American mathematician. She received her BA in mathematics in February, 1923 and her MA in September of the same year, graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Cornell University. She held numerous positions involving mathematical computations before she joined the Mathematical Tables Project in 1940, where she worked under Gertrude Blanch, whom she would later credit as her mentor. Rhodes was a pioneer in the analysis of systems of programming, and with Betty Holberton designed the C-10 programming language in the early 1950s for the UNIVAC I. She also designed the original computer used for the Social Security Administration. In 1949, the Department of Commerce awarded her a Gold Medal for significant pioneering leadership and outstanding contributions to the scientific progress of the Nation in the functional design and the application of electronic digital computing equipment. Though she retired in 1964, Rhodes continued to consult for the Applied Mathematics Division of the National Bureau of Standards until 1971. Her work became much more widely known after her retirement, as she took the occasion to travel around the globe, lecturing and maintaining international correspondence. She died in 1986 at the age of 85. No NIST photographer credited, November 16, 1960

Picture No

12697480

Media ID

47704327

Size

4200px x 3361px (3.6MB)

Credit

National Institute of Standards and Technology/Science Source/Mary Evans

Usage Restrictions

No Model Release