3. Grace Hopper
Grace Hopper was a trailblazer in computer science, known for developing the first compiler—a breakthrough that allowed computers to use human-readable code. Her work laid the foundation for COBOL, one of the earliest high-level programming languages, which still powers business and government systems today. Hopper’s insistence that computers should be accessible to everyone shaped the world of modern software engineering. According to the Computer History Museum, her legacy endures in every line of code and every software system we depend on.
