Embracing the Joy of Programming with Lois Haibt

[beverlynelson]

Imagine being a female programmer, taking on a new job just out of college with no idea that what kind of programming you are about to be doing. There’s no Stack Overflow or ability to Google something. No predecessors or mentors who’ve paved the way. What would it be like to be a part of a team building something completely new? Just ask Lois Haibt.

After attending Vasser she joined the all male team at IBM led by John Backus. The team developed FORTRAN with no idea it would be changing computing history. According to Lois they enjoyed the work they did and worked long hours not because there was an expectation but because they were excited about what they were creating.

She was a shining example of a positive, enthusiastic attitude that simply squashed any element of imposter syndrome. As John Backus recalls Lois said:

"It was the kind of atmosphere where if you couldn't see what was wrong with your program, you would just turn to the next person". "No one was worried about seeming stupid or possessive of his or her code. We were all just learning together."

Despite challenges such as work life balance and timing career moves she maintained an enthusiasm for her craft and was respected by her peers.

Lois epitomizes the spirit of Bridge Foundry with her example of working collaboratively and focusing on the joy of programming.