Beatrice Worsley, recognized as Canada’s first female computer scientist, made significant contributions to the emerging field of computer science. Her journey began in 1929 when her family moved from Mexico to Toronto in search of better education for their children. Beatrice’s passion for computing ignited during a summer job at the Manufacturers Life Insurance Company in 1942. After completing her degree in 1944, she served in the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service before pursuing postgraduate studies in 1946. She would go on to work on Canada’s first fully functional electronic computer, conduct foundational research, and teach at the University of Toronto and Queen’s University.
In 2014, Worsley’s groundbreaking work earned her a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Association of Computer Science.