I was sad to learn the news that:the STEM Pioneer Dame Stephanie "Steve" Shirley died on 9 August, aged 91.
STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
As the Autistica team explained: "We knew Dame Stephanie as 'Steve' - the nickname she used in order to be taken seriously in a man's world."
That is how I have always known about her too - as "Steve" Shirley.
In Celebration Of Her Contribution to STEM and Autism Projects:
Her trailblazing IT companies did much to advance the professional participation of women within the early computing industry.
Later (considerable) philanthropy saw her supporting numerous IT / STEM and Autism initiatives.
Speaking from the perspective as a woman whose first career was within multi-national IT departments; I enjoyed learning from many of Steve's articles, interviews and campaigns - across thc decades.
I valued in her personal manner; that she showed women in technology there was another career route available: through being a professional technical woman - without feeling the need to become "one of thr boys".
There are early photos of her in her first job - at work on ERNIE at the Post Office (please see the Birmingham Museum article).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gzzlp7p3po
https://www.autistica.org.uk/news/a-tribute-to-our-founder-dame-stephanie-shirley-ch
https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/stories/stephanie-steve-shirley
https://blogs.kent.ac.uk/specialcollections/2022/02/11/dame-stephanie-shirley-stem-pioneer/