Revealing Lost Woman of Science Klári Dán von Neumann

Join us tonight starting at 7 p.m. WATCH HERE 

Digging in archives can reveal fascinating stories. One of them is the case of Klári Dán von Neumann, a truly lost woman of computing.

Unrecognized during her lifetime for her remarkable achievements, Hungarian-born Klári was involved in the Monte Carlo simulations of atomic and thermonuclear explosions immediately after World War II.

Like other women in STEM at the time, Klári worked in the shadow of a brilliant husband, John von Neumann, and experienced the shift away from female programmers as the profession gained prominence.

It’s time to tell her story.

What You’ll Discover

• Newly uncovered information about Klári.
• The “spouse” phenomenon at Los Alamos.
• The intersection of war and computing and the evolution of the ENIAC computer.
• The implications of Klari’s story for us today.

Join us for an intriguing discussion with computer historian Thomas Haigh and journalist and Lost Women of Science host Katie Hafner moderated by computer scientist and Harvey Mudd College president Maria Klawe.

Take a special Women In Computing tour before the event. Meet at 6 p.m. in the CHM lobby for a 6:15 tour!

Agenda

6:00-7:00 p.m. Museum exhibits open for event attendees
6:15-6:45 p.m. Docent-led tour of Women in Computing
6:30 p.m. Check-in
7:00 p.m. Panel discussion begins

Attending in Person 

We’re excited to welcome everyone back in-person! Because your safety is of the utmost priority CHM continues to be responsive to local and national public health guidelines. Everyone who enters CHM must be vaccinated, including all staff, volunteers, and visitors. Please review our health and safety guidelines prior to visiting the Museum.

MISS THE EVENT?

You can catch the full program here and enjoy reading the blog recap here. Download a discussion guide here.

This event is made possible by the generous support of the Kapor Center.