About Erna Schneider Hoover
Erna Schneider Hoover (born June 19, 1926) is an American mathematician who invented a computerized telephone switching method which revolutionized modern communication. It prevented system overloads by monitoring call center traffic and prioritizing tasks on phone switching systems to enable more robust service during peak calling times. At Bell Laboratories where she worked for over 32 years, Hoover was described as a pioneer for women in the field of computer technology. == Early life == Erna Schneider was born on June 19, 1926, in Irvington, New Jersey. Her family lived in South Orange, New Jersey and her father was a dentist and her mother was a teacher. She had a younger brother who died from polio at the age of five. She loved swimming, sailing, canoeing, and became interested in science at an early age. According to one source, she read the biography of Marie Curie which suggested to her that she could succeed in a scientific field despite the prevailing ideas about gender roles. She graduated from Columbia High School in nearby Maplewood in 1944, which would induct her into its hall of fame in 2007. Hoover attended Wellesley College where she studied classical and medieval philosophy and history.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.