In her own words: Aileen Cavanagh

Abstract

Last year, the IEEE History Center presented in these pages biographies of four figures in the history of IEEE and of technologies for which first-hand material was available in our collections, with the outlines of their lives enhanced through the use of first-person accounts. The feature was entitled In His Own Words. Although all four individuals were more than worthy, all were male, and we fear our title inadvertently may have driven home the point that, historically, social, economic, and political pressures kept women underrepresented in our profession. Despite these forces, however, over the years many women have managed to contribute greatly to IEEE and to IEEE-related professions and technologies. It is important for a number of reasons, including role modeling for today's young women, to highlight the achievements of these pioneers. Since March is Women's History Month, the publication partially rectifies their oversight by presenting one of these notable women, Aileen Cavanagh, In Her Own Words.