Margaret Hamilton is a computer scientist and software engineer who is best known for her work on the Apollo space program in the 1960s and 70s. She was the Director of the Software Engineering Division at the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory, which was responsible for developing the guidance and navigation systems for the Apollo spacecraft.
Hamilton's team developed the software that ran on the Apollo Guidance Computer, which was the first computer to be used in space. The software was critical to the success of the Apollo missions, and Hamilton's team was responsible for ensuring that it was reliable and bug-free.
Hamilton is also known for her contributions to the field of software engineering. She developed the concept of software engineering as a discipline and helped to establish many of the principles and practices that are now widely used in the industry.
In recognition of her contributions, Hamilton was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, by President Barack Obama in 2016. She continues to be an inspiration to many women in technology and a champion for diversity and inclusion in the industry.