Look, women were bringing innovative ideas to science and engineering long before Hypatia invented the hydrometer in 400 AD. In spite of that, less than 20% of US patents include a woman inventor. However, one young woman is single-handedly closing the gender gap in patents.
Her name is Lisa Seacat DeLuca. She’s only 35 years old, but she’s already filed more than 400 patents. A software engineer at IBM, DeLuca has filed patents for smart technology like location-based advertising, and subject-based conference call alerts. She’s currently IBM’s most prolific female inventor.
She started inventing in second grade when a teacher challenged her to solve a real-world problem. Her solution? Create a full-length umbrella to keep driving Montana rains from getting her pants wet. Okay, some might just call it a shower curtain, but even then DeLuca knew she had a passion for problem-solving. Since then, she’s set to work reimagining our future.
“Taking a risk is always scarier when there are unknowns. Removing these unknowns helps people become more comfortable with making bold choices in life.”DeLuca applies existing technology to solve everyday problems. With the right software, she believes every household item can become smart. The world of the Jetsons is within her grasp; DeLuca envisions a world where toilet paper rolls order their own replacements and unworn clothing alerts you to donate them.
It’s only January and she’s already been awarded seven patents, including a program that can determine the paths of shoppers in a shopping venue.
Though men outnumber women four-to-one in the patent books, Ms. DeLuca is well on her way to filling the gap in intellectual property. She’s passionate about bringing women and girls into technology. In talking to a group of Girls Who Code high school students, DeLuca said, “Taking a risk is always scarier when there are unknowns. Removing these unknowns helps people become more comfortable with making bold choices in lif
k. Rawson 