The Electrical Engineer of the Hoover Dam

Edith Clarke (1883–1959)

Edith Clarke was a human calculator. Before computers existed, she was the one doing the heavy math for some of the biggest infrastructure projects in American history. She became the first female electrical engineer in the United States and the first female professor of electrical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin.

Why She’s a Konstellation Icon:

• The Clarke Calculator: She invented a graphical calculator that solved complex equations about electric power lines 10 times faster than previous methods.

• Powering the Dam: Her work was instrumental in the design and construction of the Hoover Dam. She helped solve the problems of transmitting power over long distances.

• Mastering the Grid: She wrote Circuit Analysis of A-C Power Systems, a textbook that became the "bible" for electrical engineers for decades.