During the course of its 100-plus year history, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has had some researchers and scientists known to be colorful characters who were also pioneers in their fields. For computer scientist Karen Olsen, one scientist who stands out was Ethel Marden.

In the 1950s, Marden wrote programs for the nation’s first internally programmed digital computer: the Standards Eastern Automatic Computer (SEAC). For 13 years, SEAC was a valuable tool used by various government agencies to do everything from accounting to checking calculations for the hydrogen bomb. It led to several innovations, including electric typewriters and the digital scanner, which was used to create the first digital image.

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