Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr, born Hedwig Eva Marie Kiesler, was an austrian-american multi-talented actress who appeared in various films during the 1930s and 1940s including Samson & Delilah (1949), Algiers (1938), White Cargo (1942), and many more. However, she wasn’t just talented on screen, she was a co-inventor of a “secret communications system” which used frequency hopping as the foundation that helped create the GPS, bluetooth, and wifi.

As with many successful inventions Hedy Lamarr didn’t work alone. George Anthiel, an American composer is also credited with contributing to the communication system which was most known for preventing enemy jamming of allied radio-controlled torpedoes during World War II which was aimed at defeating the nazis. 

Despite her many talents, her intelligence was often overlooked in favor of her beauty. As an actress she was seen as superficial, and her inventions were dismissed, or brushed aside. Her contributions to the STEM world weren’t recognized until years later when she finally received multiple awards. In 1997 the Electronic Frontier Foundation awarded her and Anthiel with the pioneer award, and that same year she was officially recognized as the first woman to ever receive the Bulbie Gnass Spirit of Achievement Award.

Hedy Lamarr faced significant criticism in a male dominated industry, yet she remains an example for women and girls everywhere, showing anything is possible with determination and work hard to achieve your goals. Her life demonstrates that you’re not limited to a single path, women and girls have the freedom to explore beyond what society deems socially acceptable.