Montague, Raye Jean
1935-2018 · Contribution: 1971
Created the first computer-generated rough draft/design of a U.S. naval ship; developed the computer program that produced complete frigate specifications in under 19 hours (a process that previously took about two years)
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
Revolutionized naval ship design through computer-aided engineering; first female program manager of ships in the U.S. Navy (PMS-309) and a registered professional engineer.
Life & background
African-American naval engineer born Jan 21, 1935 in Little Rock, AR. Earned a business degree (Arkansas AM&N) after being barred from engineering programs, then learned computing on the job at the Navy. Inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame (2013) and Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame (2018). Died Oct 10, 2018.
Sources
- Encyclopedia of Arkansas; Smithsonian; 'Overnight Code' (Bowers & Montague, 2021)
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