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Margaret Hamilton

What is margaret hamilton?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

Born August 17, 1936, in Paoli, Indiana, U.S.[2]
Role Led the Software Engineering Division at MIT Instrumentation Laboratory[2]
Coined term Software engineering[2]
Founded Higher Order Software 1976[2]
Founded Hamilton Technologies 1986[2]
Presidential Medal of Freedom 2016[3]

Margaret Hamilton is an American computer scientist who led the software work for NASA's Apollo missions and popularized the term 'software engineering.' The name also refers to an actress known for *The Wizard of Oz*.

Context

Margaret Hamilton is an American computer scientist known for leading the software work for NASA's Apollo missions and for coining the term 'software engineering' [2]. She led the Software Engineering Division at MIT Instrumentation Laboratory for the Apollo guidance system [2]. The name also refers to Margaret Brainard Hamilton, an actress known for playing the Wicked Witch of the West in *The Wizard of Oz* [1].

Documented claims

  • Margaret Hamilton led the software division that developed the Apollo guidance system for NASA. [2]
  • She is credited with popularizing the concept of software engineering. [2]
  • She helped write the computer code for the command and lunar modules used on Apollo missions. [2]

Questions and answers

What did Margaret Hamilton do for NASA?

She led the Software Engineering Division at MIT Instrumentation Laboratory, developing the Apollo guidance system software [2].

When was the computer scientist Margaret Hamilton born?

She was born on August 17, 1936, in Paoli, Indiana [2].

Did Margaret Hamilton receive any major awards?

Yes, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 [3].

Sources

  1. HAMILTON, MARGARET | Encyclopedia of Cleveland History — case.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Margaret Hamilton - The Woman Who Put Men on the Moon — law.unlv.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. Margaret Hamilton - DPMA — dpma.de (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in People