August 26th is Women’s Equality Day and here at Glass America, that’s an important day because everyone is welcome to be a part of our team. In fact, we encourage more women to get involved in the automotive and technician or mechanics industry.
According to nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org, in 1973, the U.S. Congress designated August 26 as Women’s Equality Day. The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution that granted women the right to vote. The automotive industry may be male-dominated, but we’re looking to change that!
Let’s get to know some of the most inspiring women in the auto industry:
Bertha Benz – Brake pads and the first road trip
We have Bertha Benz (yes, as in Mercedes Benz) and her engineer husband, Carl Benz, to thank for the invention of the automobile. No one was very interested in his motorcar until Bertha and their sons took a now-famous road trip. Without Carl’s knowledge, Bertha and the boys snuck the car out of Carl’s workshop and took it on the first long-distance road trip. It was a rough ride on roads built for horses and carriages. She made several repairs during her journey and even invented the first brake pad (made of leather) when the car’s wooden brakes failed!
Katharine Blodgett – Non-reflective glass
Engineer and scientist, Katharine Blodgett, is who we have to thank for creating non-reflective and anti-glare windshields. In 1938, she developed a liquid soap that, when 44 layers were spread over a glass, would allow 99% of light to pass through. Her development paved the way for future engineers to create a more durable coating that wouldn’t wipe off.
Gladys Mae West – GPS
As a mathematician who worked for the U.S. Naval Weapons Laboratory, Gladys Mae West was the project manager for SEASAT, the first earth-orbiting satellite measuring ocean depths. The work on the 1978 SEASAT project helped West and her team build the GEOSAT satellite creating computer simulations of the earth’s surfaces. Her calculations and work on the SEASAT and GEOSAT helped make the GPS systems in our cars – we’d truly be lost without her.
Women Racing to the Finish Line
We also can’t forget the talented women who have broken barriers by making a name for themselves in the male-dominated sport of race car driving. Jennifer Jo Cobb, Tina Gordon, and Danica Patrick, to name a few, have paved the way for other women to shine in this sport.
Here at Glass America, we want to empower women to do and be whatever their heart desires. If it’s entering the auto industry, even better! We’re here to welcome you with open arms.