She Invented That A digital museum of women in science

Scientist Exhibit

Edith Clarke

Engineering

1883 – 1959 United States

Developed graphical and mathematical methods for solving electrical power-transmission problems

Overview Institutions
Edith Clarke

Overview

About Edith Clarke

Edith Clarke was an electrical engineer and mathematician who developed methods for analyzing complex electric power systems. She invented the Clarke calculator, a graphical device that simplified calculations involving electrical transmission lines, and published influential work on power-system analysis. Clarke became the first woman to earn an electrical engineering master’s degree at MIT and later the first woman to teach engineering at the University of Texas.

Scientific Contribution

Key Discovery

Methods for electrical power-transmission analysis

Graphical and mathematical methods for solving complex alternating-current power-transmission problems.

Life Timeline

Important Moments

1919

education

Earns an electrical engineering master's degree from MIT

Clarke became the first woman to earn a master's degree in electrical engineering from MIT.

1921

invention

Receives a patent for the Clarke calculator

Clarke patented a graphical calculator that simplified calculations used to analyse long electrical transmission lines.

1922

career

Becomes the first woman professional electrical engineer at General Electric

Clarke joined General Electric as a salaried electrical engineer, working on power-transmission analysis.

1926

career

Addresses the American Institute of Electrical Engineers

Clarke became the first woman to present a paper before the American Institute of Electrical Engineers.

1947

career

Joins the University of Texas engineering faculty

Clarke became the first woman to teach engineering at the University of Texas, where she taught electrical engineering.

Places & Networks

Institutions