1. Mothers and Daughters of Innovation
Kolachana Sri Ram Aditya

2. What is common? Computers Windshield wiper Monopoly (The game)
Disposable Diapers
Compilers
Barbie Doll
Kevlar
Radium 
Ada Lovelace
Mary Anderson
Lizzie Magie
Marion Donovan
Grace Hopper
Ruth Handler
Stephanie Kwolek
Marie Curie

3. Inventive Capacity
Sex differences in connections between left and right side of human brains
Some studies show women have more connections  women more inventive
Environment an important factor-
Freedom to explore physical environment
Freedom to engage in rough and tumble play
Free time
Real life examples – Woman bootlegger in India
Hence boils down to motive and opportunity

4. Inventive Achievement
Sexual division of labor determines motive and opportunity
In Bronze age men were hunters, women did everything else – skinning, slicing, cooking and gathering
Women most likely inventors of tools and processes for these activities – knives, early chemistry, food preserving and processing, fire, storage, utensils, stoves etc.
In addition women likely invented herbal medicines, spinning looms, pottery and agriculture

5. Why so Few?
Androcentric view of history causes trivialization of women’s achievements
Under reporting
Shift of balance to males as they understood their role in procreation
Population explosion  shift towards large scale agriculture favorable to men

6. Conclusions
It is really not “Why so few?” but rather, “Why do we know so few?”
95% of patents currently held by men
Historically women did not have money
Patents require time which women have lesser than men
Married Women’s Property Act
Lack of access to education and technical training

7. Conclusions Women with ideas then sold them to experts or gave up
In the process ideas not attributed to them
Self image issues – technology considered unfeminine

8. Remedies Redefine Technology Redefine Significance
Technology currently defined as what men do
Female activities not considered technology
Redefine Significance
Foundational nature of women’s innovations
Proper classification
Consider human impact in addition to economic and technological impact

9. Thank You!