Apollo code developer receiving honorary doctorate

Margaret Hamilton, who was featured in a LEGO set celebrating Women of NASA, will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Science during Earlham College’s commencement on Saturday, May 17.

Earlham officials say they’re recognizing Hamilton for her groundbreaking contributions to science, technology and space exploration.

Hamilton’s degree will be awarded in absentia because the 1958 Earlham graduate is unable to travel to the Richmond campus.

A trailblazer in computer science, Hamilton played a pivotal role in developing the in-flight software for NASA’s Apollo missions — work that has had a lasting impact on modern computing and engineering.

“Earlham has a longstanding tradition of academic excellence, and Margaret Hamilton’s fundamental contributions exemplify that proud legacy,” said President Paul Sniegowski in a news release. “She has consistently embodied the curiosity and tenacity of an Earlhamite, and we are thrilled to honor her with this degree. Although she will not be present at the ceremony, the College is proud to celebrate her achievements and enduring influence.”

Hamilton accepted Earlham’s Outstanding Alumni Award in 2009 during a campus visit.

Some of her other honors include the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the nation’s highest civilian honor — and NASA’s Exceptional Space Act Award.

­Hamilton earned her degree in mathematics with a minor in philosophy at Earlham, laying the foundation for a distinguished career at the forefront of innovation.

As director of the Apollo Flight Computer Programming team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Draper Lab, she led a team of young programmers at a time when computer science was still an emerging field. She later coined the term “software engineering” to help define and legitimize the discipline she helped create.

She went on to found two companies, including Hamilton Technologies Inc., and continued her pioneering work in software development.