Eleanor Hare Interview
Item
Title
Eleanor Hare Interview
Description
Dr. Eleanor Hare interviewed by Hallie Knipp for the 45th Anniversary of Computer Science at Clemson Oral History Project.
Abstract
0:32 – Dr. Hare attended Hollins College in Virginia, received a BA in Chemistry. She then went to work for the research laboratories at the University of Virginia. This is where she encountered her first computer (approximately 1960).
1:00-3:00 – Dr. Hare moved to Clemson, SC with her husband in 1964. She considered a split position with Clemson’s Computer Center (programming/secretarial) but found it did not pay enough to cover daycare costs for her child. She instead teaches high school science classes for a year before becoming a full-time housewife.
3:00-8:00 – Hare is offered a graduate assistantship by Clemson’s Mathematics department. She begins teaching Math courses as a graduate student and continues after obtaining her Master’s degree. Joe Turner asks if she will teach beginning computer science courses. After teaching in the Computer Science department, Hare decides to pursue a doctorate degree; she is the first woman to receive a PhD in computer science from Clemson. Hare speaks about working with associate department chair Wayne Madison and other faculty members.
8:00-10:00 – Hare discusses some of the programming languages the department cycled through, eventually settling on Java.
10:50-15:00 – Hare discusses the work she did with the State Board and the League of Women Voters regarding South Carolina voting machines in 2005.
18:30 - 23:00 – Hare speaks about a lack of women in computing. She explains that computers came to universities based on what existing departments were interested in them (Physics, Math, etc). These departments were already primarily made up of men, as women were still struggling to be accepted on campuses, and were generally expected to go into education, nursing, or secretarial work. Even programs that specifically tried to recruit women, such as Carnegie Mellon’s computer science department, could only achieve about 20% women in their program.
36:00-42:00 – Dr. Hare speaks about Artificial Intelligence and computation in regards to voting/voting machines.
49:00 - 52:00 – Dr. Hare speaks about her time as a grad student working with Steve Hedetniemi on graph theory.
1:00-3:00 – Dr. Hare moved to Clemson, SC with her husband in 1964. She considered a split position with Clemson’s Computer Center (programming/secretarial) but found it did not pay enough to cover daycare costs for her child. She instead teaches high school science classes for a year before becoming a full-time housewife.
3:00-8:00 – Hare is offered a graduate assistantship by Clemson’s Mathematics department. She begins teaching Math courses as a graduate student and continues after obtaining her Master’s degree. Joe Turner asks if she will teach beginning computer science courses. After teaching in the Computer Science department, Hare decides to pursue a doctorate degree; she is the first woman to receive a PhD in computer science from Clemson. Hare speaks about working with associate department chair Wayne Madison and other faculty members.
8:00-10:00 – Hare discusses some of the programming languages the department cycled through, eventually settling on Java.
10:50-15:00 – Hare discusses the work she did with the State Board and the League of Women Voters regarding South Carolina voting machines in 2005.
18:30 - 23:00 – Hare speaks about a lack of women in computing. She explains that computers came to universities based on what existing departments were interested in them (Physics, Math, etc). These departments were already primarily made up of men, as women were still struggling to be accepted on campuses, and were generally expected to go into education, nursing, or secretarial work. Even programs that specifically tried to recruit women, such as Carnegie Mellon’s computer science department, could only achieve about 20% women in their program.
36:00-42:00 – Dr. Hare speaks about Artificial Intelligence and computation in regards to voting/voting machines.
49:00 - 52:00 – Dr. Hare speaks about her time as a grad student working with Steve Hedetniemi on graph theory.
Date Created
July 29, 2023
Format
.mp3
interviewee
Eleanor Hare
interviewer
Hallie Knipp
editor
Hallie Knipp