Irene Stegun

Irene Anne Stegun (b. February 9, 1919) was a mathematician at the National Bureau of Standards who, with Milton Abramowitz, edited a classic book of mathematical tables called "A Handbook of Mathematical Functions", widely known as "Abramowitz and Stegun". When Abramowitz died of a heart attack in 1958, Stegun took over management of the project and was able to finish the work by 1964, working under the direction of the NBS Chief of Numerical Analysis Philip J. Davis, who was also a contributor to the book. Stegun eventually rose to assistant chief of the Computation Laboratory at NBS. In 1965, Stegun was awarded a Gold Medal from the Department of Commerce for her efforts in completing the project. She held the position of assistant chief of the Computing Lab until she became the interim director in 1965.

External links

* [http://www.siam.org/news/news.php?id=57 Recollections] of Philip J. Davis on women in computing, from SIAM News.