Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube
Geetha Murali, CEO of Room to Read
Geetha Murali’s mother grew up in Chennai, India, in a family in which child marriage was common. When she was 13, she rebelled and went to school instead. “Education became a driving force in her life,” Murali says. “She instilled that obsession in me.” Murali went on to earn two master’s degrees (in statistics and South Asian studies) and a PhD. In 2013, as the chief development officer of literacy nonprofit Room to Read, an education nonprofit , she caught the attention of Susan Wojcicki, who later joined the board. Inspired by her own 9-year-old daughter, Murali shared her picks for budding technologists.
by Hope Jahren
This memoir describes the geobiologist’s relationships with her scientist father and, later, a female coworker. I like that it shows a girl having mentors that are male and female.
by Pénélope Bagieu
A graphic novel in which women rebel against societal norms and conquer their respective fields, from exploration to invention.
by Rachel Swaby
Swaby shines a light on dozens of pioneers in science and mathematics.
by Jacqueline Kelly
The tale of a 19th-century girl exploring the secrets of Charles Darwin’s book On the Origin of Species. I love how the heroine is driven by her own curiosity.
by Catherine Thimmesh
Did you know a woman invented the windshield wiper blade?
by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo
My 9-year-old daughter loves this book because it makes her imagine herself as the hero of her own story.
This article appears in the October issue. Subscribe now.
MORE FROM WIRED@25: 2013-2018
- Editor's Letter: Tech has turned the world upside down. Who will shake up the next 25 years?
- Opening essay by Virginia Heffernan: Things break and decay on the internet—that's a good thing
- Edward Snowden and Malkia Cyril: Turnkey tyranny
- Satya Nadella and Jenny Lay-Flurrie: Mindful tech
- Jennifer Doudna and Jiwoo Lee: Taming Crispr
- Sundar Pichai and R. Kim: Every eye tells a story
Join us for a four-day celebration of our anniversary in San Francisco, October 12–15. From a robot petting zoo to provocative onstage conversations, you won't want to miss it. More information at www.Wired.com/25.
