Evelyn Berezin

Evelyn Berezin, inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2022, was a pioneering physicist, businesswoman, and computer innovator. Berezin’s academic and professional journey defied societal norms and gender barriers. Berezin’s notable achievements include her work on a groundbreaking computer reservation system for United Airlines, which was among the first to employ interconnected data processing. She also developed the first computerized word processor designed for business applications, the Data Secretary, which aimed to enhance efficiency and elevate the role of secretaries in the workplace. Her entrepreneurial spirit was evident in the founding of her company, Redactron, which thrived under her leadership until its acquisition by Burroughs Corporation. Berezin’s later career included influential roles on corporate and university boards. The chapter also contains a brief tutorial on logic gates, a key component in understanding data processing and computers.