Women’s History: Google’s Marian Croak is a Prolific Innovator in Technology

March is Women’s History Month. Therefore, we will use this opportunity to spotlight some African American women who are trailblazers in their fields. Women whose names and voices are not commonly known or heard from. This week that name is Dr. Marian Croak, who has more than 200 patents. Dr. Marian Croak has more than 200 patents. (WIKIPEDIA) One of her patents you may be the most familiar with is U.S. Patent No. 7.599,359 — VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). Let’s learn more about this remarkable African American woman who has changed the way the world operates and conducts business. Croak was born on May 14, 1955, in New York City. She credits her father, Raymond Rodgers, who only completed elementary school, with her success. Her father built her a home chemistry set, which became her inspiration in pursuing a Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) career. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Princeton University in 1977 and her Ph.D specializing in Quantitative Analysis and Psychology in 1982 from the University of Southern California. After college, she began working for AT&T Bell Laboratories, where she worked in various positions at the senior executive level for over three decades. It was...