Grace Hopper was an American computer scientist and United States Navy rear admiral. She was a pioneer in computer programming and played a crucial role in developing the first compiler, which translates written code into machine language. Her work laid the foundation for modern programming languages. Hopper was also instrumental in the creation of COBOL, one of the first high-level programming languages still in use today. She was known for her advocacy of computer education and often emphasized the importance of making technology accessible to everyone. Her contributions have had a lasting impact on the field of computer science.