Edna Clarke: UBC’s First Woman in Electrical and Computer Engineering

January 17, 2025

In 1944, Edna Anita Clarke entered the records of UBC history, becoming the first woman to graduate in Electrical Engineering. The life of our first female graduate was one of determination, novelty, and a lifetime of living right on the frontiers of engineering and adventure.

Born in 1921 near Penticton, British Columbia, Edna grew up in a time when opportunities for women in engineering were extremely limited. In 1939, at age 18, she was accepted into UBC’s Engineering program, relocating to Vancouver with her mother and sister.

At UBC, she was well-known. She served as secretary on the student council of her graduating class. She was known two-fold: for being one of the few women in engineering and commuting to school by motorcycle. Edna’s academic path was ever-changing due to her many varied interests. She first enrolled in Mechanical Engineering, then shifted to Aeronautical Engineering, and finally graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1944. Her ability to successfully move between engineering disciplines would be a hallmark of her illustrious career.

Graduation saw Edna’s inclusion in the University of Toronto team, which worked on Canada’s first functional computer, the UTEC Mark I. Anointed by the Globe and Mail as a wonder capable of everything from forecasting weather to playing chess, the UTEC Mark I was a marvel indeed and a credit to the ingenuity of its creators. Edna’s involvement with this groundbreaking project had already begun to make her a forerunner in this growing field.

During this time in Ontario, Edna met and married Arthur Yuile, a Battle of Britain veteran. Later, they relocated to Connecticut, where Edna was employed as a civil engineer for Northeast Utilities. She had a successful career for those times, not frequently made available for women, and thus was remarkable in both talent and resilience.

Besides her professional achievements, Edna lived a life full of adventure and travel: she skied across North America, often went power boating, and converted to the Baha’i faith, which led her to visit India several times.

Edna was a trailblazer for all the women who came after her in Electrical Engineering. She proved it was possible to succeed as a woman in the field, opening the doors for the 240 women currently in the Electrical and Computer Engineering program. She was quite proud of being the first woman and would be proud to see young women continuing to thrive in the field.

Thank you to her niece, Noni Clarke, for interviewing with our team.