A computer scientist, at one point Borg “realized that what she really wanted to do was not study computers but use computers to link people,” said Brian Reid, the head of a research group at the Digital Equipment Corporation’s Western Research Laboratory where Borg worked.
Realizing she was one of the few women in the field at the time, in 1986 Borg created “Systers”, a networking group for female engineers. Systers now has more than 2500 members in 38 countries. Borg also co-founded the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women conference, and founded the Institute for Women and Technology. Dr. Borg died April 6 at her mother’s home in Northern California from brain cancer. She was 54.