Marian Croak: The Inventor Who Helped Pioneer Internet Calling

[00:00:05] The Woman who Helped the World Talk over the Internet Think about the last time you made a phone call over the Internet. Maybe it was a zoom meeting, a FaceTime call with family, or a conversation through another Internet based service. [00:00:20] We use this technology so routinely that we rarely stop to think about the people who helped make it possible. [00:00:26] One of those people is Marion Croak. Welcome to Forgotten Genius Friday from STM Daily News, where we shine a light on remarkable innovators whose contributions help shape the world we live in today. [00:00:40] Marion Croke is an engineer and inventor who became one of the pioneers of Voice Over Internet Protocol, better known as void. [00:00:49] During her career at Bell Labs and Attention, Kroch worked on technologies that helped make it possible to transmit voice communications using Internet networks rather than relying entirely on traditional telephone systems. That technological shift helped lay the groundwork for the Internet calling and video communication services that have become an essential part of modern life. But Kroke's contributions didn't stop there. She also helped develop technology that allowed people to make charitable donations using text messages. [00:01:22] The idea was remarkably simple. Instead of visiting a website or mailing a check, someone could contribute to a relief organization by sending a text. [00:01:32] The technology became especially important during major disasters, including the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, when text message campaigns helped raise millions of dollars for humanitarian relief. Kroch would eventually become one of America's most prolific Black female inventors, earning more than 200 US patents related to telecommunications and other technologies. [00:01:57] In 2014, she joined Google, where her work expanded into areas including responsible artificial intelligence and human centered technology. [00:02:07] Her accomplishments eventually earned her induction into the National Inventors hall of fame in 2022. [00:02:14] Marion Croc's story is a reminder that the technologies we take for granted didn't simply appear. [00:02:20] Someone had to imagine them, someone had to develop them, and someone had to believe there was a better way for people to communicate. Marion Croke helped make that better way possible. [00:02:33] You've been listening to Forgotten Genius Friday presented by STM Daily News. Discover more stories about the innovators, inventors and overlooked pioneers who helped shape our world at STM Daily News. And remember, sometimes the people who change history aren't the ones whose names everybody knows.