The world as we know it would not be the same without inventors. Technology and products that we use every day are the result of someone's ingenuity and creativity to find a more efficient, effective or new way to accomplish something. To celebrate National Inventors Day, we are highlighting some top innovators and industry leaders from Texas A&M.

Dr. Bjarne Stroustrup
Creator of C++

Dr. Bjarne Stroustrup is the creator of C++, a programming language that is used to develop applications. It is an advanced version of the C programming language. Dr. Stroustrup was a distinguished research professor at Texas A&M from 2002 to 2014. C++ is very unique because it can run on a variety of platforms ranging from video games to embedded systems.

Holly Ridings
NASA Chief Flight Director

Holly Ridings is the first female chief flight director for NASA. Although she is not a traditional inventor, we wanted to highlight her achievements. As chief flight director, Ridings sends commands to crewmembers from Mission Control and is responsible for discovering the best way to keep her crewmembers safe. Ridings received a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M in 1996.

L. Lowry Mays
Founder of Clear Channel Communications

Lowry Mays received his Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&M in 1957. Mays founded Clear Channel Communications, which is the holding company of iHeartMedia, Inc. Due to the success of his first radio station, he became interested in the radio business and left his original career as an investment banker. Today, iHeartMedia is one of the world’s biggest outdoor advertising and radio and television broadcasting companies.

From coding to communications, these three innovators helped shape the future of technology. They have tested limits, broken barriers and achieved their goals. Texas A&M provides the tools for success, and Aggies will continue to lead the future.