The Black Women Who Helped Create the GPS​

Date: 1970s and 1980s​

Who: Gladys West (1930 - )​

Where: Dahlgren, Virginia​

What: Gladys West, an African American mathematician, played a pivotal role in the development of GPS technology through her work on mathematical modeling of the Earth's shape. In a field dominated by white men, her contributions to satellite geodesy advanced modern navigation systems significantly. West's career at the U.S. Naval Proving Ground spanned over four decades, and she was inducted into the Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2018.​

Learn more:Gladys WEST (scientificwomen.net)​

https://ncwit.org/profile/gladys-west/​

Khadjavi, L., Malek-Madani, R., & Moore, T. Navigating an Uncharted Path: The Life and Legacy of Dr. Gladys B. West. NOTICES OF THE AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY, 68(3).​

West, G. B. (1979). Smoothing of Geos 3 satellite radar altimeter data. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 84(B8), 4055-4060.​