Dr. Gladys West, the pioneering mathematician whose work laid the foundation for the global positioning system, has passed away at the age of 95. Her contributions impact everyday life, from aviation and emergency response to guiding people to dinner dates and job interviews.
Born in Virginia in 1930, West overcame the challenges posed by Jim Crow laws to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics from Virginia State College, now Virginia State University. She joined the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, VA, in 1956. According to Engadget, during the 1970s and 1980s, the West developed highly accurate models of the Earth’s shape using satellite data, a critical step in creating GPS. She retired in 1998 after 42 years of service.
“This morning the world lost a pioneer in Dr Gladys West, she passed peacefully alongside her family and friends and is now in heaven with her loved ones,” her family shared.
Recognition of West’s contributions came late in life. After a 2018 biography submitted to a sorority event, Alpha Kappa Alpha helped her gain belated acclaim, including induction into the US Air Force Space and Missiles Pioneers Hall of Fame and Female Alumna of the Year honors from HBCU Awards.