Wonderful Scientist Wednesday
Dr. Gladys West
Without Dr. Gladys West you might not have a GPS in your iPhone.
As a pioneering scientist who studied math in college, “because it was hard,” Gladys West is an amazing innovator you should know about.
Born in rural Virginia in 1930, Gladys is known for her remarkable work ethic. As the daughter of a farmer and railroad worker descended from sharecroppers, Gladys grew up in a household that valued dedication and perseverance. Early on, however, Gladys recognized her perseverance would be dedicated to her studies — and upon graduating high school she received a full-ride scholarship to Virginia State College!
In college Gladys excelled in fields dominated by men, but she took enjoyment out of studying and hard work. Following graduation she went on to earn her master’s degree in mathematics at the same school and a second master’s in public administration from the University of Oklahoma. In this few women attended college, even fewer worked for a single master’s degree — yet Gladys broke down barriers as a woman who knew she could do it all.
While Gladys did go on to marry and start a family, her work as a mathematician seems to be the driving force in her life. While completing her second master’s degree Gladys went on to work for the United States Navy. As a team leader behind the scenes, Gladys was commended for working late into the night on equations and she was often the last scientist to leave the building at night. Her hard work paid off, too! Working for the Navy, Gladys developed complex analyses about the shape of the Earth based on mathematics and satellite data. Her research uncovered the complex elliptical shape of the planet. Gladys discovered that the Earth is not a perfectly symmetrical shape, and that it changes frequently! Because of the Earth’s vast oceans, its shape is highly irregular and fluid based on the movement of the tides and other gravitational forces.
As an early coder and expert mathematician, Gladys programmed IBM computers that filled entire rooms crammed wall-to-wall with equipment. Her work was crucial to the development of Global Positioning Systems or GPS, and Gladys is featured in the book Hidden Figures. Although retired, Gladys continues to amaze the world! In 2018 at the age of 88 Gladys earned her PhD and was inducted into the United States Air Force hall of fame!
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