Who Is Gladys West? Is Gladys West Still Alive?
by Ushapriyanga
Updated Feb 07, 2023
Who Is Gladys West?
An American mathematician and scientist, Gladys Mae West is well-known for her contributions to the mathematical modeling of the shape of the Earth. Gladys West birthday falls on October 27. Her work on developing the satellite geodesy models that were later incorporated into the Global Positioning System (GPS) was highly recognized. She was inducted into the United States Air Force Hall of Fame in 2018. In addition to this, West also received the Webby Lifetime Achievement Award at the 25th Annual Webby Awards for her efforts in the development of the satellite
Is Gladys West Still Alive?
Gladys West's family gathered around her bed on a hot summer day in anticipation of her passing. However, they were surprised to find that she was still alive and well. Gladys West has since continued aging gracefully and even completed her education. She is an inspiration to many, and an example of an individual who has persevered despite all odds.
In 2018, Gladys West achieved a remarkable accomplishment by earning her Ph.D. in the Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs via its distance-learning program. That same year, she was inducted into the Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame, honoring her for her role as a GPS pioneer for the Navy. Dr. West certainly deserves this prestigious accolade.
Gladys West Biography
In 1956, Gladys West was hired by the U.S. Naval Proving Ground, a weapons laboratory in Dahlgren, Virginia, as their fourth Black employee. Here, she met Ira V. West and the two married in 1957, going on to have three children. At the base, Gladys was highly regarded for her ability to solve complex equations by hand. However, she eventually moved away from manual calculations, instead programming computers to do the work. One of her major projects was the Naval Ordinance Research Calculator (NORC). This program, designed via 100 hours of computer calculations, was designed to calculate the movements of Pluto in relation to Neptune and went on to win an award.
Specifications
Details
Name
Gladys Mae West
Birthday
1930
Age
92
Gender
Female
Nationality
American
Ethnicity
Black
Profession
Mathematician
Married/Single
Married
Husband
Ira West
Education
Ph.D. from Virginia Tech
When Was Gladys West Born?
She was born on October 27, 1930. Gladys West, born Gladys Mae Brown, was an American mathematician who played a crucial role in the development of GPS. She was born in a rural area of Virginia and raised on a small farm where she spent much of her childhood helping with the crops. As a young Black girl, her career options were limited to farming or working in a tobacco-processing plant. However, her exceptional academic abilities opened doors for her, as she received a full scholarship to Virginia State College (now Virginia State University), where she earned a bachelor's and a master's degree in mathematics. Despite facing discrimination, Gladys persevered, teaching math in segregated schools and applying for state government jobs, which were all awarded to white men.
Gladys West Gps
Gladys West, a highly diligent and hardworking individual, advanced through the ranks at the Navy. She was involved in a study that analyzed the movement of Pluto and Neptune, allowing her to comprehend the interactions between planetary bodies. This earned her a commendation from her department head in 1979, which led to her becoming a project manager. She managed Seasat, the first satellite designed to monitor oceans and observed the impact of tidal forces on the shape of the Earth.
As part of the Seasat team, Gladys reconfigured an IBM computer to calculate the size and shape of the Earth much more efficiently. She was the first person to integrate all available information about the Earth's movement and the forces acting upon it into a computer, creating a precise mathematical model of the planet. Determining the accurate shape of the Earth and identifying the precise location of anything on it is challenging, as the Earth is in constant motion and affected by various forces, such as gravitational and tidal forces. However, Gladys West's groundbreaking work in creating an accurate geodetic model of the Earth made GPS possible. Her computer program paved the way for pinpointing a person's location through satellite tracking.
Did Gladys West Invent Gps?
In the mid-1970s to the 1980s, Gladys West utilized an IBM 7030 Stretch computer to generate increasingly accurate calculations to model the Earth's shape. Her work involved constructing a geoid, which is an ellipsoid with additional undulations, and required the use of sophisticated algorithms to account for variations in gravitational, tidal, and other forces that affect the Earth's shape. Gladys was able to solve complex problems that were challenging for other members of the team, as stated in her autobiography. Ultimately, her model became the foundation for the Global Positioning System (GPS).
Who Is Gladys West - FAQs
Gladys West is an American mathematician known for her work in developing the Global Positioning System (GPS).
Gladys West was born on October 27, 1930, in Sutherland, Virginia.
Gladys West grew up on a small farm in rural Virginia, where she spent much of her time helping her parents harvest crops. As a young Black girl, her options for the future were limited to farming or working at a tobacco-processing plant.
Gladys West was part of a team that developed a geodetic model of the Earth using a computer program. This model was the foundation for GPS, as it made it possible to pinpoint a person's location on the Earth through satellite tracking. Gladys West was the first person to integrate all available information about the Earth's movement and the forces affecting it into a computer to create a precise mathematical model of the planet.