Gladys West
1930 – 2026
March 18, 2026
Long before the days of Siri and Google Maps instructing us to “head West,” there was Dr. Gladys West, a pivotal trailblazing mathematician whose unsung work paved the way for navigation and the global positioning system (GPS). West, who passed away on January 17, 2026, at the age of 95, remained a hidden figure for much of her life. She received history’s late applause for her monumental work only five years before she departed this world. It seems fitting to reflect on West’s quiet, yet tremendous contributions as we make our way through this Women’s History Month.
West represents a generation of women—particularly Black women—whose brilliance helped shape modern technology, and yet whose work was often hidden behind institutional walls. That quiet excellence carries a profound message for women today, especially those in fields where they may still be underrepresented. West’s life and legacy reminds me that brilliance does not always announce itself loudly. Sometimes it works patiently in the background, building the foundations upon which the rest of the world stands.
Born in rural Virginia in 1930 during the Jim Crow era, West grew up on a small farm where opportunities for a young Black girl were limited. But mathematics and geometry opened the door for West. After graduating at the top of her class, she earned a scholarship to Virginia State College and later joined the U.S. Naval Proving Ground where her painstakingly precise work processed satellite data and built computer models that mapped the Earth’s exact shape. Because the Earth is not perfectly round, definitive calculations were critical. Without them, satellite navigation systems could not determine location accurately or exactly. In essence, West helped create the geodetic framework that led to modern GPS that we all rely on so heavily today.
For more than four decades, West advanced the science behind satellite geodesy and orbital modeling. Much of her work was classified, like calculating ranges for missiles and other weapons. She even worked on teams that analyzed the orbit of Pluto in relation to Neptune, determined the shapes of ocean surfaces, and even contributed to the development of calculators and super computers.
Eventually, the world noticed. After a fellow alumna, Gwen James, discovered West’s career, she was floored and asked West’s daughter if she could share her mother’s story. Moreover, even West’s children knew little about their mother’s historical contributions.
“She was part of a generation of women who didn’t brag about their careers. They just went along and did their work without expecting anything in return,” commented James. After sharing this information with a local newspaper, the article took off and soon the name “Gladys West” became known.
In 2018, the world gave West the recognition she deserved. She was inducted into the Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame. She also became the first woman to be awarded the Prince Phillip Medal by the Royal Academy of Engineering in London. Then, the National Center of Women’s Innovations created a traveling museum exhibit that detailed her life. Albeit belated, history began shining a light on West’s exceptional contributions. While completing my dissertation towards the end of my doctoral program, I was fortunate to receive an American Association of University Women fellowship. I remember sitting in that room during the award ceremony, surrounded by extraordinary women like West. In the company of female scholars, researchers, and leaders, I was humbled by the number of women who push boundaries in all kinds of fields and industries every day. It gave me an even deeper reverence for the trailblazing women who came before us. Women who were just like Gladys West. I’m confident that today, the chorus is stronger, and women sing a little louder!