West oversaw Seasat, the first satellite to track the oceans, which helped her see how tidal forces affect the shape of the Earth.Īs part of the Seasat team, she re-configured an IBM computer to calculate the geometric size and shape of the Earth much more efficiently. She received a commendation from her department head in 1979, which led to her becoming a project manager. She participated in an award-winning study that examined the motion of Pluto relative to Neptune, which helped her understand the movement of planetary bodies and how they act upon one another. Gladys West continued to work for the Navy and move up through the ranks due to her hard work and diligence. West’s Contributions to the Development of GPSĭr. Gladys West lay the foundations for the modern technology of GPS. This experience as a “human computer” helped Dr. Her role was to collect and process data from satellites, which she used to help pinpoint their exact locations in space. In 1956, she began her career at the U.S. She earned an undergraduate degree in mathematics and continued on to pursue a master’s degree. She knew education was her way to a different life, so through hard work, she excelled and received a scholarship to college. Gladys West was the daughter of Black sharecroppers and worked the fields as a child. West’s Backgroundīorn in 1930 in rural Virginia, Dr. After communicating with a minimum of four separate satellites, they can pinpoint a user’s location to within 7 meters, with about 95% accuracy. Receivers are able to listen for signals from this satellite constellation. Receivers are what we utilize (our phones, car infotainment systems, etc.) to access the GPS network. They work in concert with ground stations that pinpoint the precise position of these satellites at any given time. How does GPS work? The United States’ GPS relies on a constellation of 31 satellites in Earth orbit (other countries have their own GPS systems), according to the FAA. When we’re going about our daily lives, we use GPS constantly but don’t really think about what it is. Gladys West and the ins and outs of how GPS works. Her contributions have been hidden for too long. She helped develop technology that contributed to the creation of the Global Positioning System, or GPS, which revolutionized modern society. Gladys West is one of STEM’s hidden trailblazers. In the 1950s and 60s, many Black women worked as engineers and “human computers,” enabling the dawn of the space age and the era of modern computing.ĭr. They achieved great things but didn’t receive due credit because they were women of color (and often specifically Black women). These people, many of whom are under-recognized female scientists, were pioneers in their fields. #Dr. gladys west full#The STEM fields are full of significant innovators who sadly never got the recognition they deserve.
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