Gladys Mae West, an American mathematician known for her contributions to the development of satellite geodesy models, which were later incorporated into the Global Positioning System (GPS), has died at 95.
West “passed peacefully alongside her family and friends and is now in heaven with her loved ones,” her family said as they announced her death.
Often described as a “hidden figure,” West’s groundbreaking contributions helped shape the navigation systems and technology used daily by billions of people worldwide—from smartphones and cars to aviation.
Here are some key facts to know about her extraordinary life and legacy.
1. She was born in rural Virginia in 1930
Born Gladys Mae Brown on October 27, 1930, in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, she grew up on a farm during the Jim Crow era, working much of her childhood on her family’s small farm. As well as working on the farm, her mother worked in a tobacco factory, and her father worked for the railroad.
2. She graduated at the top of her class
West was a standout student and graduated as valedictorian in 1948, earning a scholarship to attend Virginia State College (now Virginia State University, VSU), a historically Black public university, a rare achievement for Black girls in segregated America at the time.
3. She bagged her bachelor’s and master’s from Virginia State University
She earned her bachelor’s (1952) and master’s degrees in mathematics (1955) from Virginia State University.
4. She joined the U.S. Navy’s research center in 1956
West began working at the Naval Proving Ground in Dahlgren, Virginia, becoming only the second Black woman hired at the facility. and one of only four Black employees. She was a computer programmer in the Dahlgren division and a project manager for processing systems for satellite data analysis.
5. She helped model the shape of the Earth
In the early 1960s, West participated in an award-winning study that proved the regularity of Pluto’s motion relative to Neptune. Her work focused on creating highly precise mathematical models of the Earth’s shape, accounting for gravitational and tidal forces, a crucial step for satellite navigation.
6. Her research became the backbone of GPS
West’s work on algorithms and satellite data processing became foundational to what is now known as the Global Positioning System (GPS).
7. She worked on early satellite projects
She played a major role in projects like Seasat, one of the first satellites designed to remotely sense Earth’s oceans.
8. She also had a Ph.D.
In 2000, she completed a PhD in public administration at Virginia Tech by distance learning.
9. She earned major recognition later in life
Like many Black women in science, her contributions were largely overlooked for years, despite their enormous global impact. In 2018, she was inducted into the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame, finally receiving widespread recognition for her work. She was awarded the Webby Lifetime Achievement Award for the development of satellite geodesy models.
West was selected by the BBC as part of their 100 Women of 2018. In 2021, she was awarded the Prince Philip Medal by the UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering, their highest individual honor.
10. Her personal life
West met her husband, Ira, at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, where he also worked as a mathematician, and the pair got married in 1957. They have three children and seven grandchildren.
11. She passed away in January 2026 at age 95
Gladys West died on January 17, 2026, leaving behind a legacy that quietly powers everything from Google Maps to global aviation systems.