The Mathematician Who Helped the World Find its Way by Laying the Foundation for Modern GPS Technology—Dr. Gladys West Dies at 95

Key Points

Dr. Gladys West, the American mathematician whose work helped make modern Global Positioning System (GPS) technology possible, died on Saturday, 17 January 2026, at the age of 95. She passed away surrounded by her family, according to Jane Plitt, founder the National Center for Women’s Innovations, which helped memorialize West’s contributions to the field of geospatial technology.

Though her name remained largely unknown to the public for decades, West’s mathematical models underpin the GPS systems now embedded in mobile phones, vehicles, mapping tools, and global navigation infrastructure.

Who was Gladys West?

Gladys Mae West was born on 27 October 1930, in Dinwiddie County, Virginia – which she described as “a real rural kind of a place” in an interview with BBC. She grew up in a family of African American sharecroppers and spent much of her childhood working on her family’s small farm alongside studies.

While in school, West realized that education was her route out of a life of agricultural labour. West graduated as valedictorian of her segregated high school in 1948, earning a full scholarship to Virginia State University. There she studied mathematics, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1952. Afterwards, she briefly worked as a teacher in Waverly, Virginia, before returning to Virginia State to complete her master’s degree in mathematics in 1955.

In 1956, West was hired as a mathematician at the Naval Proving Ground in Dahlgren, Virginia, later known as the Naval Surface Warfare Center. She was one of only four Black employees at the base, and only the second Black woman. It was here that she met Ira West, also a mathematician, and her future husband. The couple married in 1957 and had three children and seven grandchildren.

During her time there, West silently supposrted the ongoing Civil Rights Movement, though her position as a government employee prevented her from direct engagement. She later detailed this contradicition in her autobiography, It Began with a Dream: Dr. Gladys B. West.

See Also: Intel Co-Founder Gordon Moore dies at 94

West's Work at Dahlgren Naval Base

Her work at the station involved processing data from orbiting satellites to determine their precise positions. West programmed and ran calculations on massive room-sized computers, ensuring accuracy in measurements of Earth’s surface elevations and geoid heights, a crucial step in satellite geodesy. At the same time, West earned a master’s degree in public administration.

Initially unaware of the global significance of the work ahead of her, she performed countless complex mathematical computations that would form the basis of modern GPS. She was one of the 'Hidden Figures' who performed computations for the US military before electronic systems.

During the 1970s and 1980s, she played a central role in refining mathematical models that defined the Earth not as a simple sphere, but as an ellipsoid with subtle variations. These calculations became essential for the accuracy of satellite-based navigation.

Her expertise led to her appointment as project manager for the Seasat radar altimetry project, launched in 1978. Seasat was the first satellite designed to remotely sense Earth’s oceans. In 1979, her supervisor Ralph Neiman formally recommended her for a commendation, citing her ability to manage complex algorithms and vast quantities of data efficiently.

Speaking to the Associated Press in 2018, West recalled how her work demanded long hours and extreme precision. “When you’re working every day, you’re not thinking, ‘What impact is this going to have on the world?’” she said, “You’re thinking, ‘I’ve got to get this right.’”

West remained at the naval base for 42 years, retiring in 1998. Afterwards, she suffered a stroke but recovered and went on to complete a PhD in public administration in 2000 through distance learning.

West's Legacy as a Role Model

Recognition for West’s work arrived much later, after she sent a short biography for an alumni function at her alma mater. This was followed by numerous profiles and features detailing her behind-the-scenes work on GPS technology. In 2018, West was inducted into the United States Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame, one of the highest honours awarded by Air Force Space Command. That same year, she was named among the BBC’s 100 Women and received several academic and professional awards.

In addition to GPS, her work also formed the basis for the inaugural exhibitions of the National Center for Women’s Innovations. Speaking to the BBC about how her legacy serves to inspire aspiring women innovators, West said simply, “I think I did help.”

“We have made a lot of progress since when I came in,” she continued, “Before you sort of whispered and looked at each other, or something, but now the world is opening up a little bit and making it easier for women. But they still gotta fight.”

Dr. Gladys West spent her later years in Virginia, living quietly and rarely speaking publicly about her role in shaping modern navigation technology. Though her name may not appear on GPS screens, the precise coordinates that guide aircraft, emergency services, and everyday travel remain a lasting testament to her life’s work.

[DS]

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