Gladys Mae West is an American mathematician known for her contributions to the mathematical modeling of the shape of the Earth, and her work on the development of the satellite geodesy models that were eventually incorporated into the Global Positioning System.

Where did Gladys West growing up?

Born on October 27, 1930, Gladys Mae Brown resided in Sutherland, Virginia in rural Dinwiddie County. Her parents owned their small farm and West picked corn, cotton, and tobacco from the time she was young.

When did Gladys West get her PhD?

West published numerous papers and made presentations on her work at national and international conferences before retiring in 1998. Throughout her career West continued her education and in 2000 received a PhD in public administration and policy affairs from Virginia Tech.