Every time your phone finds your location, you're using math that a Black woman built in secret for four decades.

This week on Women and Resistance, Aya Fubara Eneli, Esq. and Adesoji Iginla honour Dr Gladys Mae West, the mathematician whose satellite geodesy models became the mathematical backbone of the Global Positioning System.

Her work wasn't publicly recognised for more than 60 years after she started.

In this episode, Dr Gladys West shares her inspiring journey from a farm girl in Virginia to a pioneering mathematician whose work was crucial to the development of GPS technology. Her story highlights resilience, dedication, and the importance of recognising hidden figures in history.

From her childhood on a Virginia farm to her groundbreaking career at the U.S Naval Proving Ground in Dahlgren, Dr West shares how discipline, faith, education, and resilience carried her through segregation, loss, and long years of unrecognised labour.

Takeaways

*Gladys West's early life and education in Virginia
*Her work on geoid modelling and GPS development
*Challenges faced as a Black woman in STEM during segregation
*The importance of perseverance and discipline in her career
*Legacy and recognition of her contributions to technology

Chapters

*Introduction to Dr Gladys West's Legacy
*Her Early Life in Virginia and Childhood Influences
*Educational Journey and Overcoming Segregation
*Joining the U.S. Naval Research and Early Work
*The Development of Geoid Models and GPS Foundations
*Challenges as a Black Woman in a Male-Dominated Field
*Her Personal Life, Marriage, and Family
*Recognition and Legacy of Dr Gladys West
*Lessons on Dignity, Discipline, and Persistence

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to Women and Resistance, a powerful podcast where we honour the courage, resilience, and revolutionary spirit of women across the globe. Hosted by Aya Fubara Eneli Esq and Adesoji Iginla...

You're listening to Women and Resistance with Aya Fubara Eneli Esq and Adesoji Iginla—where we honour the voices of women who have shaped history through courage and defiance...Now, back to the conversation.

That’s it for this episode of Women and Resistance. Thank you for joining us in amplifying the voices of women who challenge injustice and change the course of history. Be sure to subscribe, share, and continue the conversation. Together We Honour the past, act in the present, and shape the future. Until next time, stay inspired and stay in resistance!