Hi everyone, it's Sophia. Welcome back to work in progress.

The life's work of today's impressive, inspiring, and trailblazing guest has impacted

literally every single one of us on our planet. We have with us on the pod today,

mathematician and GPS pioneer, Dr. Gladys West. Dr. West's career spent 42 years in the field

of math and science, and her work landed her in the United States Air Force Hall of Fame in 2018,

one of the highest honors bestowed by Air Force Space Command. Dr. West is the only black woman

to be inducted into the Air Force missile and space pioneer's Hall of Fame, and was recently

inducted into the National Black College alumni Hall of Fame. She holds a Bachelor of Science and

a Master's of Science from Virginia State University, a Master's of Arts from Oklahoma University,

and a PhD from Virginia Tech. The work Gladys did to analyze data from satellites was used to

put together models of the Earth's shape, which led to our modern day GPS. So if you are in your

car right now, listening to this episode and you're using GPS to get anywhere, you can thank Gladys

for getting you to where you need to go. Gladys also participated in an award-winning astronomical

study that proved the regularity of Pluto's motion relative to Neptune and became project manager

for the first satellite that could remotely sense oceans. You guys, I have such a brain crush on

this woman. I don't even know how I'm going to handle this interview. And Gladys didn't stop there.

Dr. West earned her PhD after she retired in 1998 from her 42-year career in Dalgrin, Virginia.

Though the film Hidden Figures did not center directly around Gladys, she was right there

sharing that building, living through the same challenges that her fellow brilliant black female

colleagues had during this tense time of integration, all against the backdrop of scientific innovation.

It is my utmost privilege to welcome Dr. Gladys West to work in progress.

Where do we find you today? We're recording from King Joy's, Virginia.

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