Black History Month: Gladys West, Mathematician and GPS Pioneer

Black History Month: Gladys West, Mathematician and GPS Pioneer

Gladys West, who made pivotal contributions to the development of the Global Positioning System (GPS), was born on October 27, 1930, in the community of Sutherland, Virginia. After graduating from her high school as valedictorian, West attended Virginia State College (now Virginia State University). She graduated in 1952 with a B.S. in mathematics. West eventually... Continue Reading →

Is Denver Public Schools capable of producing the next Gladys West?

What struck me most in reading about Dr. Gladys West’s life was not only her brilliance, but her perseverance. A deep love of geometry sparked a career that unfolded in the face of profound racial and gender discrimination, in an era when Black women were systematically excluded from advanced mathematics and scientific fields. Her story raises an uncomfortable question closer to home. Are Denver’s public schools systematically cultivating the ne…