Gladys West: The 'Hidden Mathematician' Who Supported GPS
Reaching your destination without getting lost using a smartphone. GPS is something we take for granted today. How many people know that behind this technology lay the steady, diligent work of a female mathematician? On January 17, 2026, Gladys West passed away at the age of 95. She was one of the 'hidden figures' who created the mathematical model of the Earth's shape that serves as the foundation for GPS technology.
The girl who counted fence posts
Born on a farm in Virginia in 1930, Gladys grew up in the midst of racial segregation. The school she attended was a one-room, leaky building for Black students only.
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/23/nx-s1-5685027/gladys-west-gps-mathematician
Her parents ran a farm, and her mother worked at a tobacco processing plant. While those around her were engaged in agricultural labor, young Gladys recalled, 'I was counting fence posts and thinking, I want to get out of here.' The key to realizing that dream was mathematics. She graduated at the top of her high school class and went on to college on a full scholarship, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in mathematics.
Mapping the 'true shape' of the Earth with math
In 1956, at the age of 26, West began working at a naval laboratory in Virginia. There were only four Black professionals, and she was the second Black woman hired.
During her 42-year career, she tackled the greatest work of her life in the 1970s and 80s. The Earth is not a perfect sphere; it is distorted by gravity, tides, and rotation. Using IBM computers and punching 0s and 1s into punch cards, West created a precise model of the Earth's shape.
This model became the foundation for GPS satellites to orbit in precise paths. The Department of Defense has stated, 'Without West's model, it would have been impossible to achieve the accuracy of GPS.'
From 'hidden figure' to global recognition
West's achievements remained unknown for a long time. The turning point came in 2016. With the book 'Hidden Figures' and its film adaptation, the stories of Black female mathematicians who excelled at NASA gained attention.
In 2018, her contribution to the development of GPS was revealed. Since then, she has received honors such as induction into the Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame and the Prince Philip Medal from the UK.
Interestingly, West herself rarely used GPS, saying, 'I like paper maps.'
https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2026/01/31/gladys-west-dead-gps-mathematician/
Today, about 4 billion people around the world use GPS. It is used in every situation—smartphones, airplanes, and emergency calls. Everything is built upon the research of 'hidden figures' like West.
A message to the next generation
In September 2024, the U.S. Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the 'hidden figures.'
The NASA Administrator stated, 'Their courage and imagination took us to the moon.'
Gladys West passed away on January 17, 2026, surrounded by her family. The girl who used to count fence posts created the foundation for a technology that helps people all over the world avoid getting lost—it is a miraculous story achieved by the power of mathematics and an indomitable spirit.
Reference Articles
〇Gladys West, GPS pioneer and one of NASA's famed 'Hidden Figures,' dies at 95 (February 1, 2026)
〇Gladys West, mathematician whose work paved the way for GPS, dies at 95 (January 24, 2026)
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/23/nx-s1-5685027/gladys-west-gps-mathematician
〇Black mathematician Gladys West, who helped develop GPS, has died at age 95 (January 24, 2026)
〇Mathematician Gladys West dies at 95. She was a hidden figure behind GPS. (January 31, 2026)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2026/01/31/gladys-west-dead-gps-mathematician/
〇RIP Gladys Mae West, the Pioneering Black Mathematician Who Helped Lay the Foundation for GPS (January 28, 2026)
〇From Hidden to Modern Figures - NASA (February 4, 2025)
〇Hidden Figures - Wikipedia