Dr. Gladys West, the pioneering mathematician whose groundbreaking work laid the foundation for the Global Positioning System (GPS), has passed away at age 95. She died peacefully on January 17, 2026, surrounded by family and friends, leaving behind a legacy that touches nearly every aspect of modern life.
Though her name remains relatively unknown to the general public, West’s contributions have become indispensable to countless industries and everyday activities. Her mathematical models power GPS technology used in aviation and emergency response, navigation systems, and countless applications that help people reach everything from job interviews to dinner dates.
A Trailblazing Career in Mathematics
Born in Virginia in 1930, West earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics from Virginia State College, now Virginia State University, overcoming the barriers imposed by Jim Crow laws. In 1956, she joined the Naval Proving Ground in Dahlgren, Virginia—now the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division—becoming only the second African American woman hired at the facility.
West initially worked as a “human computer,” performing complex mathematical calculations by hand before transitioning into computer programming. Her early projects included programming algorithms for weapons systems range tables during the Cold War and calculating orbit trajectories for the emerging U.S. satellite program.
The Work That Built GPS
West’s most significant contributions came during the 1970s and 1980s, when she focused on creating accurate mathematical models of Earth’s shape using satellite data. This work proved far more complex than it might initially appear. The challenge wasn’t simply measuring Earth as a sphere—our planet bulges at the equator while flattening at the poles, and its gravitational fields are distorted by tides, mountain ranges, and ocean trenches.
GPS technology relies on receiving signals from satellites, but Einstein’s theory of relativity complicates the calculations; gravitational variations affect time itself at different locations on Earth. West developed sophisticated algorithms to account for these gravitational, tidal, and other forces that distort Earth’s shape, creating increasingly precise models of the geoid—the hypothetical surface of Earth coinciding with mean sea level.
“One of my duties was to calculate the geoid, the hypothetical shape of the Earth, coinciding with mean sea level and its imagined extension under, or over land areas,” West wrote. She noted that her work improved three critical elements: the geoid model, the reference ellipsoid model of Earth, and models of satellite orbit trajectories—all essential foundations for GPS technology.
Recognition and Legacy
After 42 years of dedicated service, West retired in 1998. Her contributions have been recognized through numerous honors, including induction into the U.S. Air Force Space and Missiles Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2018 and the Webby Lifetime Achievement Award for her development of satellite geodesy models.
West remained humble about her revolutionary impact. “When I was working, I never imagined that the GPS would be used in the civilian world,” she told the Virginia Mercury last year. “I am just so pleased that I was able to make a contribution.”
Interestingly, West—the woman who indirectly made GPS ubiquitous—preferred using paper maps when navigating, according to a 2020 interview with The Guardian.
Her legacy endures in every GPS application that guides modern society, ensuring that the computational breakthroughs of one brilliant mathematician continue to shape how humanity navigates the world.
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