Gladys West, a pioneering mathematician whose work helped lay the foundation for the Global Positioning System, has died. She was 95. 

Born in Sutherland in Dinwiddie County, West earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Virginia State University in 1952 and a master’s in 1955. She later received an honorary doctorate in 2021 for her contributions to science and technology. 

West overcame barriers faced by Black women in the mid-20th century to become one of the first African American women mathematicians at what is now the Naval Surface Warfare Center. She helped develop mathematical models of the Earth that made GPS technology possible, a contribution that quietly reshaped navigation, transportation and daily life around the world. She also served as project manager for the radar altimetry data processing project of Seasat, the first satellite designed for remote sensing of the Earth’s oceans, and retired after 42 years of service. 

West inspired generations of students and professionals, particularly from underrepresented communities. In 2018, she was named Female Alumna of the Year at the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Awards and was honored with a resolution by the Virginia General Assembly. 

Reflecting on her work and its widespread impact, West told the Virginia Mercury in 2025, “I am just so pleased that I was able to make a contribution. When I was working, I never imagined that the GPS would be used in the civilian world. I love seeing all the ways that it can be used and I probably have no idea how vastly used it is.” 

Her official social media account stated West “passed peacefully alongside her family and friends and is now in heaven with her loved ones.” 

West also taught in Sussex County and published her memoir, “It Began with a Dream,” in 2020. Her life and career stand as a testament to perseverance, innovation and the doors that education can open.