Dr. Gladys West, pioneering Mathematician whose work made GPS possible, dies at 95

January 20 2026

Dr. Gladys Mae West, the distinguished American mathematician whose groundbreaking work provided the mathematical foundation for the Global Positioning System (GPS), died on January 17, 2026, at the age of 95. She passed away peacefully at her home in Alexandria, Virginia, surrounded by family and friends.

Born on October 27, 1930, in Sutherland, Virginia, West grew up in a rural farming community during the era of Jim Crow segregation. Excelling academically, she graduated high school as valedictorian and earned a scholarship to Virginia State College (now Virginia State University), where she completed both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics.

In 1956, West began her career at what is now the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Virginia, becoming one of the first Black women mathematicians hired at the facility. Over a career spanning more than four decades, she developed sophisticated mathematical models of the Earth’s shape using satellite data—work that would prove critical to the development of GPS technology. Her calculations enabled precise satellite orbit predictions and contributed directly to the accuracy of global navigation systems used worldwide in everything from civilian navigation and aviation to emergency response systems.

West retired from the Navy laboratory in 1998 and went on to earn a doctorate in public administration from Virginia Tech in 2000. Despite her essential contributions to a technology now woven into everyday life, her work was not widely recognized in her early career. Broader acknowledgement came later in life, including her 2018 induction into the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of Fame and honors from Historically Black Colleges and Universities awards.

Virginia State University issued a statement mourning the loss of its alumna and describing West as a trailblazer whose resilience and intellectual rigor transformed science and technology and opened doors for future generations of scholars, particularly women and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields.

Colleagues, students, and leaders in science and technology communities have highlighted West’s legacy as both profound and enduring, noting that the precision and reliability of modern GPS systems stem directly from her foundational work. Her life’s achievements serve as a testament to the critical role of mathematical science in advancing global technologies.

Dr. West is survived by her family and a global community of innovators and professionals whose work continues to build on the framework she helped establish.

Source: Virginia State University.