Black History Month: Celebrating African American Women in STEM
As we come to the end of Black History month and prepare to celebrate Women’s History Month in March, it’s fitting that this week we profile the impact of 4 African American women who have made lasting contributions to the fields of aerospace, chemistry and physics - all fields that require a strong foundation in math! We hope learning more about their accomplishments will inspire you and your child as they continue to advance their math skills during this school year.
Dr. Etta Boyd Granville - Mathematician
Dr. Etta Boyd Granville is deserving of recognition for her role in the U.S. race to be the first to reach space. Granville worked on various space-related projects in the 1950s for the International Business Machines Corporation, a worldwide technology company. Calculations she developed and solved made it possible to send the first men into space. Granville also partnered with NASA and was involved with the design of the Apollo space shuttle that would carry American astronauts to the moon.
Granville was also an exceptional professor, teaching at colleges around the country. Along with her professional expertise to pass on to her students, Granville was the second African American woman in the U.S. to earn a doctorate degree in mathematics, with many of her female students following in her footsteps to achieve the same.
Dr. Gladys West - Mathematician
If you are directionally challenged and rely on a GPS to prevent getting lost, thank Dr. West. Dr. West used her mathematical mind to gather data from satellites to determine their exact locations by solving complex math problems. She would then collaborate with computer programmers to transfer her calculations into large computers and analyze and compare the data against her own predictions.
She then transitioned to working with satellites, becoming the subject matter expert for a project developing and testing the first satellite that could detect bodies of water on Earth through radar technology. With this satellite, we could now more accurately measure the shape of the Earth.
Proving herself to be a lifelong learner, Dr. West went back and earned her Ph.D.in Public Administration after retiring from a career that spanned four decades.
Dr. Marie M. Daly - Biochemist
Dr. Marie Daly is recognized as the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry, receiving her degree from Columbia University in New York in 1947. Her father had enrolled at the same university years before her birth but was unable to finish due to financial difficulty. She went on to establish a scholarship fund in her father’s name for minority students’ interest in science at Queens College in New York.
Because of Dr. Daly’s research we now know one of the leading causes of heart disease is having high blood pressure and blocked arteries, or atherosclerosis. She discovered the connection between having high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels in the blood, creating a springboard for additional research on the causes of high blood pressure and heart health. In addition to her studying the effects of cholesterol, she was also involved in early research about our human DNA, studying cells and how they were formed in the body.
After her years of research, Dr. Daly went on to teach at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a research medical school in New York, for 25 years before retiring.
Dr. Shirley Jackson – Physicist
Dr. Shirley Jackson is noted as being the first African American woman to graduate with a Ph.D. in physics in 1973 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She was also the second African American woman to graduate with a PhD. in physics in the U.S.
Dr. Jackson’s research focused on using theoretical physics, using mathematical models and ideas of physical objects to make technological advancements. Her research is credited with being responsible for creating the Caller ID and Call Waiting options on our phones.
Since 1999, Dr. Jackson has served as president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the oldest technological research university in the US, a first for an African American woman. During her time as president, she has tripled enrollment at the institution and increased the school's national ranking.
Dr. Jackson has received the National Medal of Science, the highest civilian award given for contributions in science and engineering, in 2016 from former President Barack Obama. She has received 55 honorary doctorate degrees from institutions around the country to recognize her contributions and accomplishments.
The accomplishments of the 4 women we highlighted are models of the vast opportunities that science, engineering, technology and math can provide and present options for future exploration. These women turned their passion for math and science into not only a benefit for themselves, but for our world. Their commitment to service and their impact has made our world a much brighter place.
We at Mathnasium are excited to help you develop the next generation of mathematicians, physicists or chemists! Our individualized math instruction is created for students in grades 2 to 12 at all math levels. We offer in-person and online instruction to meet your child’s needs and your busy schedule. Give us a call today or reach out to us online to schedule your child’s free assessment. We look forward to hearing from you!
(720) 474-1878
