Contents
Dorothy Vaughan
Leading Black women mathematicians at Langley and helping them move into computer programming.
Computing supervisor · FORTRAN
- Born
- 20 September 1910
- Birthplace
- Kansas City, United States
- Died
- 10 November 2008
More people
Dorothy Vaughan
Dorothy Vaughan was an American mathematician whose work bridged hand calculations and electronic computing.
Early life
West Virginia
Grew up in Morgantown.
University
Graduated in mathematics from Wilberforce University in 1929.
Career
- 1930s
Teaching
Taught mathematics in Virginia.
- 1943
Langley
Joined the segregated West Area Computing unit.
- 1949–1971
Leadership and programming
Supervised mathematicians and later worked in electronic computing.
Contributions
Computing supervisor
Became head of the West Area Computing unit.
FORTRAN
Developed programming expertise as electronic computers arrived.
Scout programme
Contributed to work on the Scout launch vehicle.
Beyond mathematics
Family
Raised six children alongside her career.
Recognition
Received a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal in 2019.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗NASA biography ↗Photo: NASA on The Commons. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
