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She started her career at the Naval Proving Ground in Dahlgren, Virginia in ‘56. There were only 3 other Black people, 1 woman & 2 men (1 was Ira West, & they have now been married for >60 years). She felt the pressure to always do everything right & set an example. She was hired as a computer programmer in the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division & a project manager for satellite data-processing systems. All the while, she earned a 2nd master’s in public admin from U Oklahoma. 2/n

In the 60s, she was part of an award winning study which proved regularity of Pluto’s motion relative to Neptune. She began using satellite altimeter data to model Earth’s shape, particularly the oceans. Her hard work paid off, when her dept head recommended her for a commendation ‘79 & she became project manager for Seasat radar altimetry project, 1st remote sensing satellite for oceans. From mid 70s - 80s West developed complex algorithms for an IBM 7030 “Stretch” computer to 3/n

model distortions in Earth’s shape due to gravitational, tidal & other forces. Her calculations produced an extremely accurate geodetic Earth model, or geoid, optimized to determine satellite orbits of GPS. She thus played a pivotal role in the development of tech which is central to our lives.

In ‘86, she published Data Processing System Specifications for Geosat Satellite Radar Altimeter, a 51-page technical report for Naval Surface Weapons Center (NSWC), a 4/5