This week’s Wednesday’s Women in STEM series honors the late Katherine Johnson, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 101. If you’ve seen the award winning movie Hidden Figures, you may already be familiar with Johnson’s story but she was a pioneer for women, African-Americans, and the world for her work with NASA in the 1950’s – 1980’s.
Johnson was a mathematician at a time when women, especially black women, weren’t encouraged or respected in this field. She used her skills to calculate the trajectory of America’s first human space flight mission in 1961 by Alan Shepard and the first American orbital space flight in 1962 by John Glenn.
“Johnson helped our nation enlarge the frontiers of space even as she made huge strides that also opened doors for women and people of color in the universal human quest to explore space.”
Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator
In 2015, President Barack Obama awarded Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor.
Released in 2016, the blockbuster movie, Hidden Figures was based on the life and work of Katherine Johnson and two other women. There are also inspiring adult and children’s books which highlight her accomplishments.
Check out the following short video to learn more about Katherine Johnson’s amazing career and impact on space flight and women in STEM.