Dorothy Vaughan

space · math · breaking barriers · NASA

Math genius mathematician. Dorothy Vaughan was so skilled at mathematics that she became a human computer, solving incredibly complex equations by hand before electronic computers existed.

First Black supervisor. In 1949, she became the acting supervisor of the West Area Computers at NASA, making her the first African-American woman to supervise other workers at the space agency.

Computer programmer pioneer. Dorothy taught herself to program computers and learned new computer languages like FORTRAN, helping to modernize NASA's work when electronic computers arrived.

Space missions helper. Her calculations and programming work were crucial for NASA's space missions, helping engineers design rockets and plan flights to explore space.

Teacher and mentor. Beyond her work at NASA, Dorothy was also a dedicated schoolteacher who shared her love of math and science with young students.