Katherine Johnson

Born

August 26, 1918

Died

February 24, 2020 (aged 101)

Known as

computer scientist, physicist, military flight engineer, mathematician, teacher, writer

Creola Katherine Johnson was an American mathematician and human computer whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. During her 33-year career at NASA and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, she earned a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations and helped pioneer the use of computers to perform tasks previously requiring humans. The space agency noted her "historical role as one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist".

Biography from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.