The Original "Human Computers"
-
Mary Winston Jackson, who is played by Janelle Monae in the film "Hidden Figures" earned her Bachelor of Science degrees in Mathematics and Physical Science at Hampton Institute and taught in Maryland before joining the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. She retired from the NASA Langley Research Center in 1985 as an aeronautical engineer after 34 years.
-
Katherine Johnson, the main character in the movie "Hidden Figures," verified the mathematics behind John Glenn’s orbit around the Earth in 1962 and calculated the flight trajectory for Apollo 11’s flight to the moon in 1969. She retired from NASA in 1986.
-
Dorothy Vaughan obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in 1929 from Wilberforce University In Xenia, Ohio. She worked as a teacher and then moved to Newport News where she obtained a position as a mathematician, one of the first African Americans to do so, at Langley Field for National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the forerunner of today’s NASA space program.
"Everything is physics and math."
- Katharine G. Johnson
Support Spelman's Math Majors
The Department of Mathematics relies on the support from alumnae and friends who share in our commitment to excellence. Individual and corporate gifts enable the department to enhance its programs and attract and retain STEM student scholars.
To make a secure gift to the Dr. Etta Z. Falconer Scholarship for Mathematics at Spelman College, use the button below, click the OTHER box and type "Falconer Scholarship" in the gift designation box.
Make A Gift
College representatives are available to assist you in exploring the many giving options and structuring a gift that is right for you.
Please contact our fundraising team with additional questions.
Cassandra Joseph
Director, Corporate Relations and Partnerships
Email: cassandra.joseph@spelman.edu
Work: 404-270-5067 | Cell: 404-798-6296
Get Social
Share a Spelman Hidden Figure You Want The World to Know About Using #HiddenFigures