IEEE presented Dr. Gladys West with the 2024 President's Award for her mathematical modeling and satellite geodesy work pivotal to GPS development.
On May 5, 2024, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the world's largest technical professional organization, presented Dr. Gladys West with its prestigious President's Award, recognizing individuals whose work has had exceptional impact on society and technology.
The award specifically cited West's decades of contributions to mathematical modeling and satellite geodesy, work that was pivotal to the development of the Global Positioning System (GPS)—a technology whose influence now touches nearly every sector of modern life, from personal navigation to global logistics, agriculture, defense, and emergency response.
Receiving this honor from IEEE, a globally respected body in engineering and technology, further cemented West's legacy among the pantheon of foundational contributors to modern computing and satellite technology. Coming late in her life, at age 93, the award was part of a broader wave of recognition in her final years that sought to correct the historical record and ensure her contributions were properly credited within the engineering and scientific communities most directly shaped by her work. It stood among the last major honors she received before her death less than two years later.