13 June 2019 - Hidden Figures Way: NASA honours black women mathematicians
Hidden Figures Way: Nasa renames street to honor black female mathematicians
David Smith (The Guardian, 12/06/2019)
Nasa, the US space agency, has renamed the street in front of its headquarters Hidden Figures Way, honouring the black female mathematicians who defied racial segregation to play a crucial part in its most celebrated missions.
The designation honours African American mathematicians Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, featured in the 2016 book Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly and the subsequent film directed by Theodore Melfi.
NASA Unveils 'Hidden Figures Way' at Headquarters to Honor Female Space Icons
Hanneke Weitering (Space.com, 12/06/2019)
The street outside NASA headquarters in Washington was renamed "Hidden Figures Way" today (June 12) in honor of the women who worked as "human computers" at the agency when it first started launching astronauts into space, during the 1960s.
In a renaming ceremony outside NASA headquarters, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine; Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; author of the "Hidden Figures" book (William Morrow, 2016), Margot Lee Shetterly; and D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson unveiled the new street sign at the corner of 4th Street and what is now Hidden Figures Way — formerly E Street SW.
A Sign of Progress: Honoring NASA’s Hidden Figures
(NASA, 12/06/2019)
Thanks to new signage, visitors to NASA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. will be reminded of the contributions of the hidden figures who were essential to the success of early spaceflight.
On June 12, Administrator Jim Bridenstine joined U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and author Margot Lee Shetterly for the renaming of the street in front of NASA Headquarters in Washington – E Street SW – to “Hidden Figures Way.”
This symbolic act honors Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, who were featured in Shetterly’s book – and subsequent movie – Hidden Figures, as well as all women who have dedicated their lives to advance the United States’ space program.
5 Ways Society Sabotages Girls' Interest In Science And Math
Marshall Shepherd (Forbes, 09/06/2019)
Unless you have lived under a rock with no Internet or mobile data connection, you know science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are vital career pathways of the future. However, STEM is often not the chosen pathway for minorities and girls. In a previous Forbesessay, I documented that many minorities avoid science because of cultural perceptions about what is considered a "successful" career, limited mentors, lack of exposure to the "fun" of science, and stereotypes. Dr. Nicole Joseph is an Assistant Professor of mathematics and science education at Vanderbilt University. She recently delivered a thought-provoking lecture at the University of Georgia-hosted workshop called "Navigating STEM." Her lecture inspired me to explore five reasons girls avoid entry into STEM-related fields.