Episode 058 - Katherine Johnson | Mathematician

Alternate Title: Figuring It Out

Emlyn tells Emma all about Katherine Johnson, the mathematician whose complex calculations of orbital mechanics were essential for sending astronauts safely into space.

Learn more about us and other women in science at our website www.stemfatalepodcast.com 

 

Sources

Main Story - Katherine Johnson

1. “Katherine Johnson, NASA Mathematician And An Inspiration For 'Hidden Figures,' Dies” by Russell Lewis, NPR: https://www.npr.org/2020/02/24/517784975/katherine-johnson-nasa-mathematician-and-an-inspiration-for-hidden-figures-dies 
2. “Katherine Johnson” by Margot Lee Shetterly, Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00749-3 
3. “The True Story of “Hidden Figures,” the Forgotten Women Who Helped Win the Space Race” by Maya Wei-Haas, Smithsonian Magazine: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/forgotten-black-women-mathematicians-who-helped-win-wars-and-send-astronauts-space-180960393/ 
4. Shetterly ML. Hidden Figures : The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race. First edition. William Morrow; 2016. 
5. “Katherine Johnson” Wikipedia Page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Johnson

Women who Work 

This week, our shout outs go to three amazing podcasts hosted by Black women scientists:

1. In Those Genes. https://inthosegenes.com/
2. Blk + In Grad School. https://www.blkingradschool.com/
3. Dope Labs. https://www.dopelabspodcast.com/

We also made a longer list of podcasts hosted by Black women that may be of interest to our listeners, as they cover related topics like science, technology, and women in academia!

In addition, we discuss the Twitter threads #BlackAFinSTEM and #BlackintheIvory which brought to light the experiences of Black people in science and academia, and we give a shout out to the BlackAFinSTEM Ologies episode which featured “30 new science heroes who are @BlackAFinSTEM.”

 

Music

“Mary Anning” by Artichoke

“Work” by Rihanna

 

Cover Image

Public Domain

File:Katherine Johnson at NASA, in 1966 - Original.jpg

Created: 1 January 1966