In Memoriam: Evelyn Boyd Granville, 1924-2023

In Memoriam: Evelyn Boyd Granville, 1924-2023

After serving on the faculty at Fisk University in Nashville, in 1956 Dr. Granville was hired by IBM Corporation and was assigned to work on a contract for NASA. Dr. Granville wrote programs to track orbital trajectories and calculations to ensure the safe re-entry of space vehicles into the atmosphere. She later taught at California State University and the University of Texas at Tyler.

Born in 1924, Granville was one of the first African-American women to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics, obtaining her degree from Yale University in 1949. She specialized in functional analysis and worked on complex space programs for IBM and the U.S. space technology sector, contributing to the early success of NASA's Project Mercury and the Apollo missions.

Granville’s academic career was equally distinguished. She held professorships at notable institutions such as Fisk University and California State University, Los Angeles, where she mentored countless students and promoted STEM education among underrepresented groups. Her teaching methods were innovative, focusing on practical applications of mathematics to inspire and engage students.

Journal of Blacks in Higher Education

BruCon Publishing Company

jul 28, 2023