Annie J. Easley, NASA Mathematician & Computer Scientist
(1933-2011)
Photo: Cover of Science and Engineering Newsletter featuring Easley at the Lewis Research Center, courtesy Wikipedia
Annie J. Easley grew up in Birmingham and pursued career interests in nursing & pharmacy. "Easley in 1955 read an article highlighting twin sisters who worked as “human computers” at the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory in Cleveland, which eventually was absorbed into the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) when it was founded on October 1, 1958. The article noted that individuals with strong mathematics skills were needed at the laboratory. Easley immediately applied and two weeks later began her 34 year-long career with NASA as a computer scientist and mathematician. Although she had no college degree, her graduation from
