Valerie Thomas, born on February 8, 1943, is an American data scientist and inventor who invented the Illusion Transmitter. Growing up in Baltimore, Maryland, Valerie had a keen interest in science, which she pursued at Morgan State University, where she majored in Physics and graduated with top honors in 1964.
During her time at NASA as a data analyst starting in 1964, Valerie played an important role in the development of real-time computer data systems to support satellite operations control centres. She also made contributions to the Landsat program, which focused on processing images from satellites for earth observation.
In 1976, Valerie’s fascination with a light bulb illusion at a science exhibition sparked her curiosity which led to her research and subsequent patent in 1977. This patent was from her experiments with a concave mirror and its impact on reflecting real objects. This work led to the invention of the Illusion Transmitter, an optical device widely used by NASA and adapted for use on various screens, from surgery tools to the production of televisions and video screens. Following this, Valerie took on the role of associate chief of the Space Science Data Operations Office at NASA.
Aside from her inventions, Valerie was committed to mentoring students in the Mathematics Aerospace Research and Technology Inc. program and engaging with students from elementary school to university levels. She was also involved in judging science fairs and working with organizations like the National Technical Association (NTA) and Women in Science and Engineering (WISE).
In August 1995, Valerie retired from her roles at NASA as associate chief of the NASA Space Science Data Operations Office, manager of the NASA Automated Systems Incident Response Capability, and chair of the Space Science Data Operations Office Education Committee. Throughout her career, Valerie received numerous awards, including the Goddard Space Flight Center Award of Merit and the NASA Equal Opportunity Medal. With a prove that gender is never a barrier to achieving greatness, her legacy serves as a guiding light for women in tech
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