In January 2017, the movie Hidden Figures was released by 20th Century Fox studios. This movie tells the story of three African-American women mathematicians and engineers (Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan) who would play a pivotal role towards the successful mission of John Glenn’s space-craft orbit around the Earth and the NASA missions to the moon.

FREE Movie Screening: Hidden Figures
1:30 PM, Room 1360 East Hall, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor

We will discuss the lives and contributions that NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson and the NASA engineers Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan made to the space race. In particular, their work as concerns John Glenn’s orbit around the Earth in 1962 and to the moon missions. Also, we will talk about the experiences of being a mathematical consultant for this film.

Followed by the

Dr. Marjorie Lee Browne Colloquium

Dr. Talitha Washington and Professor Rudy Horne

Dr. Talitha Washington, Howard University and National Science Foundation

4:00 PM, Room 1324 East Hall, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor

Reception to follow in the Mathematics Atrium

The Colloquium honors Dr. Marjorie Lee Browne, the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in
Mathematics from the University of Michigan. It is supported by the Carroll V. Newsom fund and the
Michigan Center for Applied and Interdisciplinary Mathematics (MCAIM).