Melba Roy Mouton (April 28, 1929 – June 25, 1990) was an American mathematician who served as Assistant Chief of Research Programs at NASA's Trajectory and Geodynamics Division in the 1960s[1] and headed a group of NASA mathematicians called "computers".[2] She served as Head Mathematician for Echo Satellites 1 and 2 before becoming Head Computer Programmer and then Program Production Section Chief at Goddard Space Flight Center.
Melba Louise Chloe was born in 1929,[3] in Fairfax, Virginia to Rhodie and Edna Chloe (née Robinson).[4][5] She graduated from Howard University in 1950 with a master's degree in mathematics,[6] after receiving a bachelor's degree in mathematics with a minor in physics.[7] While at Howard, Mouton was president of the Kelly Miller Chapter of Future Teachers of America and a member of the NAACP, the Mathematics Club, and the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She also was on the Dean's Honor Roll for four years, and was selected for the 1949-1950 Who’s Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges.[7]
Careeredit
Melba Roy - Female Computer at NASA 1964
She started working for NASA in 1959, after working for the Army Map Service and the Census Bureau.[6] The following year, Echo 1 was put into orbit, and Mouton led a team of NASA mathematicians (known as "computers") in tracking its orbit.[2] While at Godddard, Mouton was an instructor for a series of seminars on A Programming Language held at Watson Research Labs.[8] In a NASA symposium, she published a paper about the importance of investing in thorough, descriptive program documentation for projects which are to be maintainable over time.[9] She was also prominently featured alongside some of her African American colleagues in an advertisement in the Afro American designed to spotlight NASA's diversity.[10] Mouton received both an Apollo Achievement Award and an Exceptional Performance Award from NASA before she retired in 1973.[11]
Personal lifeedit
Mouton had three children and was married twice, first to Wardell Roy and later to Webster Mouton. She died in Silver Spring, Maryland, on June 25, 1990, of a brain tumor at the age of 61.[11][12]
^"1940 United States Federal Census for Melva Chloe, Virginia, Prince William, Manassas". www.ancestry.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
^ ab"Who We Are – Black Women in Computing". Retrieved 2020-06-10.
^ abNelsen, R. Arvid (January 2017). "Race and Computing: The Problem of Sources, the Potential of Prosopography, and the Lesson of Ebony Magazine". IEEE Annals of the History of Computing. 39 (1): 29–51. doi:10.1109/mahc.2016.11. ISSN 1058-6180. S2CID 6992544.
^"EXPERIMENTAL USE OF A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE (APL) AT THE GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER" (PDF). November 1968. Retrieved 2016-11-01 – via NASA.
^"Automated Methods of Computer Program Documentation" (PDF). NASA. November 1970. Retrieved 2016-11-01. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^"NASA Yes! We are Involved: A Diversified Team can get the Job Done". Afro American. 1972-04-15. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
melba, mouton, april, 1929, june, 1990, american, mathematician, served, assistant, chief, research, programs, nasa, trajectory, geodynamics, division, 1960s, headed, group, nasa, mathematicians, called, computers, served, head, mathematician, echo, satellites. Melba Roy Mouton April 28 1929 June 25 1990 was an American mathematician who served as Assistant Chief of Research Programs at NASA s Trajectory and Geodynamics Division in the 1960s 1 and headed a group of NASA mathematicians called computers 2 She served as Head Mathematician for Echo Satellites 1 and 2 before becoming Head Computer Programmer and then Program Production Section Chief at Goddard Space Flight Center Melba Roy MoutonMelba Roy in 1960Born 1929 04 28 April 28 1929Fairfax VirginiaDiedJune 25 1990 1990 06 25 aged 61 Silver Spring MarylandAlma materHoward UniversityAwardsApollo Achievement Award NASA Exceptional Performance AwardScientific careerInstitutionsUnited States Census Bureau Army Map Service Goddard Space Flight Center Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Personal life 4 Commemoration 5 ReferencesEarly life and education editMelba Louise Chloe was born in 1929 3 in Fairfax Virginia to Rhodie and Edna Chloe nee Robinson 4 5 She graduated from Howard University in 1950 with a master s degree in mathematics 6 after receiving a bachelor s degree in mathematics with a minor in physics 7 While at Howard Mouton was president of the Kelly Miller Chapter of Future Teachers of America and a member of the NAACP the Mathematics Club and the Delta Sigma Theta sorority She also was on the Dean s Honor Roll for four years and was selected for the 1949 1950 Who s Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges 7 Career edit nbsp Melba Roy Female Computer at NASA 1964She started working for NASA in 1959 after working for the Army Map Service and the Census Bureau 6 The following year Echo 1 was put into orbit and Mouton led a team of NASA mathematicians known as computers in tracking its orbit 2 While at Godddard Mouton was an instructor for a series of seminars on A Programming Language held at Watson Research Labs 8 In a NASA symposium she published a paper about the importance of investing in thorough descriptive program documentation for projects which are to be maintainable over time 9 She was also prominently featured alongside some of her African American colleagues in an advertisement in the Afro American designed to spotlight NASA s diversity 10 Mouton received both an Apollo Achievement Award and an Exceptional Performance Award from NASA before she retired in 1973 11 Personal life editMouton had three children and was married twice first to Wardell Roy and later to Webster Mouton She died in Silver Spring Maryland on June 25 1990 of a brain tumor at the age of 61 11 12 Commemoration editIn 2023 lunar mountain Mons Mouton previously known informally as Leibnitz Beta of the Leibnitz plateau at the lunar south polar region was named officially in her honor 13 It is scheduled to become the landing site of the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover VIPER 14 nbsp Proposed landing site of Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover or VIPERReferences edit The Goddard General Orbit Determination System PDF NASA Retrieved 2013 10 21 a b Human Computer NASA Archived from the original on 2013 10 30 Retrieved 2013 10 22 Melba Roy Mouton PDF Chandra X Ray Observatory NASA Retrieved 16 April 2017 Melba Louise Chloe Mouton Roy 1929 1990 1940 United States Federal Census for Melva Chloe Virginia Prince William Manassas www ancestry co uk Retrieved 2023 06 25 a b Who We Are Black Women in Computing Retrieved 2020 06 10 a b Nelsen R Arvid January 2017 Race and Computing The Problem of Sources the Potential of Prosopography and the Lesson of Ebony Magazine IEEE Annals of the History of Computing 39 1 29 51 doi 10 1109 mahc 2016 11 ISSN 1058 6180 S2CID 6992544 EXPERIMENTAL USE OF A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE APL AT THE GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER PDF November 1968 Retrieved 2016 11 01 via NASA Automated Methods of Computer Program Documentation PDF NASA November 1970 Retrieved 2016 11 01 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help NASA Yes We are Involved A Diversified Team can get the Job Done Afro American 1972 04 15 Retrieved 2016 11 01 a b Melba Roy Mouton The Washington Post June 29 1990 Reference to obituary SVS NASA s 2023 05 30 SVS Mons Mouton a Newly Named Lunar Mountain SVS Retrieved 2023 09 24 Wright Ernie Ladd David Colaprete Anthony Ladd David 2021 09 20 NASA Scientific Visualization Studio SVS Retrieved 2023 10 27 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Melba Roy Mouton amp oldid 1182208010, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
