STEM SUPERSTAR WOMEN KATHERINE JOHNSON Guiding Spacecraft Megan Borgert Spaniol Checkerboard Library An Imprint of Abdo Publishing abdopublishing com
4 1 KATHERINE JOHNSON Katherine Johnson began her professional career as an elementary school and high school teacher in Virginia When she retired about 50 years later she was the mathematician who sent the first Americans into space Johnson helped break scientific barriers to space exploration She also broke racial and gender barriers Johnson's career took off when much of America was still segregated by race It was also a time when professional women were granted lower status than their male coworkers As an African American woman Johnson experienced the race and gender discrimination of her time But she refused to let it influence her opportunities If you lose your curiosity then you stop learning Katherine Johnson
5 Johnson was instrumental in both space travel calculations and research In her career she wrote 26 scientific papers Johnson gave others her respect and she expected the same in return Now in her late nineties Johnson is modest about her achievements She credits her success to her love of learning A natural teacher Johnson continues to inspire learners of all ages to ask questions and stay curious
