IMS

For today’s Black History Month spotlight, IMS highlights Valerie Thomas, a NASA scientist and inventor who helped change how we see Earth from space. While working at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, she managed the development of early Landsat image-processing systems, supporting the work that made satellite images easier to store, process, and use. She’s also known for inventing the Illusion Transmitter, a device that uses mirrors and video signals to create a realistic 3D image effect, and she received a patent for it in 1980.

As we kick off Black History Month, we celebrate Dr. Lilia Ann Abron, a trailblazer whose achievements have paved the way for so many who follow. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1945, Dr. Abron made history in 1972 when she became the first African-American woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in chemical engineering — a milestone that broke barriers in a field long dominated by men. After overcoming early professional obstacles, she founded PEER Consultants, P.C., an environmental engineering firm that has transformed communities with sustainable solutions and global impact. Beyond her technical expertise, Dr. Abron is a mentor, advocate for science education, and an enduring example of innovation, perseverance, and leadership in STEM.