Mary Golda Ross

Nov 10, 2025

Dive into the remarkable life of Mary Golda Ross, the first Indigenous woman engineer in the U.S. Discover her roots in Cherokee heritage and her pioneering contributions to aerospace during WWII. Learn about her challenges as a woman in a male-dominated field and her influence on future generations through advocacy in STEM. Uncover her classified work on rockets and missiles and her lasting legacy, including her efforts to support Indigenous youth and her iconic presence at cultural events.

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INSIGHT

Roots Of A Mathematical Mind

Mary Golda Ross credited a Cherokee cultural emphasis on education and curiosity for her strengths in math and engineering.
Her early math passion led her from rural Oklahoma schools to a bachelor's in math and teaching qualifications.

ANECDOTE

From BIA To Boarding School Advisor

Ross worked as a student advisor at the Santa Fe Indian School after a year at the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
She experienced the federal boarding school system that aimed to assimilate Indigenous students.

INSIGHT

War Opened Doors To Advanced Work

World War II opened technical jobs to women, letting Ross join Lockheed as a mathematical research assistant in 1942.
She performed human-computer style calculations using slide rules and mechanical calculators.

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Mary Golda Ross was the first Indigenous woman in the U.S. known to have become an engineer. Her impact on the field of aerospace engineering is hard to quantify, because much of her work is still classified.

Research:

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