Valerie LaVerne Thomas
Personal Information
Born: 1943
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: Black
Education
Morgan State University BS Physics 1964; George Washington University MA Engineering Administration 1985; University of Delaware PhD Educational Leadership 2004
Professional Life
Field of Study: Physics; data scientist; inventor
Institution/Corporation: NASA
Degrees & Memberships: Honorary Degree: Monmouth University (1993); Member: National Technical Association Women in Science & Engineering (WISE)
Awards & Achievements
Awards: Goddard Space Flight Center Award of Merit; NASA Equal Opportunity Medal; 2021 National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame
Achievements: Invented Illusion Transmitter & patented it in 1980 basis for 3-D technology; used by NASA & adapted for use in television & movies & medical field; at NASA worked on various programs including : real-time computer data systems to support satellite operations control centers creation of Landsat program Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment (LACIE) projects related to Halley's Comet ozone research satellite technology & Voyager spacecraft
Invented the illusion transmitter; it transmits an optical illusion of a 3D image between concave mirrors that looks real on the receiving end; led to 3D movie technology
Retired from NASA in 1995 after working there for over 30 years
Developed the digital media formats that image processing systems used in the early years of NASAs Landsat Program
Led a 50 member team of scientists from NASA, NOAA & USDA that created LACIE (Large Area Crop Inventory experiment) used in agriculture
Mentored children for careers in STEM
After retiring has worked as a substitute teacher
Holds 1 patent