Cayman Compass June 2022
Caymanian scientist and inventor Martha Kay Williams has joined the ranks of the elite in her field after recently being inducted into the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Inventors Hall Of Fame.
The proud Cayman Brac mother-of-two credits her humble upbringing, steely work ethic and her strong support network of family and friends for her successful, decades-long career.
“Growing up in Cayman Brac with my five other siblings, I was taught early the appreciation of hard work and the importance of education. My first introduction to ‘probably’ a type of inventing, being creative, was making our own play areas out of the limited resources, and making dolls out of painted rocks,” she told the Cayman Compass, adding, “For some growing up currently in the islands, that might seem farfetched now, but [it was] a great foundation for developing creative concepts and learning things that has served me well.”
Reflecting on her journey, Williams, 64, recounted the influence of American missionary families on the Brac that became pivotal to her life and career path…
