Ivy F. Hooks is a distinguished figure in the field of aerospace engineering, with a career that has spanned several decades and has included significant contributions to the United States' space program. Born and educated in Houston, Texas, Hooks earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics in 1963, followed by a Master of Science degree in Mathematics in 1965, both from the University of Houston. Hooks began her illustrious career at NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center, which later became the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.