From academia and government to business and science, Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson’s outstanding reputation precedes her. She has been paving the way for scientists, women and African Americans since she decided to dedicate her life to STEM. Jackson has been credited with producing discoveries that led to the fax machine, touch-tone phones, solar cells, fiber optic cables, caller ID, and call waiting during her 15-year tenure at AT&T’s Bell Labs. As president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), she helped raise over $1 billion in donations for philanthropic causes.
Born on August 5, 1946, in Washington, D.C., Jackson’s parents constantly impressed upon her the importance of education. But the pursuit of education came with hardships. Although there was a school within walking distance, Jackson and her sisters couldn’t attend because it was segregated. They had to take a public bus to go miles to the school that they were assigned to. The civil rights movement, desegregation of schools and the space race brought opportunities for Jackson. She shot to the top of her class and earned a guaranteed spot at George Washington University through an accelerated English program. She however declined the offer due to her interest in the sciences.
“I could not possibly have planned the path that I have taken. Rather, at particular moments in my own history and in the history of the nation, unexpected windows of opportunity opened for me. Fortunately, I was blessed with the courage required to use my talents in a new context and on a broader field,” Jackson said of her trailblazing journey.
Here are four things you should know about the remarkable Shirley Jackson.
1. Jackson was the first African American woman to earn a doctorate at MIT
As a valedictorian of her high school class, Jackson was one of two Black female freshmen accepted to MIT. She was often shunned by her white classmates and had to do class assignments on her own. Although accepted at Brown, Harvard, and the University of Chicago, Jackson decided to stay at MIT for her doctoral work to encourage more African American students to attend the university. She established MIT’s Black Student Union to counter the social inequality on campus and helped increase the number of African-American students enrolling at MIT from 2 to 57 in only one year. She received her Ph.D. in nuclear physics in 1973, becoming the first African American woman to earn a doctorate at MIT and the second African American woman in the United States to earn a doctorate in physics.
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2. She is the first woman and first African American to chair the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
While a faculty member at Rutgers University, Jackson was appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve as chairman of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in 1995. She was the first woman and first African American to hold the position. Jackson developed and implemented regulations for assessing risk at the country’s nuclear power plants and led international efforts to promote nuclear safety. She also spearheaded the creation of the International Nuclear Regulators Association, which supports nuclear regulation around the world and served as its chairperson from 1997 to 1999.
3. She raised over $1 billion in donations for philanthropic causes
In 1999, Jackson became the 18th president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) – the oldest technological university in the United States. She was the first woman and first African American to hold the position. Jackson led the development of a strategic initiative called The Rensselaer Plan that raised over $1.2 billion in donations for philanthropic causes. She oversaw the construction of a $200 million Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center and increased annual research funding from $35 million to $100 million.
4. Jackson has received over 50 honorary doctoral degrees
Her contributions to academia, business, policy and science haven’t gone unnoticed. Jackson has been the recipient of multiple fellowships, has been elected to numerous special societies and served on the boards of many Fortune 500 companies. She was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1998 and has received over 50 honorary doctoral degrees. Jackson’s proudest accomplishment is being awarded the National Medal of Science by President Barack Obama in 2016.
Prevailing against stereotypes and discrimination, Jackson has achieved several historic feats. Her story is an inspiration for the next generation of leaders.
“For a long time I didn’t necessarily think of myself as a role model, but then I came around on that and decided that if what I had accomplished could be motivational and encouraging to other young African-American women, young women and to other African-Americans and minorities broadly, then that would be a good thing. There were certainly those who were not ready to see a woman of color be successful, but I was always raised on a principle of achieving personal excellence and also if one has the health and ability to help others, then one should,” said Dr. Jackson.