Shirley Ann Jackson

Pioneering physicist and first African-American woman to earn a PhD from MIT, revolutionizing telecommunications research

Shirley Ann Jackson (born August 5, 1946) stands as a monumental figure in applied physics and academic leadership. Her groundbreaking work at Bell Laboratories in the 1970s laid the foundation for caller ID, fiber-optic cables, and touch-tone telephones - technologies that define modern communication.

As the first African-American woman to earn a doctorate at MIT (1973), Jackson shattered multiple barriers. Her research in theoretical physics explored subatomic particles and charge density waves, with over 100 scholarly articles to her credit. The National Medal of Science recipient later became president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (1999-2022), transforming it into a top-tier technological university.

Jackson's leadership extended to chairing the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission under President Clinton, where she implemented critical safety reforms. Her STEM advocacy programs have inspired thousands of underrepresented students. Through the American Association for the Advancement of Science, she continues influencing global science policy.