10 Female Scientists of Color You Should Know

International Security Advisory Board members at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, on February 8, 2012. Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson is in the front row, far left. (Photo via U.S. Department of State)

Shirley Ann Jackson

Thanks to the encouragement and effort of her parents, Shirley Ann Jackson excelled as a young student, taking accelerated courses in math and science. Jackson graduated from high school in 1964 as valedictorian. Later that year, she began attending MIT, one of less than 20 African-American students throughout the university, and the only one studying theoretical physics.

After completing her degree in 1968, she stayed at MIT, in part to encourage other African-American students to attend through her example. She researched elementary particle physics during her time there, earning her Ph.D. in 1973. Later that year, she began attending MIT, one of less than 20 African-American students throughout the university, and the only one studying theoretical physics.

After completing her degree in 1968, she stayed at MIT, in part to encourage other African-American students to attend through her example. Jackson researched elementary particle physics during her time there, earning her Ph.D. in 1973. She was the first black woman to earn a doctorate from MIT, and only the second African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in physics.

In her postdoctoral studies, Jackson worked at a number of prestigious labs focusing on particle physics, including Fermilab, CERN, the Aspen Center for Physics, and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (now the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory).

Over her career, she has written and co-written over 100 scientific articles, many focusing on semiconductors, optics, and density waves. In 1995, she was appointed by President Bill Clinton as Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. She was both the first woman and the first African-American to occupy the position.

Jackson has also served as a university professor at Rutgers University while consulting with Bell Labs. Since 1999, she has worked as the President of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Jackson is now one of the highest-paid university presidents in the nation, making an annual salary of $1.75 million in 2011. She has also helped to raise over $1 billion in funds for RPI.

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