Shirley Ann Jackson is a prominent African American physicist and the 18th president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She made history as the first African American woman to earn a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in any field.

Jackson has had a distinguished career in both academia and government. She served as chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission under President Bill Clinton and has been a trailblazer in the field of theoretical physics. In 1998, President Clinton awarded her the National Medal of Science, making her the first African American woman to receive this prestigious honor.

In addition to her scientific achievements, Shirley Ann Jackson has been a champion of diversity and inclusion in STEM fields, advocating for the importance of increasing the representation of women and people of color in scientific research and academia. She continues to be a role model for aspiring scientists and a powerful advocate for equity and excellence in the sciences.