Shirley Ann Jackson

Shirley Ann Jackson is an American physicist. She was born in Washington, D.C., in 1946. She was the first African American woman to earn a doctorate from MIT. Her research in physics helped make inventions like caller ID and fiber optic cables possible.

Early Life

Jackson was interested in science from a young age. She collected bees and studied their behavior. She graduated as valedictorian of her high school class. She went to MIT, where she was one of very few Black students.

Scientific Career

Jackson earned her PhD in nuclear physics from MIT in 1973. She did important research at Bell Laboratories on subatomic particles. Her work in telecommunications helped lead to caller ID, call waiting, and fiber optic cables. She later became president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Fun Facts

• Shirley Ann Jackson was the first African American woman to earn a doctorate from MIT.
• Her research helped make caller ID and call waiting possible.
• She served as chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Did You Know?

Shirley Ann Jackson's childhood hobby of collecting bees and studying them was her first experience doing scientific research. It sparked a lifelong love of science.