When Dr. Shirly Jackson began her research into subatomic particles, she never imagined the amazing contributions her work would make to society. Her discoveries enabled others to create some of the most important technological advances of our time, including the portable fax, touch-tone phone, solar cells, and caller ID technology.
If it weren’t for Dr. Jackson’s groundbreaking research, we would have missed out on all sorts of important information! So the next time you’re using your touch-tone phone or checking your caller ID, be sure to thank this amazing scientist.
She has been awarded 55 honorary doctorate degrees, numerous awards, and leadership roles across academia, government, and scientific industries. On May 19, 2016, ex-President Barack Obama awarded her the National Medal of Science, the nation’s highest honor for contributions in science and engineering. In 2015, Dr. Jackson received the inaugural Alice H. Parker Award from the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, which honors women leaders in innovation.
Her other notable awards include the 2019 Burton Award from the Forum on Physics Society and obtained the W.E.B. DuBois Medal from the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University in 2018.
Similar to many Black inventors, Dr. Jackson faced many challenges but she rose above them to become a highly respected scientist and educator.
Dr. Shirly Jackson’s breakthrough scientific research with subatomic particles has revolutionized communication. Without her work, we would have missed out on all the important information that is now transmitted through faxes, phones, and cables.
She worked as a theoretical physicist at Bell Laboratories and chaired the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. According to MIT Technology Review: The research led to an ongoing position for Jackson at Bell Labs. Later, in 1991, she also joined the faculty at Rutgers University. During those years, she expanded into public policy work, advising Governor Tom Kean of New Jersey on how the state should invest in science and technology at its major research universities and serving on the board of the state’s largest utility.
Jackson became a member of the MIT Corporation in 1975 and while serving on the boards of Rutgers and MIT of which she is now a lifetime member, ex-President Bill Clinton invited Jackson to serve as chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 1994 and she accepted.
As head of the NRC, Jackson developed and implemented regulations for assessing risk at the country’s nuclear power plants while also leading international efforts to promote nuclear safety. And since 1999, she’s been president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.
Dr. Jackson’s remarkable intelligence also gave her the opportunity to co-chair ex-President Obama’s President’s Intelligence Advisory Board in 2014 and served on the boards of IBM and FedEx.
In 2002, according to MIT Technology Review, Dr. Jackson was named as one of the “top 50 women in science” by Discover magazine and recognized in the ESSENCE book 50 of The Most Inspiring African Americans. She was also cited as one of “50 R&D stars to watch” by Industry Week Magazine.
The African Giant Dr. Jackson has left a lasting legacy and in her honour, she has been inducted into several Hall of Fame by reputable institutions. Dr. Jackson was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1998 for her contributions as a distinguished scientist and advocate for education, science, and public policy. She became one of four honorees inducted in 2014 into the U.S. News STEM Leadership Hall of Fame. She was also inducted into the Tech Valley Business Hall of Fame.
