Jackson, Shirley Ann (1946–)

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Jackson, Shirley Ann (1946–)

African-American physicist. Born Aug 5, 1946, in Washington, DC; dau. of George Hiter Jackson and Beatrice (Cosby) Jackson; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, SB in physics, 1968, PhD, 1973, the 1st African-American woman to receive a doctorate at MIT in any subject; m. Morris A. Washington (physicist); children: Alan.

Conducted research in theoretical physics, solid state and quantum physics, and optical physics at AT&T Bell Laboratories (1976–91); was professor of theoretical physics at Rutgers University (1991–95); served as chair of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (1995–99); became president of Rensselaer Polytecnic Institute (1999); was president of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS, 2004). Inducted into Women in Technology International Foundation Hall of Fame (2000).

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