Women of Power: 10 Education Leaders Who are Making a Difference

Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph. D.

Shirley Ann Jackson’s resume is filled with impressive accomplishments that very few individuals have achieved.

Her role as president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute made her the first African American woman to lead a national research university. In addition, Jackson is the first black woman to earn a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in nuclear physics, and the first African American to chair the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

With a resume that reads like an inspiration handbook for women in education, it’s no surprise that Jackson is also a past Women of Power Legacy Award recipient.