Jackson, Shirley
1946- · Contribution: 1970s-present
Theoretical physics research underlying telecommunications technologies
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
Her physics research contributed to the foundational science behind touch-tone telephones, fiber optic cables, caller ID, and call waiting.
Life & background
A theoretical physicist and one of the first African-American women to earn a PhD in physics from MIT, Jackson's research has informed key telecommunications technologies. She later served as president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and chaired the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Sources
- Britannica (Shirley Ann Jackson); National Women's Hall of Fame; Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (official biography)
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