Photo: Shirley_Ann_Jackson_-_Annual_Meeting_of_the_New_Champions_Tianjin_2010.jpg : World Economic Forum (Qilai Shen) derivative work: Gobonobo ( talk ), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons⁴⁴

Shirley Ann Jackson

American physicist (born 1946)

Shirley Ann Jackson (born August 5, 1946) is an African American physicist and the 18th president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She is the first African American woman to earn a doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in Theoretical Elementary Particle Physics.²

From Wikipedia’s article on Shirley Ann Jackson (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Aug 5, 1946.¹

About

She is also the second African American woman in the United States to earn a doctorate in physics.

From Wikipedia’s article on Shirley Ann Jackson, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.²

Companies

KyndrylBoard member Nov 4, 2021 to now²⁷
Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteChair²⁸
Public Service Enterprise GroupBoard member Dec 4, 2006 to Mar 28, 2022²⁹
FedExBoard member 1999 to 2022³⁰
IBMBoard member Sep 27, 2005 to Apr 1, 2020³¹
Medtronic plcBoard member Jan 28, 2015 to May 2, 2018³²
Medtronic plcBoard member Feb 13, 2006 to Jan 28, 2015³³
Marathon OilBoard member Jan 5, 2006 to Jan 5, 2015³⁴
U.S. SteelBoard member Jan 17, 2006 to Feb 1, 2006³⁵
KEYCORP /NEW/Board member Jul 23, 2003 to Jul 23, 2003³⁶

Holdings

Stock this person has reported owning, from the forms officers and directors file with the SEC. See the biggest insider stakes.

Shares held

Kyndryl KD84,656 shares³⁷$1.2M at $14.29Jul 30, 2026
IBM IBM0 shares³⁸Jan 26, 2011

As of each latest filing. The line shows shares held over time.

Recent filings

Jul 30, 2026Granted 17,844 shares at $13.45 of Kyndryl³⁷
Jul 31, 2025Granted 6,296 shares at $38.12 of Kyndryl³⁹
Jul 25, 2024Granted 7,787 shares at $26.97 of Kyndryl⁴⁰
Jul 27, 2023Granted 15,614 shares at $13.45 of Kyndryl⁴¹
Jul 28, 2022Granted 19,399 shares of Kyndryl⁴²
Dec 16, 2021Granted 10,990 shares of Kyndryl⁴³
Jan 26, 2011Sold 1,183 shares at $161.56 of IBM³⁸
Jan 26, 2011Sold 2,817 shares at $161.55 of IBM³⁸
Jan 26, 2011Exercised options 4,000 shares at $82.70 of IBM³⁸

Early life and education

1968Massachusetts Institute of Technology Bachelor of Science; physics³
1973Massachusetts Institute of Technology Doctor of Philosophy; physics^{3 4}
Date not recordedTheodore Roosevelt High School³
Date not recordedPark View School³

Career

Occupation: university teacher, physicist, university president.¹⁰

2005 to 2017Board member, Smithsonian Institution⁷
1999 to 2022Board member, FedEx⁶
Since 1995Chair, Nuclear Regulatory Commission⁹
Date not recordedWorked at AT&T⁵
Date not recordedWorked at Nuclear Regulatory Commission⁵
Date not recordedWorked at Rutgers University⁵
Date not recordedPresident, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute⁷
Date not recordedChair, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute⁸

Personal life

BornAug 5, 1946, Washington, D.C.^{11 12}
CitizenshipUnited States¹³

Jackson is married to Morris A. Washington, a physics professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and they have one adult son. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. While studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Jackson co-founded the university's Black Students' Union in 1968. She worked with university administrators to improve the recruitment and retention of Black students and expand educational opportunities for underrepresented groups.

From Wikipedia’s article on Shirley Ann Jackson (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Philanthropy

Jackson and her husband were named to the inaugural class of the Capital Region Philanthropy Hall of Fame in 2019.

From Wikipedia’s article on Shirley Ann Jackson (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Awards

2021Clark Kerr Medal^{14 25}
2021Oersted Medal^{14 26}
2019Joseph A. Burton Forum Award^{14 24}
2014National Medal of Science¹⁴
2011Philip Hauge Abelson Prize^{14 23}
2007Vannevar Bush Award^{14 21}
2007honorary doctor of the University of Miami^{14 22}
2006Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science^{14 19}
2006honorary doctor of Harvard University^{14 20}
2001Richtmyer Memorial Lecture Award^{14 18}

More awards (6)

2000Women in Technology Hall of Fame^{14 16}
2000honorary degree from Spelman College^{14 17}
1998National Women's Hall of Fame^{14 15}
1982Candace Award¹⁴
Date not recordedFellow of the American Physical Society¹⁴
Date not recordedFellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering¹⁴

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

1
WikidataShirley Ann Jackson on Wikidata
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WikipediaShirley Ann Jackson on Wikipedia
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WikidataShirley Ann Jackson: education, on Wikidata
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Wikidataeducation, as reported by Black Women Scientists in the United States
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WikidataShirley Ann Jackson: Worked at AT&T, on Wikidata
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WikidataShirley Ann Jackson: Board member, FedEx, on Wikidata
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WikidataShirley Ann Jackson: President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, on Wikidata
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WikidataShirley Ann Jackson: Chair, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, on Wikidata
9
WikidataShirley Ann Jackson: Chair, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, on Wikidata
10
WikidataShirley Ann Jackson: occupation, on Wikidata
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WikidataShirley Ann Jackson: place of birth, on Wikidata
12
Wikidataplace of birth, as reported by Black Women Scientists in the United States
13
WikidataShirley Ann Jackson: citizenship, on Wikidata
14
WikidataShirley Ann Jackson: award, on Wikidata
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Wikidataaward, as reported
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Wikidataaward, as reported
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Wikidataaward, as reported
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Wikidataaward, as reported
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Wikidataaward, as reported
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Wikidataaward, as reported
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Wikidataaward, as reported
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Wikidataaward, as reported
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Wikidataaward, as reported
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Wikidataaward, as reported
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SEC EDGARKyndryl, Board member
28
WikidataRensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Chair
29
SEC EDGARPublic Service Enterprise Group, Board member
30
Wikidata and SEC EDGARFedEx, Board member
31
SEC EDGARIBM, Board member
32
SEC EDGARMedtronic plc, Board member
33
SEC EDGARMedtronic plc, Board member
34
SEC EDGARMarathon Oil, Board member
35
SEC EDGARU.S. Steel, Board member
36
SEC EDGARKEYCORP /NEW/, Board member
37
SEC EDGARKyndryl shares after the filing of Jul 30, 2026
38
SEC EDGARIBM shares after the filing of Jan 26, 2011
39
SEC EDGARForm 4 filed Aug 1, 2025
40
SEC EDGARForm 4 filed Jul 29, 2024
41
SEC EDGARForm 4 filed Jul 31, 2023
42
SEC EDGARForm 4 filed Aug 1, 2022
43
SEC EDGARForm 4 filed Dec 20, 2021
44
Wikimedia CommonsShirley Ann Jackson photo by Shirley_Ann_Jackson_-_Annual_Meeting_of_the_New_Champions_Tianjin_2010.jpg : World Economic Forum (Qilai Shen) derivative work: Gobonobo ( talk ), CC BY-SA 2.0

About

Companies

Holdings

Shares held

Recent filings

Early life and education

Career

Personal life

Philanthropy

Awards

Links

Sources