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 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Shirley Ann Jackson was born on August 5, 1946 in Washington, D.C., United States and is credited as a physicist, university teacher and university president. That puts Shirley Ann Jackson at 80 years old in 2026. Schooling on record includes Theodore Roosevelt High School. Recorded honors include National Women's Hall of Fame (1998), National Medal of Science (2014), Candace Award (1982) and 5 more.
My Take
Shirley Ann Jackson is the kind of figure I find quietly heroic. Becoming the first African American woman to earn a doctorate from MIT, in theoretical particle physics no less, meant breaking barriers most of us can barely imagine. What strikes me is the breadth of her arc: from front-line researcher to university president, crowned by the National Medal of Science. She never seems to have chased the spotlight, yet her impact on physics and on opening doors for women in science is enormous. I admire people who change the world through sheer intellect and persistence rather than noise, and she is exactly that.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Shirley Ann Jackson
- Name (Japanese)
- シャーリー・アン・ジャクソン
- Reading
- しゃーりー・あん・じゃくそん
- Born
- August 5, 1946 (age 80)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Dog
- Origin
- Washington, D.C., United States
- Occupation
- physicist / university teacher / university president
2. Background
- High school
- Theodore Roosevelt High School
Awards & achievements
- 1998 National Women's Hall of Fame
- 2014 National Medal of Science
- 1982 Candace Award
- 2011 Philip Hauge Abelson Prize
- 2001 Richtmyer Memorial Lecture Award
- 2007 Vannevar Bush Award
- Fellow of the American Physical Society
- 2000 Women in Technology Hall of Fame
3. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley%20Ann%20Jackson
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3482342
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Shirley Ann Jackson born?
Born August 5, 1946 (age 80).
Where is Shirley Ann Jackson from?
Shirley Ann Jackson is from Washington, D.C., United States.
What does Shirley Ann Jackson do?
Shirley Ann Jackson works as physicist, university teacher, university president.
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