Shirley Ann Jackson is an American physicist and the 18th president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She was born on August 5, 1946, in Washington, D.C. Jackson is known for her work in theoretical physics, particularly in the areas of condensed matter physics and quantum mechanics. She was the first African American woman to earn a doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1973. In addition to her academic achievements, Jackson has held various leadership roles in government and academia. She served as the chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission from 1995 to 1999. Jackson has received numerous awards for her contributions to science and education, including the National Medal of Science in 2016.