Troy, N.Y. - Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson, has been recognized alongside Colin Powell, Halle Berry, Oprah Winfrey, Maya Angelou, and Condoleezza Rice, in a recently published book by ESSENCE titled, 50 of The Most Inspiring African-Americans.

The book features African-Americans who are breaking barriers in a number of fields, including politics, education, and entertainment.

"The women and men you will find in this book are a special breed; wise souls who appreciate the profound gift of being alive," says Susan L. Taylor in the book's introduction. "They come from every sector of society; they represent the worlds of entertainment, education, business, religion, politics and activism. Some are known and lauded throughout the world; others are working quietly in their communities, expecting no praise, wanting only to serve."

The book is structured in eight categories: Icons; Power Brokers; Trailblazers; Community Builders; Dazzling Dynamos; Spirit Lifters; Healers & Teachers; Next Generation. Jackson is profiled in "Healers & Teachers" as someone making a difference by "nurturing young minds."

As a leader in both the public and private sectors, Jackson was most recently elected President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world's largest scientific organization. Her term begins in 2004. Additionally, she was named one of the Top 50 Women in Science by Discover magazine.

"Throughout my life I have found strength from my family, my church, my teachers, and my community," said Jackson. "Along the way, it has been important to me to seek out mentors and others from whom I could learn. I learned to stay focused on my goals, and to remain determined and motivated in the face of adversity. I derive a great deal of strength from helping others. At the toughest moments of my life, I have gained the strength and perspective to meet my own challenges by stepping outside myself to help someone else."

As Rensselaer's 18th president, Jackson has been a tireless and outspoken advocate and role model for underrepresented groups in science. She embraced the term "affirmative opportunity" as a rallying cry to all segments of society to engage talent from every sector of the population.

Jackson is the first African-American woman to receive a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.). She is one of the first two African-American women in the United States to receive a doctorate in physics. She is the first African-American to become a commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). She is both the first woman and the first African-American to serve as the chairman of the NRC, and the first African-American woman to lead a national research university. She is also the first African-American woman elected to the National Academy of Engineering. Her research specialties are in optical physics and in theoretical, quantum, and solid-state physics.

Jackson was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1998 for her significant and profound contributions as a distinguished scientist and advocate for education, science, and public policy. She was inducted into the Women in Technology International Foundation Hall of Fame (WITI) in June 2000. WITI recognizes women technologists and scientists whose achievements are exceptional.

Jackson was a professor of theoretical physics at Rutgers University from 1991 to 1995, and a theoretical physicist from 1976 to 1991 at the former AT&T Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, N.J.

Jackson recently was named to the board of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) (www.nibib1.nih.gov) of the National Institutes of Health. She serves as a trustee of the Brookings Institution. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the Council on Competitiveness, on the Council of the Government-University-Industry Research Roundtable, and as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Physical Society. In 2001 she was the recipient of the "Immortal Award" for the 15th Annual Black History Makers Award sponsored by Associated Black Charities.

Contact: Theresa Bourgeois
Phone: (518) 276-2840
E-mail: bourgt@rpi.edu