Trailblazing African-American Women in STEM

In honor of Black History Month, Little Curies is highlighting African American women that had a profound impact on STEM.

Katherine Johnson’s instrumental calculations as a mathematician at NASA (featured in the hit-film, Hidden Figures) resulted in astronaut, John Glenn’s successful Earth orbits in 1962. This achievement was a pivotal moment for the “Space Race” between the USA and the Soviet Union. Johnson worked at NASA for 35 years and was one of the first African American women to do so. In 2015, President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Valerie Thomas also worked at NASA as a Scientist and Inventor and patented the Illusion Transmitter in 1980. The invention produces optical illusions and was a precursor to 3D technology. NASA continues to use Thomas’ pioneering discovery, and it is currently being evaluated for utilization into surgeons’ tools and video screens.

Dr. Shirley Jackson, a Theoretical Physicist, is the first African American woman to earn a PhD at MIT. Her accomplishments include work in government, business and academia. President Clinton appointed her Chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to evaluate the risks of our nuclear power plants. Additionally, her groundbreaking work at Bell Laboratories resulted in others expounding on her research and creating the fax machine, solar cells, Caller ID and Call Waiting. In 2016, President Obama awarded Jackson the National Medal of Science. She currently serves as RPI’s President, where she is committed to closing the Gender Gap in STEM. Under her leadership, the number of female undergraduates has increased from 24% in 1999 to 32% in 2017 and continues to do so.