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At Work Making the World Better

Shirley has used her background as a physicist to make this world a better place. As a member of the technical staff of AT&T Bell Laboratories from 1976 to 1995, Shirley worked on problems involving semiconductors. These are materials that conduct electricity only under certain conditions, and they're used to control current in electronic equipment. Shirley helped find a way to eliminate defects in the material to make the semiconductors more effective. Today we take her work for granted; every time you listen to a CD, scan a grocery store item, or slide a DVD into your computer, you're using technology that Shirley's work helped improve.

Making the World Safer

In 1995 President Bill Clinton appointed Shirley to be Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). As Chairman, Shirley used her experience as a physicist to make complex decisions and figure out solutions to tough problems. She immediately made changes to improve the safety of all the 110 nuclear power plants under the NRC's control. Then she brought together nuclear regulators from all over the world to come up with ways to develop nuclear safety on a global scale.

Education for Everyone

In her current job as President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Shirley works to increase diversity by nurturing math and science education among students from neighboring low-income communities. Her work reflects RPI's motto, "Why not change the world?"

Shirley Ann Jackson with Students at R P I 		Shirley is sworn in as Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Shirley Ann Jackson Visiting a Power Plant
Shirely Takes a Hike

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Once a year, Shirley and her two sisters go hiking with a group of other women. They've been to the Sierra Nevadas, Yosemite National Park, Mount St. Helens, and Lake Tahoe. Their goal: Get women to stretch themselves physically as well as mentally. On these hikes the women see that they're stronger and braver than they thought they were. Shirley is usually the leader of the group. Her nickname: The General.