Became the first female and African American president of RPI.
On July 1, 1999, Shirley Ann Jackson became the president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, breaking new ground as the first woman and African American in this role at a major research university. Her presidency was marked by overarching institutional changes that bolstered RPI's academic standing and research capacity. Jackson's strategic focus on interdisciplinary research and faculty recruitment set a new academic leadership standard.