Shirley Ann Jackson

 African American women who have had an impact on technology

                                                                                

Shirley Ann Jackson played a vital role in advancements in touch-tone phones, portable fax machines, and fiber optic cables that ensure crystal-clear long-distance phone calls, her work contributed to those innovations.  Jackson's parents supported her in her curiosity by helping her build things and come up with experiments. The 1950s space race heightened Jackson's interest in science and technology. Because she was underrepresented Shirley Ann Jackson didn't let that deter her she went along to become the first African-American woman to hold a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in theoretical elementary particle physics, as well as the first to hold a doctorate from MIT in any subject. She is also the second woman of African descent in the country to receive a doctorate in physics.  Mrs. Shirley Ann Jackson faced many biases because of the times she grew up in although she did not let this deter her there are still biases in computing and technology when it comes to women especially women of color.  Combating those biases can be achieved by avoiding the use of discriminatory algorithms. They can begin by considering an array of laws and analytical precedents to determine and ensure algorithmic fairness.