Black History is infinity ➰ Before innovation became a buzzword, Shirley Ann Jackson was already shaping the future—across science, public policy, and higher education. Born in Washington, D.C., Jackson became the first Black woman to earn a PhD from MIT, at a time when Black women were nearly absent from elite scientific institutions. Her achievement wasn’t symbolic. It was foundational. At Bell Laboratories, her research in theoretical and condensed-matter physics helped lay the scientific groundwork behind modern telecommunications—work that would influence fiber-optic networks, semiconductor technologies, and the digital infrastructure we rely on every day. Her impact did not stop in the lab. In 1995, Jackson became the first woman and first African American to lead the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, bringing scientific expertise directly into national governance. At the NRC, she strengthened regulatory oversight, elevated public safety, and helped shape international standards for nuclear regulation—demonstrating what it looks like when innovation is paired with accountability. She later became president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, transforming one of the nation’s oldest technological universities into a modern research and innovation powerhouse, while advocating for interdisciplinary education and expanded access to scientific opportunity. Jackson didn’t just break barriers. She built systems. Systems that shape how we communicate. Systems that govern how technology serves the public. Systems that educate the next generation of innovators. Her legacy isn’t confined to history books. It’s embedded in the infrastructure of modern life. And this is what it looks like when history becomes infrastructure. 📍 This month, we honor the builders, the breakthroughs, and what comes next. #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackHistoryCommemorations #TheRecordIsStillPlaying #OHUB