The Hon. Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson to address Dartmouth Commencement June 11

Posted 05/02/00

Current President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and former Chairman, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Theoretical physicist The Hon. Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, eighteenth president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and former Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, will deliver the main address at Dartmouth College's 2000 Commencement exercises, which will be at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 11, on the Dartmouth Green.

Jackson will also receive the honorary degree Doctor of Science.

Jackson served as Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission from 1995-1999. In that role, she spearheaded formation of the International Nuclear Regulators Association in 1997 and served as the group's first chair until 1999.

She previously was a professor of physics at Rutgers University and a research scientist at AT&T Bell Laboratories. Her research interests included theoretical, solid state, quantum and optical physics. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and of the American Physical Society.

Jackson was the first African-American woman to earn a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and one of the first two African-American women to earn a Ph.D. in physics in the United States. She became the first African-American woman to head a national research university when she was inaugurated as Rensselaer's president in 1999. Recently she received the Golden Torch Award for Lifetime Achievement in Academia from the National Society of Black Engineers, and, in 1998, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

"Dr. Jackson exemplifies the high standards of scholarly accomplishment, leadership and service which we work to cultivate at Dartmouth. She is an important voice in national science policy and in higher education. We are extremely pleased to have her participation as this year's Commencement speaker," said Dartmouth President James Wright.

At Commencement, Dartmouth also will confer honorary degrees on professional baseball great Henry "Hank" Aaron (Doctor of Humane Letters); Audrey Stone Geisel, President of the Dr. Seuss Foundation and Dr. Seuss Enterprises (Doctor of Humane Letters); Hallmark Cards Chairman Donald Hall '50 (Doctor of Laws); Norman E. "Sandy" McCulloch '50, Chairman of The Rhode Island Foundation, one of the nation's largest community foundations (Doctor of Laws); J. K. Rowling, author of the popular Harry Potter series of children's books (Doctor of Letters); and former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin (Doctor of Laws), who will receive his honorary degree on Saturday, June 10 at the Tuck School of Business investiture ceremonies, which this year will also mark the 100th anniversary of the Tuck School.

Besides Jackson, speakers for the event will include Dartmouth President James Wright and the College's valedictorian (who is announced the week of Commencement, after final grades are calculated).

Commencement Weekend also will include a public reception for the honorary degree recipients from 5-6 p.m. Saturday, June 10, in the main corridor of Baker Library.

The College expects to award approximately 1,000 bachelor's degrees and 500 master's or doctoral degrees in the Arts and Sciences or from one of the College's three professional schools: Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering and the Tuck School of Business.

Dartmouth's three professional schools hold their annual Class Day and Investiture ceremonies the day before the College's Commencement. This year's investiture speakers include (in chronological order):

Dartmouth Medical School: John Winslow Irving, author of the novels The World According to Garp, The Hotel New Hampshire and The Cider House Rules, among others. 9:30 a.m., Derzon Courtyard at DMS (front lawn). Rain location: Leede Arena, 11:30 a.m.

Thayer School of Engineering: Brent Frei, Founder, Onyx Software (1988 Dartmouth graduate and 1989 Thayer School graduate). 10 a.m., Cook Auditorium.

Tuck School of Business: Robert Rubin, former U.S. Treasury Secretary. 3 p.m., Tuck Circle. Rain location: Leede Arena.