Mary Jackson
An American mathematician and aerospace engineer at NASA, who became NASA's first black female engineer.
Most quoted
"We have to do something like this to get them interested in science. Sometimes they are not aware of the number of black scientists, and don't even know of the career opportunities until it is too late."
— from On community outreach, 1970
"I plan to be an engineer at NASA, but I have to take the graduate-level courses in math and physics to qualify, and they're only offered at a segregated high school."
— from Conversation with supervisor, 1958
"I changed my mind about what I wanted to be, and I changed my mind about what I wanted to do, and I changed my mind about what I wanted to be when I grew up."
— from Interview
All quotes by Mary Jackson (397)
The universe is a symphony of numbers, and we are learning to play its most beautiful melodies.
To truly live is to leave a mark, to contribute something lasting to the tapestry of human knowledge.
The greatest wisdom lies in recognizing the limits of our knowledge, and then striving to expand them.
Our existence is a miracle, a complex interplay of forces that defy simple explanation.
The human mind is a bridge between the tangible and the abstract, capable of perceiving both.
We are all seekers of truth, each on our own path, but ultimately converging on the same fundamental understanding.
We have to be able to see ourselves as part of the solution, not just the problem.
I changed my mind about a lot of things, but I never changed my mind about wanting to be an engineer.
You can't just sit there and complain. You have to do something.
I was not going to be limited by anyone's expectations of me.
There are no shortcuts to success. You have to work for it.
If you want to make a difference, you have to be willing to stand out.
I always believed that I could do anything I set my mind to.
The only way to do great work is to love what you do.
I wasn't afraid to ask questions, even if they seemed silly.
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
It's not about being the smartest, it's about being the most determined.
I learned early on that if you want something, you have to go get it.
Failure is not the opposite of success, it's part of success.
We need more women in STEM, not just for women, but for everyone.
Contemporaries of Mary Jackson
Other Mathematicss born within 50 years of Mary Jackson (1921–2005).