I use my phone countless times throughout the day (you probably do too). Many of our workdays include some form of video conferencing. Did you know two living Black history makers played a part in that technology? Marian Croak and Dr. Shirley Jackson are both trailblazers in their own right.
They are also known for speaking about the importance of giving back to their communities and seeing more women and minorities succeed in STEM.
Check out a short spotlight in the featured image on a few of their many accomplishments, specifically telecommunication. Below is additional information about these amazing women.
Marian Croak
Marian Croak is an Engineer and inventor with over 200 patents.
She spent a significant amount of her career at AT&T and is currently the VP of Engineering at Google.
Croak also works on racial justice efforts at Google.
She was recently inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 2021. One of the first two Black women to be inducted.
Dr. Shirley Jackson
Dr. Shirley Jackson is the 18th president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).
She also founded the MIT Black Student Union, increasing African-American enrollment from 2 to 57 in only one year.