MIBW 2016: Pamela Jackson, vice president, technology, Emerson

The story was published August 12, 2016, in the St. Louis Business Journal. Written by digital editor Jacob Kirn. Click here to see original article. 

Pamela Jackson’s parents and grandparents insisted she bring home A grades. By high school, a biology teacher in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, thought Jackson’s intelligence should be applied in the sciences. Competitions followed, including the Westinghouse Science Talent Search, in which MIT Professor Michael Modell took notice of a paper written by Jackson on fuel cell efficiency and catalysis. That put her on the path to MIT’s graduating class of 1974, in which she was one of six African-American women.

“She is now a big supporter of the Society of Women Engineers and finding ways to attract other women into STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) professions, and dedicates a lot of her own personal time and energy to it,” said Ed Monser, president at Emerson, where Jackson, 63, has worked since 2001.

For decades, Jackson has encouraged others to follow in her path; she’s the founding member of Emerson’s Women in Engineering Council, represents Emerson on the St. Louis STEMpact Collaborate and sits on the board of Ranken Technical College.

With STEMpact, for example, Jackson works with teachers from around the region on how to better teach STEM subject matter.

To read the article in its entirety visit the St. Louis Business Journal website.