Lynda Marie Jordan facts for kids

Lynda Marie Jordan (born September 20, 1956) is an American scientist who studies living things at a chemical level (a biochemist). She is also an ordained minister and the founder of A Place to Heal Ministries, Inc. She made history as the third Black woman to earn a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She was also a special researcher (a Ford Fellow) at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. Later, she became a chemistry professor at North Carolina A&T State University. She was the first woman invited to a special visiting professor program at MIT named after Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Jordan was also the first person at Harvard University to earn two master's degrees at the same time: one in public health and one in theology.

Growing Up and Starting School

Lynda Jordan was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1956. Her parents were Charles Thessel Jordan and Charlene Veasley Jordan. Lynda was the oldest of three sisters. When her parents divorced, Lynda helped her mother with money, taking care of her younger sisters, and other grown-up tasks.

Moving to a New Home

The family moved into a housing project called Bromley-Heath. Many families there, like the Jordans, relied on help from the government to live. When Lynda was 11, her mother remarried. Lynda, her sisters, and her mother moved to Dorchester. They lived with their new stepfather and his 12 children.

Finding Her Path with Upward Bound

Lynda felt a bit lost in her new big family. She started spending time on the streets. One day, while trying to avoid a teacher at Dorchester High School, she hid in an auditorium. A program called Upward Bound was giving a presentation there. The speaker, Joseph Warren, asked the students, "What are you going to do with your life - hang out on the street corner?" Lynda felt like he was talking directly to her. She joined the program.

Discovering Her Potential

During her first summer in Upward Bound, Lynda was recognized as one of the most improved students. This moment helped her realize she was good at school. She went back to the program for two more summers. In her second summer, she finished the science lessons early. Mr. Warren even hired a private tutor to teach her advanced chemistry.

College Life and Biochemistry

Lynda graduated from high school in 1974. Mr. Warren encouraged her to go to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She first studied nursing but then switched to chemistry. She was the president of an honor society and a member of a sorority. After a summer program at Harvard, she became very interested in biochemistry. In 1978, she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. She was the first person in her family to graduate from college.

Advanced Degrees

Lynda continued her studies at Atlanta University (AU). She did research at Morehouse School of Medicine. In December 1980, she earned her Master of Science degree in biochemistry. She did very well on her graduate exams. This led MIT to invite her to join their Ph.D. program in biological chemistry.

Before starting at MIT, Lynda worked at Polaroid Corporation in the summer of 1981. She began her Ph.D. in the fall. At that time, most students in the Ph.D. program were men, and only a small number were Black. Lynda helped lead the Black Graduate Student Association at MIT. In 1985, she became only the third Black woman to earn a Ph.D. from MIT.

Career and Important Research

After getting her Ph.D., Dr. Jordan did special research as a Ford Fellow at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. She also received other research grants. She worked with Françoise Russo-Marie, who was studying a protein called lipocortin. This protein helps control an enzyme called phospholipase A2 (PLA-2). Dr. Jordan successfully found PLA-2 in human placentas. This research helped scientists understand and treat diseases caused by PLA-2, like asthma, arthritis, and early labor.

Teaching and Leadership

In 1987, Dr. Jordan returned to North Carolina A&T as a chemistry professor. She improved the biochemistry lab there. She continued her work with PLA-2 and shared her research with her students at conferences around the world. She became known for her teaching and for supporting students from groups that are often underrepresented in science.

In 1997, Dr. Jordan was the first woman invited to a special visiting professor program at MIT named after Martin Luther King Jr. She held this position until 2000. During this time, she also earned two master's degrees from Harvard University at the same time. She earned a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School and a Master of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. She was the first person in Harvard's history to do this. She later became an associate minister at a church in Roxbury, Massachusetts. In 2010, she started her own organization, A Place to Heal Ministries, in Cambridge.

Awards and Publications

In 1995, a TV show called Discovering Women featured Dr. Jordan in a one-hour episode. It was called "Jewels in a Test Tube." The show told her life story and highlighted her scientific achievements. First Lady Hillary Clinton honored Dr. Jordan at the documentary's premiere. She praised Dr. Jordan's work in science and science education.

In 1998, Dr. Jordan received the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award at MIT. In 2000, she took part in a meeting for World Peace in Hong Kong.

In 2017, Dr. Jordan wrote a book called Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities: Building Bridges of Hope through the Holy Spirit.