Shirley McBay facts for kids

Shirley Ann Mathis McBay (May 4, 1935 – November 27, 2021) was an amazing American mathematician. She was known for starting and leading the Quality Education for Minorities (QEM) Network. This group is a nonprofit organization that works to make education better for minority students.

Shirley McBay was also a dean at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from 1980 to 1990. She made history as the first African American person to earn a Ph.D. (a very high college degree) from the University of Georgia in 1966. Her Ph.D. was in mathematics. In 2017, she was honored by Mathematically Gifted & Black during Black History Month for her achievements.

Early Life and Learning

Shirley Ann Mathis was born in Bainbridge, Georgia, on May 4, 1935. She went to Paine College and earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1954. She graduated with summa cum laude honors, which means "with highest praise."

While teaching chemistry at Spelman College, Shirley McBay continued her studies. She earned two master's degrees from Atlanta University. One was in chemistry in 1957, and the other was in mathematics in 1958.

In 1964, she received a special scholarship called a United Negro College Fund Fellowship. This scholarship, supported by IBM, allowed her to study at the University of Georgia. There, she earned her Ph.D. in mathematics in 1966.

Making a Difference

Shirley McBay spent 15 years at Spelman College, first as a teacher and then as a leader. Her leadership helped create the division of natural sciences at Spelman. She also helped the college focus more on science subjects. She was the head of this division until 1975. From 1973 to 1975, she was also an associate academic dean at Spelman.

During her time at Spelman, she started summer programs for new students before they even began college. These programs were designed to get students more interested in science. Her efforts led to the creation of a chemistry department and the improvement of science buildings.

In 1975, she left Spelman and worked at the National Science Foundation for five years. There, she became a program director for a special program that helped improve science education at minority institutions.

After that, she worked at MIT for ten years. She was the dean for student affairs, helping students with their college life. For two and a half years, she also directed the QEM Project. This project studied problems in minority education. The QEM Project led her to start the Quality Education for Minorities (QEM) Network. She founded this network in 1990 and was its president until 2016.

Family and Later Life

Shirley McBay was married to Henry C. McBay, who was a chemistry professor. They got married in 1954. Her husband passed away in 1995. Shirley McBay herself passed away on November 27, 2021, in Los Angeles. She was 86 years old and died from problems related to diabetes.