Lynda Marie Jordan

Reverend Lynda Marie Jordan (born 20 September 1956) is an American biochemist and Associate Minister at the Holy Temple Church in Roxbury, Ma.

Lynda Marie Jordan
Born20 September 1956
Roxbury, Massachusetts
CitizenshipAmerican
Alma materBSc in Chemistry from North Carolina A&T

MSc in Biochemistry at Atlanta University

PhD from MIT in 1985
Scientific career
FieldsBiochemist

Background

Born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, her interest in scientist began when she attended the Upward Bound program at Brandeis University. Jordan went on to graduate with a BSc in Chemistry from North Carolina A&T in 1974, study her MSc in Biochemistry at Atlanta University conducting her research project at Morehouse School of Medicine and PhD from MIT in 1985[1]. Jordan was the third black woman to obtain a chemistry PhD at MIT[2]. Jordan then worked for 2 years at a Ford Fellow at Pasteur Institute in Paris. She returned to North Carolina A&T 1989 as an Assistant Professor and, later, as an Associated Professor of Chemistry[3]. There, she received national and international recognition for her teaching and supporting under-represented groups.[4] During this time, along with her students, she presented her research at various conferences in the United States, Switzerland, Japan and Australia. She then served two years as the MLK visiting professor at MIT from 1997 to 2000.[5][6]. After this, she received ministerial training at Harvard Divinity School and completed her Master of Divinity. At the same time, she received Master of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health, becoming the first person in the history of Harvard University to obtain these two degrees simultaneously[3].

Jordan was ordained as an Elder in the United Holy Church of America, Inc.. She is also Associate Minister at the Holy Temple Church in Roxbury, MA and the CEO and Founder of A Place to Heal Ministries[6].

Research

Jordan's main area of research was into Human Placental phospholipase A2 (PLA2), and one of its protein inhibitors, Lipocortin[3]. These key proteins are associated with the human inflammatory processes. In her work, she isolated both the calcium-dependent and calcium-independent high molecular weight PLA2 isoform, which laid the groundwork for many advancements in biomedical research we see today[3]. During her PhD she focused on the role flavin played in the electron-reduction process of an enzyme.

Awards

First Lady Hillary Clinton honoured Lynda Marie Jordan, at the White House, for her contributions to science and science education. This happened during the premiere of the showing of the award-winning documentary entitled, “Discovering Women.” In this documentary, the lives of women scientists were profiled: Dr Lynda Marie Jordan was selected as the African American female representative[3].

She was also selected to participate in a special Commemorative Meeting for World Peace, in honour of The Archbishop Desmond Tutu; held in Kowloon Hong Kong, in 2000[3].

References
  1. Windsor, Laura (2002). Women in medicine : an encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. p. 115. ISBN 1-57607-393-9.
  2. "Black Women, Chemistry Pioneers". Chemical & Engineering News.
  3. "Reverend Dr. Lynda Marie Jordan". Science Club for Girls. 2010-03-01. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  4. Giese, Jo (21 October 2016). "I grew up in Boston in the projects, the Jamaica Plain Projects". Medium.
  5. "Doctor Lynda Marie Jordan | The Harvard Foundation". harvardfoundation.fas.harvard.edu.
  6. "Lynda Jordan, Chemistry – Martin Luther King Jr. Scholars". MIT.


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