Jeanette Alexander Scissum (born October 6, 1939)[1] is an American mathematician, space scientist, and diversity advocate who put forward techniques for improved forecasting of the sunspot cycle.

Scissum was awarded a small scholarship to study at Alabama A&M University which she supplemented by working at a telephone switchboard.

She earned her bachelor's and master's degree in mathematics[4] before returning to graduate school to get her PhD in computer science after 13 years at Marshall Space Flight Center.

Her contributions in this role were recognised by an award from NASA Administrator James Fletcher, but she did note that fighting for others sometimes put her own career in jeopardy.

[4] In 1975, Scissum wrote an article for the National Technical Association, "Equal Employment Opportunity and the Supervisor – A Counselor's View", which argued that many discrimination complaints could be avoided "through adequate and meaningful communication.