Nantucket Study & Work Initiative at Learning Ledgers Foundation

Astrophysicist, Educator, Coach, CEO

As first-generation high school graduate, Esther Zirbel earned a Bachelor of Science, three Masters’ degrees, and a PhD in astrophysics from Yale. Her PhD thesis on black holes in distant galaxies won the Tinsley Prize. Her projects flew on the Hubble Space Telescope. As a professor, she discovered a passion in teaching students. To leave a larger impact, she first transitioned to teacher education and then to coaching professors. While collaborating with businesses and government officials, she realized that universities did not adequately prepare students for 21st Century careers. To better train students for the ever-changing workforce, she left academe and launched her own nonprofit organization. The objective of Learning Ledgers is to transform education for all learners and better position them for careers of the future.