Mae Jemison

Mae Jemison
NASA · Public domain · source
Name	Mae Carol Jemison
Birth date	March 17, 1956
Birth place	Decatur, Alabama
Occupation	Physician, Engineer, NASA Astronaut, Educator
Known for	First African-American woman in space

Mae Jemison

Mae Carol Jemison is an American physician, engineer, and former NASA astronaut who became the first African-American woman to travel in space. Born in Decatur, Alabama and raised in Chicago, Jemison combined interests in medicine and aerospace to join NASA's astronaut corps, flying aboard the Space Shuttle in 1992. Beyond her spaceflight, she has led initiatives in science education, technology entrepreneurship, and international development.

Early life and education

Jemison was born in Decatur, Alabama and raised in Chicago, Illinois during the era of Civil Rights Movement activism that included figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and events such as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. She attended Chicago Public Schools and showed early aptitude in science and dance, participating with organizations including Republic Studios ballet training and local programs linked to institutions like the Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago). Jemison graduated from Morse High School (Chicago) and entered Stanford University at age 16, where she studied chemical engineering and African and African-American studies, interacting academically with scholars at Hoover Institution, The White House science policy initiatives, and research groups associated with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Stanford, she enrolled at Cornell University's medical college program, completing a Doctor of Medicine and training that brought her into clinical rotations at hospitals affiliated with New York Presbyterian Hospital, Presbyterian Hospital (New York City), and collaboration with researchers from National Institutes of Health laboratories.

Medical and Peace Corps career

Following medical school, Jemison completed an internship and worked in clinical medicine at facilities linked with Emory University and Cook County Hospital. She served as a medical officer with the Peace Corps in Liberia and Sierra Leone, where she practiced tropical medicine, public health, and clinical care within programs coordinated with World Health Organization guidance and regional ministries of health. Her Peace Corps work involved partnerships with organizations such as United Nations agencies, Doctors Without Borders-style field operations, and research collaborations with teams from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on infectious disease surveillance. Returning to the United States, she worked on weight loss and metabolic research projects connected to National Institutes of Health grants and clinical studies at institutions like University of Chicago Medical Center.

NASA career and Space Shuttle flight

Jemison applied to NASA's astronaut program during an era that included missions like STS-1 and programs overseen by Johnson Space Center. Selected in a class of astronauts that trained alongside candidates with backgrounds from United States Air Force, United States Navy, and European Space Agency partners, she underwent training involving spacecraft systems, extravehicular activity simulations, and experiments coordinated with Jet Propulsion Laboratory teams. She served as a mission specialist on STS-47, a cooperative mission between NASA and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (now JAXA), which conducted experiments in materials science and life sciences in microgravity. The crew included astronauts from organizations like Hughes Aircraft Company contractors and researchers linked to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and California Institute of Technology laboratories. The flight launched aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour and contributed data to projects supported by entities such as National Science Foundation and international partners including Canadian Space Agency investigators.

Post-NASA work and entrepreneurship

After leaving NASA, Jemison founded the Jemison Group, a technology consulting firm engaging with clients across sectors including academic institutions like Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and corporations such as IBM and Microsoft. She established the 100 Year Starship initiative in cooperation with organizations like DARPA, promoting long-term space exploration research and collaboration with partners like NASA Ames Research Center and private aerospace firms including SpaceX and Blue Origin. Jemison has been involved with biotech startups, incubators associated with Silicon Valley and venture capital networks that include Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins. Her entrepreneurial work has connected with initiatives at Smithsonian Institution museums and policy dialogues at Brookings Institution and Carnegie Mellon University.

Advocacy, education, and public outreach

Jemison has championed science, technology, engineering, and mathematics outreach through programs with National Science Teachers Association, the National Academy of Sciences, and education projects linked to PBS and National Public Radio. She founded the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, named after her mother, to support educational programs and the international science camp program designed in partnership with entities like Girls Who Code, National Geographic Society, and Sesame Workshop. Jemison authored books and participated in media projects produced by BBC, Discovery Channel, and TED, promoting STEM literacy alongside other public figures such as Bill Nye, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Jane Goodall. She has lectured at universities including Princeton University, Yale University, Columbia University, and engaged with policy forums at United Nations assemblies and institutes like Aspen Institute.

Honors and legacy

Jemison's honors include inductions and awards from institutions such as the National Women's Hall of Fame, the International Space Hall of Fame, and honorary degrees from universities including Syracuse University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Howard University. Her legacy is recognized in exhibits at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, naming dedications at schools like Mae Jemison Elementary School (with community partners), and commemorative stamps from United States Postal Service programs. She has been portrayed in cultural works and referenced by artists and writers associated with HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, and documentary producers at National Geographic and PBS Nature. Jemison's career continues to inspire collaborations across institutions such as NASA Johnson Space Center education offices, private aerospace companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and nonprofit organizations including AAAS and NAACP.

Category:American physicians Category:African-American astronauts Category:Women astronauts