Early Life and Education
developing a passion for the arts and humanities, throughout her academic career.She graduated from Stanford University with degrees in both Chemical Engineering, African and African American studies. Jemison later earned her medical degree from Cornell University while simultaneously moving toward fulfilling her childhood aspirations by applying to NASA’s astronaut training program.
Path to NASA
Jemison spent more than a year in intensive training to prepare for the rigors of spaceflight, before she was selected for the program in the 1987. In addition to physical training, she also studied orbital mechanics, spacecraft systems, and the scientific experiments she would conduct while in orbit. Jemison’s background as a medical doctor and her interest in life sciences research made her a perfect fit for the life sciences experiments scheduled for the STS-47 mission.
In Space: STS-47 Endeavour
On September 12, 1992, Jemison finally realized her dream when she launched into orbit aboard the shuttle Endeavour. As the mission specialist, she was responsible for conducting experiments on weightlessness and motion sickness. Her most notable experiment involved frogs, which she observed to study the impact of microgravity on their development. During the eight days she spent in space, Jemison logged over 190 hours in orbit while completing her experiments.
When Endeavour glided back to Earth on September 20th, Jemison entered history as the first Black woman to travel into space. Although her time at NASA was brief, her impact on space exploration and STEM fields continues to resonate.
Beyond NASA
After resigning from NASA in 1993, Jemison channeled her energies into improving science education and access for minority students. She founded The Jemison Group, a technology consulting firm aiming to integrate socio-cultural issues into the development of science and technology. Through high-profile speaking engagements and board positions, she also advocates for achieving equality in education and healthcare.
Legacy and Impact
Thirty years after her spaceflight, Mae Jemison remains a powerful force for advancing scientific achievement among women and people of color. By shattering restrictive expectations about who could journey into space, Jemison paved the way for greater diversity and inclusion in science fields.
Mae Jemison’s success story and various achievements have inspired even today’s generation to not lose sight of their dreams but get motivated and continue to reach for the stars in order to make their own dreams a reality. Jemison’s legacy burns bright enough to launch a thousand new dreams even after three decades.
