Mae C. Jemison

Mae Carol Jemison was born on October 17, 1956, in Decatur, Alabama. Her family moved to Chicago, Illinois, where her parents emphasized education. She developed an early interest in science and space, inspired by shows like “Star Trek” and frustrated by the lack of female astronauts during the Apollo missions. Jemison excelled academically, entering Stanford University at age 16 where she balanced chemical engineering and African-American studies with a passion for dance. She graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in African and African-American studies. She then pursued a medical degree from Cornell University, during which she traveled to Cuba and Thailand for studies and worked with Flying Doctors in East Africa. After earning her M.D. in 1981, she worked as a general practitioner and served as a medical officer for the Peace Corps in Liberia and Sierra Leone from 1983 to 1985, where she was responsible for the health of volunteers and staff.

Inspired by Sally Ride and Guion Bluford, Jemison applied to NASA’s astronaut program in 1985 and was accepted in 1987 into NASA Astronaut Group 12. Her work before spaceflight included supporting launches at the Kennedy Space Center and verifying Shuttle computer software. On September 12, 1992, Jemison embarked on her historic mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour as a mission specialist on STS-47, a cooperative mission between the United States and Japan. During the eight-day mission, she logged 190 hours, 30 minutes, 23 seconds in space, orbiting the Earth 127 times. She conducted 43 Japanese and United States life science and materials processing experiments in the Spacelab Japan module, testing NASA’s Fluid Therapy System and conducting bone cell research experiments. She also examined how tadpoles developed in zero gravity, carrying personal items like a poster from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and a photo of aviator Bessie Coleman on her flight.

Jemison left NASA in March 1993 to establish The Jemison Group Inc., a consulting firm focusing on the sociocultural impact of technological advancements. She also founded the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, which runs _The Earth We Share_, an international science camp for youth aged 12 to 16. From 1995 to 2002, she was a professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth College and an Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University from 1999. In 2012, she led the winning bid for the DARPA 100 Year Starship project through her foundation, aiming to ensure human interstellar travel capabilities within a century. She continues to advocate for science education and diversity in STEM fields, appearing in media and authoring several children’s books.