Mae Jemison
When you think about your future, what do you see? Do you imagine yourself as a doctor or a teacher? How about a writer, dancer ,or a television performer? Do you see yourself going to distant countries to help people?Perhaps you would like to become an astronaut and travel into space.
Dr. Mae Jemison has done all these things. She was born in Decatur, Alabama, in 1 Mae 1956 and later moved to Chicago, Illinois. Mae’s father was a maintenance worker and her mother was a teacher. As a young girl, Mae was very interested in science and the world around her. She was also a television show star trek. On that show, the starship’s communications officer was an African-American woman called Lieutenant Uhura. In the 1960s, there were no female or African-American astronauts in space. Mae was very inspired Lieutenant Uhura-even if she was just a fictional character.
Mae Jemison
Mae attended High School in Chicago. She excelled her studies, and when she was only 16 she became a college student in Stanford University California. Mae graduated the University with degrees in chemical engineering and African -American studies. But she did not stop there. Mae went on to study medicine at Cornell University Medical college in New York. While she was a medical student, she traveled to Cuba, Kenya, and Thailand to care for people.
After graduating from medical school in 1981,Jemison spent more then two years in the Peace Corps as a medical officer. The Peace Corps is an organization of volunteers who teach and share there special skills in countries less developed than our own. While she was in the Peace Corps, Jemison worked in Sierra Leone and Liberia in west Africa. She supervised the pharmacy, laboratory, and medical staff. She also did research on vaccines used to prevent diseases.
When Jemison’s time with the Peace Corps was over, she returned to the United States to work as a doctor. She also began taking additional courses in engineering. Jemison had traveled the world to help others. Now she dreamed of using her skills to take her into outer space. In 1985, Jemison applied to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to become an astronaut. Her first application was not accepted, but she did not give up. She applied again in 1987 and was accepted as one of 15 candidates out of a group of about 2,000. In 1988, Jemison completed her training with NASA and became the first African-American woman astronaut.
Jemison’s journey into space took place in 1992 aboard the space shuttle Endeavor. Before she blasted into space, Jemison called Nichelle Nichols, the actress who portrayed Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek. Jemison told Nichelle what an inspiration her TV character had been and thanked her.
Jemison was a mission specialist for the flight, and her duties included conducting experiments. One experiment studied motion sickness in space. Jamison studied methods for curing this problem, and her experiments were successful.
For many people, becoming a doctor and an astronaut would fulfill all their dreams, but Jemison never stopped exploring what she could do. In 1993, Jemison left NASA and began teaching at Dartmouth College. She taught students about space technology and developing countries. She also started her own organization, the Jemison Group, which studies how science and technology can help people. In 1994, she founded an international science camp for students aged 12 to 16 called the Earth We Share (TEWS).
Although science is always a big part of Jemison’s life, her interests also include photography, dance, foreign languages, and her cats. She hosted a television show on the discovery Channel called World of Wonders. She even appeared in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, a current version of the television show that once inspired her. In 2001, Jemison published her autobiography, Find Where the Wind Goes. The book was written for teenagers, and it tells about Jemison’s life and the challenges she has faced.
Jemison’s knowledge and contributions to the world have brought her many honors. She was made a member of the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Jemison has also presented information to the United Nations about the uses of space technology. She often speaks internationally about science and education.
Jemison believes in the importance of holding on to your imagination, creativity, and curiosity. “It’s your place in the world, it’s your life,” she says. “Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live. “Dr. Mae Jemison has done just that, and she has become an example of what a person can achieve.
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