July 23rd: Mae Carol Jemison

In this series, 24 Women Who Change(d) the World, I will highlight women from various backgrounds, time periods, and areas of expertise that change(d) the world through their actions, talents, and choices. With 1 subject per day for 24 days, this series invites readers to think outside the box when it comes to their knowledge of historical figures–how many female historical figures can you name off of the top of your head? Let’s increase that count together.

Disclaimer: None of the following photos are mine; sources are linked.

Woo hoo! Second to last day of the series and it’s time for a STELLAR subject (huh? Get it?): Mae Carol Jemison! Here are her stats.

NAME: Mae Carol Jemison (Pictured Below)

BIRTHDATE: October 17, 1956

OCCUPATION(S): Astronaut, Physician, Teacher, Peace Corps Volunteer, Leader

What can I say about Mae? She did it all and still does it all. I also think that the most beautiful biography about her life’s work is on space.com, so I’d like to share some of that with you below.

“When the space shuttle Endeavour blasted off on its second mission, it carried the first African American woman into space. But Mae Jemison is more than an astronaut — she’s also a physician, a Peace Corps volunteer, a teacher, and founder and president of two technology companies. Let’s take a look at this remarkable woman.

Early life

Born in Decatur, Ala., on Oct. 17, 1956, Mae Carol Jemison moved to Chicago at the age of 3 and considers the city her hometown. The youngest of three children born to a maintenance worker and an elementary schoolteacher, she had a fascination with all things science from an early age…

Jemison did well in high school, and attended Stanford University on scholarship at the age of 16. There, she attained her bachelor of science in chemical engineering and a bachelor of arts in African and African-American studies. She went on to earn her doctorate in medicine from Cornell University in 1981. [Women in Space: A Gallery of Firsts]

After working as a general practitioner, Jemison served two and a half years as a volunteer in the Peace Corps, spending time in the African countries of Sierra Leone and Liberia. In addition to English, she speaks Russian, Japanese and Swahili.” (Source)

PICTURED BELOW: Mae Jemison, NASA portrait.

“Although employed as a general practitioner again following her return to the United States, Jemison decided to pursue a childhood dream. After a year of training, she became the first female African American astronaut…On Sept. 12, 1992, Mae Jemison became the first African American woman in space when the space shuttle Endeavour carried her and six other astronauts on 126 orbits around the Earth… Jemison left NASA in March 1993. She went on to teach at Dartmouth College. She also founded her own company, the Jemison Group, which seeks to encourage a love of science in students and bring advanced technology to schools around the world. She is a strong advocate for science and established an international science camp for high school students.

She has also taken over leadership of the 100-Year Starship program established by DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The project works to make human space travel beyond the solar system a reality within the next century — but in a way that includes and benefits as many people on Earth as possible.” (Source)

PICTURED ABOVE: Mae, a portrait.

One more to go!!! Until next time.