Left: Queensborough President Claire Shulman presents Andrea Napoli her Women's History Month Award for her essay on the first African American astronaut, Dr.  Mae Jemison. Right: (l-r) Vicky Morales, Andrea, and Amalia Betanzos, Chair of the NYC Commission on the Status of Women Below: Women's History Month Winners for the borough of Queens

        As we celebrate Women of Courage and Vision, I am pleased to write about  Dr. Mae C. Jemison,  based on personal email correspondence received by The Jemison Group while researching the topic for Women’s  History Month.  Dr. Jemison's work as an astronaut and role model, is an inspiration to women everywhere.

        Dr. Mae C. Jemison was born on October 17, 1956 in Decatur Alabama and raised in Chicago. At a young age Dr. Jemison showed an interest in anthropology, archaeology and astronomy. In 1977 she graduated from Stanford University with both chemical and engineering degrees, a truly remarkable achievement. She then attended Cornell University Medical College and received her doctorate in medicine. In 1987, she joined NASA and in 1992 Jemison blasted into orbit aboard the space shuttle Endeavor and became the first African American female to go into space. As president of a  small advanced technology company and college professor, the space flight was just one of a series of accomplishment for this dynamic woman.

     Dr. Jemison was an astronaut for NASA for six years and the first science mission specialist on the STS-47 Space lab J flight. This was a US/Japan joint mission, where she conducted experiments in life sciences, material sciences, and a co-investigator of the Bone Cell Research experiment. Following that amazing project she resigned from NASA in March 1993 to pursue other scientific work.

   Dr. Jemison is a chemical engineer, a scientist and an astronaut, but a lot of people don’t no that she is a trained dancer and choreographer. Her achievements include awards from Women of the World, Essence, People’s magazines 1993 “World’s 50 Most Beautiful People”, Black Achievement Trailblazers Award, Kilby Science Award, National Medical Association Hall of Fame, Women’s Hall of Fame, along with numbers of honorary doctorates.

        Dr. Jemison’s current work focuses on the beneficial integration of science and technology into our everyday lives for all on this planet. In order for her to follow these ideas, she formed The Jemison Group, Inc. Her company’s projects have included consulting on the design and completion of solar thermal electricity generation systems for developing countries and remote areas and the use of satellite-based telecommunications to ease health care delivery in West Africa.

        Mae Jemison has traveled nationally and internationally to speak on  science literacy, education, achieving excellence and the importance of increased participation of women and minorities in science and technology field, by investing in the present to secure the future.

       For her love of science and the arts, Dr. Jemison started “The Earth We Share”, an international science camp where students from around the world ages 12 to 16, work together to solve current global dilemmas discussing such topics as “How Many People Can the Earth Hold”. This four-week program is free to all the participants and builds serious thinking and problem solving skills through a experimental set of
courses. She also serves as Bayer Corporation’s national science literacy advocate. As the Director of the Jemison Institute for Advancing Technology in Developing Countries  and Professor of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College, she works continually on projects related to improving human quality of life, and research to support the ability of future generations to grow.

        Dr. Jemison appeared weekly as the host and consultant of the “World of Wonder” series on the Discovery Channel in 1994-1995. She is currently on the Board of Directors of Scholastic, Inc., the Keystone Center and the National Urban League. She is a member of the Association of Space Explorers, and has an alternative public school in Detroit named after her. Did you know that in January 1999, she was selected as one of the top seven women leaders in the Presidential Ballot National Straw Poll, conducted at the White House?

      Through all her continuous hard work, courage and vision Dr. Mae Jemison hopes to inspire other women to follow in her lead by pursuing careers in space science.

        I think that her work is truly remarkable! It is an inspiration to all women when someone of such talent, ability, and achievement takes the time to correspond online with students to encourage to strive for excellence.  Thank you Dr. Jemison for making yourself accessible, and for inspiring so many women.