Mae C. Jemison is a former astronaut and doctor. Born in Decatur, Alabama on 17th October, 1956, Mae Jemison attended Morgan Park High School, Stanford University and Cornell University Medical College. She is best known as the first African American woman astronaut to have flown into space.
Here are some Mae Jemison major accomplishments.
1. First African-American Female Astronaut to Fly into Space
She ventured on the Endeavour in 1992. Since her childhood, Jemison dreamed of venturing into space. After she returned from her exploration, she was quoted as saying “I’d love to go into space again if there were a mission to Mars. I’d also love to go to a completely different planetary system out of our solar system.”
2. First African-American Admitted to Training
She was not only the first female African American astronaut to have traveled to space but also the first female African American to have been admitted to the astronaut training program.
3. Trained Physician
Although she was very interested in astronomy, she was convinced that she wanted a career in medical science. She studied biomedical engineering and bagged a Scholarship to get admitted to Stanford University.
4. Completed a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
At Stanford, Jemison became a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering. During her days at the university, she was actively involved in theater and dance productions. She was also the head of the Black Student Union. Later, she studied at Cornell University Medical College where from she attained her M.D.
5. Worked as a General Practitioner
Jemison became a general practitioner and worked in Los Angeles before becoming a Peace Corps medical officer in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
6. Science Mission Specialist
After being inducted in the astronaut training program, she was accorded the title of science mission specialist. She was entrusted with the job of conducting scientific experiments related to the crew while they were aboard the space shuttle.
7. Was in Space for 8 Days
She spent eight days in space and conducted experiments focusing on motion sickness and weightlessness of the crew. She spent a little more than one hundred ninety hours in space.
8. Award Recipient
Mae Jemison has been the recipient of the 1988 Essence Science and Technology Award. She was awarded the Montgomery Fellowship from Dartmouth College. She was honored with Ebony Black Achievement Award in 1992. She also became the Gamma Woman of the Year in 1990. Mae Jemison has been associated with the American Medical Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.