Mae Jemison

In 2012, Mae Jemison won DARPA’s 100 Year Starship project bid, and through her Dorothy Jemison Foundation, became principal of the 100 Year Starship initiative. The project aims to make human interstellar travel possible within 100 years, reflecting her futuristic vision.

In 1999, Mae Jemison founded BioSentient Corporation to commercialize the Autogenic Feedback Training Exercise (AFTE) technology she tested on STS‑47. The company developed wearable health-monitoring devices, bridging space research with medical innovation on Earth.

From 1995 to 2002, Mae Jemison served as a professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth College, where she directed the Jemison Institute for Advancing Technology in Developing Countries. She focused on designing technology solutions suited to the needs of developing nations.

In 1994, through the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, Mae Jemison launched The Earth We Share, an international residential science camp for middle and high school students. The program emphasized scientific literacy, critical thinking, and problem solving for global challenges.

On November 5, 1993, Mae Jemison made her acting debut as Lieutenant Palmer in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation titled “Second Chances.” She became the first real-life astronaut to appear in the Star Trek franchise, symbolically merging science and science fiction.

In March 1993, Mae Jemison resigned from NASA to found The Jemison Group, Inc., a technology consulting firm that considers sociocultural impacts in engineering projects. This pivot marked her shift toward integrating science, technology, and social equity in her career.

Mae Jemison made history on September 12–20, 1992, serving as Mission Specialist on STS‑47 aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour. She became the first African-American woman in space, conducting experiments in life sciences and materials processing on the Spacelab‑J module.

In 1988, Mae Jemison completed her training as a Mission Specialist at NASA. She served as an astronaut office representative at Kennedy Space Center, working on shuttle launch processing and verifying shuttle avionics software—preparing for future missions.

In 1987, after applying to NASA and being chosen out of approximately 2,000 applicants, Mae Jemison became one of 15 members of NASA Astronaut Group 12, the first class selected after the Challenger disaster. Her selection marked her entry into the elite group of space explorers.

From 1983 to 1985, Mae Jemison served as a Peace Corps medical officer in Liberia and Sierra Leone. She managed the health of volunteers, supervised laboratory and pharmacy operations, and developed self-care manuals, gaining practical experience in global health systems and cross-cultural collaboration.

Jemison earned her medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in June 1981. During her medical training, she conducted research in Cuba and served refugee communities in Thailand, demonstrating a strong commitment to global health and humanitarian service.

In June 1977, Mae Jemison graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in chemical engineering and a B.A. in African and African-American studies. Her dual degree reflected her intellectual versatility and commitment to blending technical knowledge with cultural understanding.

At age 16, Mae Jemison graduated from Morgan Park High School in Chicago in June 1973. Her accelerated academic path demonstrated her exceptional aptitude in science and math, setting the stage for early entrance to university and a relentless pursuit of STEM fields.

Mae Carol Jemison was born on October 17, 1956, in Decatur, Alabama. She was the youngest of three children in her family. Her mother, Dorothy, was an elementary school teacher, and her father, Charlie, worked as a maintenance supervisor. This foundational family environment and early childhood shaped her resilience and intellectual curiosity.