Celebrating Black Excellence in STEM

This Black History Month, we celebrate the innovative and impactful contributions of Black Innovators in S.T.E.M.! From medicine to aerospace and physics to sustainable agriculture, Black voices in S.T.E.M. have expanded the boundaries of science and continue to inspire generations to come.  

Mae C. Jemison 

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Mae C. Jemison is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut. After graduating from Stanford University with degrees in chemical engineering and African and African American studies, she earned her medical degree from Cornell University. From 1983 to 1985, she served as a general practitioner for the Peace Corps in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Jemison joined NASA's astronaut corps in 1987 and was selected for the STS-47 mission. In 1992, she became the first African American woman to travel into space as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, where she orbited Earth for nearly 8 days, from September 12–20, 1992.

After leaving NASA in 1993, Dr. Jemison founded a tech research company and a nonprofit educational foundation, the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence (DJF). She also wrote several children's books and even guest-starred on a 1993 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

"The really wonderful thing that happened to me when I was in space was this feeling of belonging to the entire universe." Mae C. Jemison

Check out the links below to learn even more about Mae Jemison:

How Mae Jemison Became an Astronaut – YouTube

Mae Jemison – National Women's History Museum

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Join us all month long as we spotlight five remarkable scientists whose legacies uplift and empower communities everywhere!