Born: October 17, 1956, Decatur, AL

Education: Stanford University, B.S., 1977; Cornell University, M.D., 1981

Jemison's parents instilled their three children with values of self-esteem, achievement, and service, which she exemplifies.

Hers is an exemplary career. Entering Stanford at sixteen, she had a double major (Chemical Engineering, African & Afro-American Studies) and participated in modern black dance. Earning an M.D., she joined the Peace Corps in 1983 and became a medical officer, fighting disease and poverty in West Africa to 1985. She continued similar work in underserved communities of Los Angeles until joining the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A mission specialist 1987–93, she did research in material and life sciences, including bone cell research. When the shuttle Endeavor lifted off in 1992, observers heralded her as “the first woman of color to go into space.”

Since NASA she has embraced advocacy, mentoring, and teaching. She founded both the Jemison Group (1993) to promote the advancement of science and technology and the Jemison Institute for Advancing Technology in Developing Countries (1995). She is also founder and chair of The Earth We Share (1994), a four-week summer project for teens. In its science-based courses, they seek to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.