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Mae Jemison — Portrait
Portrait. NASA/Johnson Space Center (S92-40463). Image credit & source

Space science · Medicine · Chemical engineering

Mae Jemison

Born 1956

STEMSF Bay Area

A physician and chemical engineer, Jemison became the first African American woman in space aboard Endeavour in 1992. As a science mission specialist on STS-47, she helped investigate life science and materials in orbit, including bone cells. Earlier, she provided medical care and health training as a Peace Corps medical officer in West Africa.[1],[2],[3]

Read this story

A physician and chemical engineer, Jemison became the first African American woman in space aboard Endeavour in 1992. As a science mission specialist on STS-47, she helped investigate life science and materials in orbit, including bone cells. Earlier, she provided medical care and health training as a Peace Corps medical officer in West Africa.[1],[2],[3]

Local connection. Jemison studied at Stanford University in the Bay Area and graduated in 1977. She later practiced medicine in Los Angeles. Her Stanford connection offers a documented regional link for Bayview–Hunters Point students.

Impact reached: Space life-science research; Peace Corps and U.S. Embassy personnel in Sierra Leone and Liberia; Young people exploring science and engineering. (Impact describes who was reached; it is not a place of residence.)

From institutional research

Deeper context

NASA: Mae C. Jemison biographical data

NASA

According to NASA: 1977 — Graduates from Stanford: Earns her chemical engineering degree, with studies in African and Afro-American Studies. 1981 — Becomes a physician: Earns her medical degree from Cornell University. 1987 — Selected by NASA: Joins NASA’s astronaut program. 1992 — First African American woman in space: Launches aboard Endeavour on STS-47 and conducts research with an international crew.[4]

Inquiry & making

Inquiry and making prompt

Jemison combined medicine and engineering. Draw a tool that could help an astronaut stay healthy. What would you test to learn whether your tool works?

Places

Where Mae was born, had roots or studied, and worked — distinguished from where their impact reached.

Born
Decatur, Alabama
Roots / education
Chicago, Illinois; Stanford, California (Stanford University); New York City, New York (Cornell University Medical College)
Worked
Los Angeles, California; Houston, Texas (NASA Johnson Space Center); Sierra Leone; Liberia
Loading map…
Mapped places for Mae Jemison
RelationshipDocumented placeMap pointSources
BirthplaceDecatur, AlabamaDecatur city, ALCensus representative point[1][2][3]
Roots / educationChicago, IllinoisChicago city, ILCensus representative point[1][2][3]
Roots / educationStanford, California (Stanford University)Stanford CDP, CACensus representative point[1][2][3]source
Roots / educationNew York City, New York (Cornell University Medical College)New York city, NYCensus representative point[1][2][3]
WorkLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles city, CACensus representative point[1][2][3]
WorkHouston, Texas (NASA Johnson Space Center)Houston city, TXCensus representative point[1][2][3]
WorkSierra LeoneNot mapped — Country-level work connection outside the supported U.S./Puerto Rico coordinate set; no point or ZIP distance assigned.
WorkLiberiaNot mapped — Country-level work connection outside the supported U.S./Puerto Rico coordinate set; no point or ZIP distance assigned.

Timeline

  1. 1956-10-17

    Born — Decatur, Alabama[1],[4]

  2. 1977

    Graduates from Stanford: Earns her chemical engineering degree, with studies in African and Afro-American Studies.[1],[3],[4]

  3. 1981

    Becomes a physician: Earns her medical degree from Cornell University.[1],[4]

  4. 1987-06

    Selected by NASA: Joins NASA’s astronaut program.[1],[4]

  5. 1992-09-12

    First African American woman in space: Launches aboard Endeavour on STS-47 and conducts research with an international crew.[1],[2],[4]

Gallery

Portrait only in this edition; no reuse-supported contextual media has been verified for this figure yet.

Mae Jemison: Portrait
Mae Jemison — portrait1992-07Portrait.Credit: NASA/Johnson Space Center (S92-40463)License / rights: NASA/JSC official astronaut portrait. Item metadata identifies Johnson Space Center as producer. NASA permits factual educational and informational reuse with acknowledgment and without implied endorsement; commercial promotion and personality rights are separate.Source recordOriginal-quality file

References

  1. [1]
    NASA: Mae C. Jemison biographical data

    Supports: Birth date and place; Chicago hometown; Stanford and Cornell education; Los Angeles medical work; Peace Corps service; NASA selection and STS-47 research.

  2. [2]
    NASA: Former Astronaut Mae C. Jemison

    Supports: First African American woman in space; scientific responsibilities; Johnson Space Center training; degree fields.

  3. [3]
    Stanford Engineering: Mae Jemison

    Supports: Stanford chemical engineering degree in 1977 and later spaceflight career.

  4. [4]
    NASA: Mae C. Jemison biographical data

    NASA

    Supports: 1977 — Graduates from Stanford: Earns her chemical engineering degree, with studies in African and Afro-American Studies. 1981 — Becomes a physician: Earns her medical degree from Cornell University. 1987 — Selected by NASA: Joins NASA’s astronaut program. 1992 — First African American woman in space: Launches aboard Endeavour on STS-47 and conducts research with an international crew.

Last reviewed 2026-11-08 · Requested astronaut addition · Record ID mae-jemison. A curated, source-informed article — not openly editable and not independently scholar-reviewed. Corrections process.