Biographical Sketch of Mae Jamison
by William White  

Astronaut 

Personal
 

• Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois

Education
 

• Graduated from Morgan Park High School in 1973
• Received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University in 1977
• Attended medical school and received a Doctor of Medicine degree from Cornell University in 1981

Career
 

• Dr. Jemison served in the Peace Corps, from January 1983-85
• In Sierra Leone and Liberia,  she served as the area Peace Corps medical officer
• In 1985 Dr. Jemison held a position with the CIGNA Health Plans of California as a general practitioner in Los Angeles, California
• Attending graduate classes in engineering and applied to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for admission to the astronaut program
• In 1987  Mae's second application made her an astronaut candidate
• In August 1988 Mae Jemison completed her training, became the fifth black astronaut, and the first female astronaut in NASA history

Activities
 

• August 1992, SPACELAB J was a successful joint U.S. and Japanese science mission

Source:  Faces of Science: http://www.lib.lsu.edu/lib/chem/display/jemison.html