There are lots of astonishing, significant figures for mathematics and science when you look back in history. However, during my research, Mae Jemison stood out. Jemison is widely known throughout the world as the first African-American woman to go up into space. This was a major accomplishment, and it changed the course of history.
She ultimately ended up inspiring young children, as well adults, to follow passions and to not feel limited because of obstacles.
Even though she was an astronaut, she had many other major accomplishments throughout her lifetime. She graduated from high school at just 16 years old, and fought many odds that were set up against her. Throughout her career, Jemison has spoken many times about discrimination she faced
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Following her graduation, she moved to Cornell Medical School- obtaining her Doctorate in Medicine. After her graduation, she did several things before applying to NASA- she became an intern for Los Angeles County Medical Center, practiced general medicine, and then joined the Peace Corps, serving as a medical officer in Africa. When inspirational Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983, Jemison quickly decided to apply for the astronaut program at NASA. However, shortly after her application, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded- therefore, resulting in NASA taking a break from hiring. However, Jemsion decided to apply again a couple years later, and ended up becoming accepted. She practiced with NASA on projects and training for preparation of going up to space. While Jemsion was bright and obtained many incredible, well earned opportunities throughout her lifetime, she still faced many struggles. Along with being a woman astronaut, she was also African-American. She experienced her fair share of discrimination and challenges while pursuing her lifelong dream of being an astronaut. While some of her professors and teachers encouraged her to pursue her dreams, others failed to do …show more content…
Jemison recalls telling her teachers about her desire to work in the science field- however her teacher replied that she should pursue a nursing career instead. Along with bias against women, African Americans also were facing challenges in the field of STEM. Classmates and teachers would disregard talent shown, focusing instead on their white peers. Throughout all these struggles and obstacles Jemison struggled through, she stayed strong and continued to follow her passion in STEM and working as an astronaut with NASA. Jemison can definitely be seen as a hero, and an important, inspirational figure for African-Americans and girls all around the world. She proved that she could break the boundaries of what society had labeled “acceptable”. When she was launched into space, it made a huge difference for the future of African-Americans and women in STEM, at NASA, or in an astronaut program. Jemison made a major contribution to STEM- she conducted several experiments related to life sciences/material sciences while she was on her shuttle mission. Along with those very significant experiments, she also held the role in a bone cell research project. Her interests were both a mixture of science and
Mae Jemison doing this was a big accomplishment for her and African American women she did something very big. Mae Jemison had just begun something very big for her career by being the first African-American women. " Mae Jemison was the first African-American women to earn the title of science mission specialist" https://www.biography.com/people/mae-c-jemison-9542378. Mae Jemison being the first African American and earning the title of science mission specialist changed a lot for African American women and Men.
She helped other female scientists, engineers, and mathematicians to succeed and gain promotions in their careers (“Jackson, Mary Winston”, n.d.). Mary Jackson had to go to court against the University of Virginia to fight for her right to attend classes at that college. The University of Virginia offered the classes that Mary needed to take to become an engineer, but the University of Virginia was segregated. She had to legally fight for her right to join the all-white institute (“MARY JACKSON”, 2018). Through this fight, Mary Jackson pioneered the way for many future generations.
Having grown up in Los Angeles, Sally Ride studied English and physics at Stanford University. Ride was very engaged in her studies as she earned bachelor’s degrees in both English and physics. However, even after receiving two bachelor’s degrees, she was still not content and satisfied. Ride wanted to further improve her knowledge and studies so she continued to study at Stanford University in order for her to receive a master’s degree.
Sally Ride is most commonly known for being the first American women to travel to space, though this was an amazing accomplishment she has done so much more. Even Though she died on July 23, 2012 from pancreatic cancer, her legacy and story will live on through those who work with her and the people that look up to her Sally Kristen Ride was born on May 26, 1951, in Encino, California to Joyce and Dale Ride. Dale Ride was a political science professor, he was one of Sally Ride's biggest mentors and though he lacked knowledge in the field he helped Ride cultivate her interest (Saari 1997). She always found science and mathematics interesting and easy, and prospered in these subjects throughout her schooling. Though she started at Swarthmore
Caitlin Etheridge Ms. Weeks Earth Space and Science 02/15/2018 Sally Ride Sally Ride was an amazing human being, and she was an amazing astronaut! She was born on May 26, 1951, she grew up in Los Angeles and went to Stanford University, where she was a double major in physics and English. (Space.com, 2018). Ride received bachelor's degrees in both subjects in 1973.
She made an huge impact on many women all around the world. Ride held such a great legacy, as Teri Cosentino wrote in her academic journal “Sally Ride was an incredible human, one who cared, loved, dreamed, and sadly, left us too soon. Still, Sally Ride's legacy to the world continues to inspire young people, especially girls, to study math and science, work hard, keep trying until they get it right…” after reading “Sally Ride: America's First Woman in Space” by Lynn Sherr. Sally ride worked in inspiring her society, she cared for her loved ones and the ones who seen her as a great figure.
She has become an inspiration to young girls all around the world. Young girls around the world try to look up at her success, as a guide to get there. It had tooken her thirty years to get the patent for the sanitary because of the money problems, but she was also a black woman. Another important factor was when I was searching for an inventor to write about she was one out of five black women inventors I could find. She holds a record of most patent awards going to black women, which is really important to our next generation coming up.
Sally Ride influenced the 1980’s immensely. Ride became a professor of physics at the University of California there; she studied, worked extremely hard, and built her confidence, to accommodate the environmental surroundings. She was the first women in space; it took time, dedication, and confidence to be the first women. This influenced many others to go up into space and make discoveries. Furthermore, she used a remote manipulator arm launch, a satellite designed to study there suns effect on earths weather.
When Jemison was a little girl she spent a lot of time reading about science. Her favorite kind of science was astronomy. When she was in high school she found out she wanted to get a job in biomedical engineering. After graduating as an honor student she went to Stanford University With a National Achievement scholarship. At Stanford she was involved in many things like Dance, Theater, and was head of the Black Student Union.
I wanted to be part of our nation’s space program.” For instance, she highlighted how she overcame challenges like being the
KATHERINE JOHNSON There’s this lady that I think would be a great role model let’s find out why. First of all her name is Katherine Johnson she was an African-American physicists and mathematician. She worked for NASA, helping the American orbit around Earth and the first man to walk on the moon. She retired from NASA after over 30 years of service.
In addition, ”she left behind a massive legacy and inspiration for generations to come”(steelhammer). She has given people hope on being able to do the impossible. She has left us important science knowledge to look back on and improve for the next time. She also set the standards that everyone can work on a project no matter their race or gender. Nonetheless, Katherine Johnson was able to leave an inspiring force on the civil rights movement with her great things she did for science.
A Smart Hero There are many important figures that fought for civil rights, but one that stood out to me was Katherine Johnson. She was one of the first African American women to work at NASA and was very intelligent. Katherine had many values but there are 3 values that she had that were very important. Katherine Johnson displays courage, determination, and excellence when she started working at NASA when racism and gender was still a big problem.
Katherine was born on August 26,1918, in White Sulphur Spring, WV. She graduated with a B.S in mathematics, and french from West Virginia state college in 1937. Katherine had became a teacher but then got out, and she enrolled herself into a graduate math programs, but she soon decide to leave it behind to start a family with her husband so she went back to teaching when her daughters were a little older. But one day one of her relatives told her that there was an open position in the all-black West Area Computing section at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Langley laboratory which is NASA.
You might not know the day of August 26,1918 (Biography.com) it was a day that changed history forever. Despite racism and segregation, Katherine Johnson was the first African American woman to assist the apollo team at NASA. Johnson overcame obstacles through her life for her to get to such a place. She was a monumental piece of history. To fully understand what she accomplished one must know about her early life, rise to fame, and her greatest legacy.