Dr. Mae C. Jemison who joined the Peace Corps in 1983 and spent two years as a medical officer in Africa was at Morristown to kick off a science competition for New Jersey students and told them: "We're not going to solve our problems by going to a different planet," The former astronaut, who made history in 1992 when she boarded the space shuttle Endeavor on an eight-day mission added, "We must teach critical thinking."
Search for young stars ; Veteran of space tells students to explore Earth's problems
Oct 6, 2004
Northern New Jersey Record
by Richard Cowen, Staff Writer
Being America's first African-American woman in space is a pretty high honor - but Dr. Mae C. Jemison appeared pretty down-to-earth about it during her visit to Morristown High School on Tuesday.
Jemison seemed less concerned with her place in high-flying history than with the future of terra firma, which is why she came to Morristown to kick off a science competition for New Jersey students.
"We're not going to solve our problems by going to a different planet," said the former astronaut, who made history in 1992 when she boarded the space shuttle Endeavor on an eight-day mission.
Now, at age 47, her mission hits closer to home. She spoke to sophomores about the scholarship program and the need for scientific inquiry - not just in the classroom or laboratory, but in everyday living.
"We must teach critical thinking," Jemison said.
Jemison is the founder of The Earth We Share, a summer camp program that since 1994 has brought teenagers together from all over the world to study science.
The program has teamed up with the Bayer Corp. to offer a full scholarship for a New Jersey student to attend next summer's four- week session at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.
About 40 students from around the world attend the camp each summer. They come ready to discuss the social problems of their homelands - including overpopulation, pollution or poor health care - and then choose one problem to focus on for the full four weeks in order to come up with a comprehensive solution.
"The students are looking at the ideas, figuring what they mean and then coming up with solutions," she said.
The Earth We Share is Jemison's way of giving back to public education. Born in Alabama, she was raised in Chicago, where her father, Charlie, was a construction worker and her mother, Dorothy, was a public school teacher for 25 years.
Jemison credits her mother with inspiring her to learn - the effort worked so well that Jemison was enrolled in Stanford University at age 16, and received her degree in chemical engineering. While there, she also studied dance and was torn between an arts career and moving ahead in science.
She later earned a doctorate in medicine from Cornell Medical School and then joined the Peace Corps in 1983. Jemison spent two years as a medical officer in Africa, serving in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
She applied to NASA in 1987 and was one of a handful of the 2,000 applicants to astronaut school to be accepted. She spent eight days in space in September 1992, conducting experiments in bone cell research.
Of the eight days in space, she recalls orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes, seeing the sun rise over and over again during a day. She also overcame the extremes of pressure and weightlessness. What she learned about herself was as illuminating as the rising sun.
"I learned that no matter what I did, I could not be scared," she said.
She now lives in Houston and tours the country encouraging students to pursue careers in science. She started The Earth We Share a year after leaving NASA in 1993.
On Tuesday, she engaged students in a problem-solving exercise that was a mini-camp version of The Earth We Share. She asked the kids the biggest problem in Morristown. She was surprised at the answer.
"Roadkill," came the answer.
Jemison was slightly taken back. "Roadkill?" she repeated. "You mean you have dead animals in the street here in New Jersey?"
"Lots of them," the class responded.
At first, it didn't seem to make sense - a state known more for its smokestacks and concrete could not have much of a problem with roadkill. But then again, as every scientist knows, the powers of observation can give you a fresh perspective every time.
"Well," she observed, "I'm from Houston, and I guess I have seen a couple armadillos squashed in the middle of the road."
Applications for the scholarship can be obtained by calling (973) 254-4946 or by visiting the Bayer Web site at www.BayerUS.com/ msms.
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E-mail: cowen@northjersey.com
