Groundbreaking astronaut and engineer Dr. Mae C. Jemison to speak at Carleton

Groundbreaking astronaut and engineer Dr. Mae C. Jemison will present the weekly convocation at Carleton on Friday, Oct. 26. Jemison’s presentation will take place at 3 p.m. in the Skinner Memorial Chapel and be proceded by the college’s traditional academic procession. In a speech entitled, “Exploring the Frontiers of Science and Human Potential,” Jemison’s address will focus on the importance of women and minorities in science and technology. This special presentation is free and open to the public, and will be livestreamed here.

Carleton convocations are also recorded and archived for online viewing here.

Hailed as “A Determined Breaker of Boundaries” by the New York Times, Jemison broke more than just the sound barrier in 1992, when she boarded NASA’s space shuttle Endeavour and became the first woman of color to travel into space. She was also NASA’s first Science Mission Specialist performing experiments in material science, life science and human adaptation to weightlessness. Following her historic flight, Jemison noted that society should recognize how much both women and members of other minority groups can contribute if given the opportunity.

After her time with NASA, Jemison founded The Jemison Group, a technology consulting firm integrating critical socio-cultural issues into the design of engineering and science projects, such as satellite technology for health care delivery and solar dish Stirling engine electricity in developing countries. She is currently leading “100 Year Starship,” a project to assure human interstellar space travel to another star within the next century.

A National Women’s Hall of Fame and International Space Hall of Fame inductee, Jemison has won numerous awards and accolades in her career. She has been awarded honorary doctorates from nine higher education institutions, and was named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” (1993), amongst other recognitions.

To this day, she remains a tireless advocate for issues of health care, social responsibility, technology, and science education.

This event is sponsored by the Carleton College Convocations. For more information, including disability accommodations, call (507) 222-4308. The Skinner Memorial Chapel is located at First and Winona Streets in Northfield.