Jemison says she's often asked what her greatest accomplishment is, and says being able to jog seven miles or completing parachute training after being afraid of heights as a child usually coming to mind. But the fact is, you just sit on a rocket and somebody pushes a button. Jemison says small tasks can have a big impact on making the world a better place. She implored her audience to do their part, individually and collectively, to make the choice and the effort to improve the human condition. I want the world to be the world my child will inherit.
Science is understanding, and technology is putting that understanding to some practical use.
But Jemison says the world's priorities dictate which technologies get dev-eloped. She believes real, positive change requires taking tough stands, both in deciding what's important for the word, and yourself. Jemison's DePauw convocation was part of the 10th anniversary celebration of Pi Lambda Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Society. A chemical engineer, scientist, physician, teacher and astronaut, Dr. Jemison left NASA in 1993 and founded The Jemison Group, a private company that focuses on projects that integrate social science issues into the design, development and implementation of technologies.