Jemison credited her parents, who raised her in Chicago, with encouraging her ambitions and helping her maintain her self-confidence. She entered Stanford University at age 16, earned a medical degree from Cornell in 1981, served as a Peace Corps medical officer in western Africa, trained as an astronaut and became the first African-American woman to fly in space on the space shuttle Endeavor in 1992. Her lecture was part of the 10th anniversary celebration of the President's Council of Cornell Women. In her speech, Jemison tried to bridge the wide gap between technology and the social sciences that plagues society's attempts to deal with problems. The interconnection between technology, the social sciences and culture is very important, she said, adding that science is misunderstood both by scientists and nonscientists.
Science is the search for understanding.
Technology is how science is put to work. Whether science and technology are good or bad depends on our choices, she emphasized again and again. We can find ways to prevent crack babies, invent education systems, develop solar energy for homes, even feed the planet. Or we can continue to build weapons of mass destruction and dump toxins. The problem comes when we choose to believe our physical tools and technology help us conquer nature.