how did you get into science and technology?
As a kid, I was fascinated by everything, from the stars to pus. I wanted to know how things worked. I think growing up in the sixties influenced me, too. Everyone was demanding that they be a part of the world. I was a young kid during that time, and that became very much a part of my psyche. I ended up studying engineering and Afro-American studies in college.
How do you do what you do?
I try to fit in all of the things that I am interested in. I have been a doctor in West Africa with the Peace Corps, an astronaut, and right now I have a number of projects. I have a technology consulting firm which helps engineering companies understand how they can work in developing countries. I am a professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth College, where I teach classes in technology and sustainable development. I also run an institute that's for advancing new technologies in developing countries. And I put together The Earth We Share, an international science camp for teenagers from all over the world, and give speeches on scientific development, public responsibility and science literacy. Very much of what I do is coordinating with lots of people and doing research.
How many people are involved in what you do?
What do you like most or dislike most about your work?
I think responsibility undergirds all my work--our responsibility to ourselves and our world. When we talk about technology, it doesn't just sit out there waiting to be discovered; it's all about how we decide to use our understanding. So if we decide to build nuclear bombs instead of developing nuclear medicine, it's on us. And science is not only about objects, it is also about how people interact with each other. I'm trying to be a part of that integration and conscience, and I love that.
What was high school like? Were you into science and technology?
When I was in high school, my mother called me illiterate, because I was just reading sci-fi and science books. She meant that I wasn't well-rounded enough. I took it as a challenge to be more involved in the world and to broaden my knowledge.
What other things would you like to do? What else would you like to try?
I was a very good dancer in college, and I've built a dance studio in my home. So I dance. I do yoga. I garden. And I love to read, in particular science fiction. I'd love to drive racecars and go to Antarctica.
Tell us about your international science camp.
I started The Earth We Share a four-week residential program for teenagers, in 1994 out of my interest in science literacy. I always found science fascinating because it is extraordinarily creative, but many students get turned off because of the way it's taught. Real science isn't about memorizing facts, because the facts change as we discover new things. At the camp, students work in groups on problems like, how many people can the earth hold? Or design a crime control system for the year 2005. Why do we choose these problems? Because they relate to people's lives.
Dr. Jemison's autobiography, " Find Where The Wind Blows"
