Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician and inspiration for the film, “Hidden Figures”
Last week's STEMinist opened with an inspirational quote by Dr. Mae Jemison, the first woman of color who went into space.
In her recent New York Times essay, Dr. Jemison shares her experiences in NASA and the untapped potential of women in color she has witnessed in the space program. One such relatively unknown woman in NASA that profoundly influenced Dr. Jemison is mathematician, Katherine Johnson. Her contributions and critical calculations were paramount in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions to space. Yet, prior to the movie
Hidden Figures, not many were aware of how Katherine and her two other female colleagues were key players in ensuring those missions to space went as smoothly as possible. Read more about this incredible story in
Dr. Jemison's NY Times essay.
Don't miss out - STEM Career Chat Webinar with ComEd employee and STEM volunteer, Nicholas Crowder
In case you missed it, last week you should have received an
invitation to an upcoming STEM Career Chat webinar with ComEd employee and STEM volunteer, Nicholas Crowder. Open to all STEM alumnae and other young women interested in STEM, Nic will share his experiences working in various STEM roles, including his time at ComEd, as well as advice for anyone looking to pursue a career path in a STEM field. Some of you may recognize Nic from when he volunteered at past STEM Academies, so this would be a great opportunity to reconnect (or connect for the first time!) with him. There will be time for Q&A as well.
ALSO! Stay tuned for another STEM Career Chat webinar coming up on May 26th from 4:30 - 5:30pm Central time
(5:30 - 6:30pm Eastern time).
Kelly Gunn, Sr. Engineer at ComEd, will take us on a journey through her own path in STEM and how she got to where she is today. Keep an eye out for an invitation coming soon!