Mae C. Jemison: When Art and Science Combine By Emily ZubritskyCan you be a dancer, an astronaut, a doctor, and a professor? Yes. But you'll need the tenacity and intellect of Mae C. Jemison, whose belief is that the arts and sciences should be taught together and are not at all separate.Jemison made history on September 12, 1992, when she became the first African-American woman to travel into space aboard the Endeavour on mission STS47. She didn't mean to become a role model but quickly became one to girls, and in particular girls of color, everywhere.And what is it that made Jemison so successful? A supportive family, a drive to learn, and a balance of art and science. Jemison was born in Alabama but raised on the South Side of Chicago. Since age 11, she was an avid dancer, practicing many different types, such as African dancing, ballet, jazz, modern, and Japanese dance.…

Talk with Dr. Shawna Pandya Shawna Pandya is a practicing surgeon, motivational speaker, citizen-scientist astronaut, aquanaut-to-be. Superwoman maybe? Well, she is one of the most intelligent, motivated, goal-achieving people 'I've had the pleasure to meet. Last summer, I spoke with Dr. Padya about her experience in a pseudo-mars environment, a career in the space industry, and how she handles a life pursuing her dreams.Dr. Pandya holds an Honors Neuroscience BSc, an MD from the University of Alberta and an MSc from the International Space University in Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France. Dr. Pandya also attended Singularity University, an international learning community geared towards scientific progress and "exponential" technologies. During her attendance at Singularity University, she co-founded CiviGuard, a real-time, disaster relief, and emergency response platform.Currently, Dr. Pandya is a citizen-scientist astronaut candidate with the Polar Suborbital Science of the Upper Mesosphere (PoSSUM) project. The PoSSUM program is an international program dedicated to the study…