Archived Web Chat with Dr. Mae Jemison

Tish Krieg/NASA: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 7:57AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [2 ]
Hi Jennifer - Things are going great! Thanks for taking over here, I need a little break. Dr. Jemison, let us know when you are on and ready.

Jennifer Sellers/NASA: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 7:59AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [3 ]
I just phoned Dr. Jemison's office, and it sounds like she's getting ready.

: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:00AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [4 ]
Dr. Jemison is on at Dartmouth College

Jennifer Sellers/NASA: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:01AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [5 ]
Welcome, Dr. Jemison! We are honored to have you! Let's begin with questions now.

Tish Krieg/NASA: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:01AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [6 ]
Good morning Dr.Jemison. We're ready. Jennifer is going to moderate but I'll be in the background. Thanks for being here - let's begin.

Jennifer Sellers/NASA: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:02AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [7 ]
Registered participants, that's your cue to let the questions fly (so to speak)!

: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:02AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [8 ]
Okay.

Bordentown: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:03AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [9 ]
What motivated you as young woman?

Brandy: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:03AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [10 ]
Good morning Dr.Jemison. We are wondering why you left NASA and if you wanted to do any more flights?

Megan Gilliland: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:04AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [11 ]
Hi! I am very interested in space/engineering and I was wondering what would be best for me to be studying right now. How difficult was it for you to become an astronaut?

Leah Mitchell/VinlandElem: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:04AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [12 ]
Dr. Jemison,If you could have gone on any of the Apollo Missions, Which one would you have gone on and why?

Sarah: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:04AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [13 ]
Did you ever get scared in space and if so what did you do to calm yourself down?

: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:04AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [14 ]
I have always been enthusiatic about learning , life and exploring. I think we all are.

Brenda: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:05AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [15 ]
How old were you when you went on your firt mission?

Dr. Jemison: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:08AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [16 ]
Believe or not, I have been sitting here trying to answer the questions but my refresh rate was too high. So I will Start at the beginning and hope this works

Cassandra John Muir Elem.: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:08AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [17 ]
What was it like in space?

Bordentown: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:08AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [18 ]
Do you consider yourself to be a role model?

Jennifer Sellers/NASA: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:09AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [19 ]
Thanks for the many excellent questions, participants! Now let's pause for a moment and give Dr. Jemison a chance to address them.

Park Elem.: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:09AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [20 ]
Looking back on your experiences now, is there anything you would have done differently or any advice to us who want to pursue a space career?

Dr. Jemison: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:10AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [21 ]
Megan. It is important for yopu to just start exploring various topics and areas and topics by reading and taking different classes. That's because space exploration has many in fact all disciplines involved. That ranges from astronomy and astrophysics to life sciences to law.

Megan Gilliland: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:13AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [22 ]
Ok, thank you! If you had the chance to go back into space, would you go?

Bordentown: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:13AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [23 ]
Did you like the food they gave you in space?

Dr. Jemison: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:14AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [24 ]
Cassandra. It is very difficult to come up with one single answer of what it was like in space because there are the physiological and psychological dimensions. Also we each bring to the experiences our previous notions. I Enjoyed and had this bis grin on my face. I also found that I felt very peacefula nd calm. Then I also felt like I had been standing on my head for a couple of hours. That's becuase the blood has to redistribute from the lower part of your body to all around becuase now you are weightless.

Cassandra John Muir Elem.: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:14AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [25 ]
What do space suits feel like?

: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:17AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [26 ]
Have you ever witnessed anything, as related to your work, that really astounded or moved you?

Bordentown: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:19AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [27 ]
Why did you name your cats Little Mama and Sneeze

Bordentown: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:19AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [28 ]
Why did you name your cats Little Mama and Sneeze

Bordentown: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:20AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [29 ]
how much money do you make?

Bordentown: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:20AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [30 ]
Who is your hero?

Dr. Jemison: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:20AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [31 ]
Bordentown. I do not believe that public figures can be role models, becuase role models are the people that you are around and you learn to pattern your behaviors after. Thart is how to deal with successses and failures. How to study, learn and just generally live life. What I believe public figures can be are images. That is, what is it possible to do as humans. Also they can give us hope, energy and help us expand our possibilities. But I think it is also important to realize that both role models and images can have positive and negative impacts. And so it is very important for us all to understand the messages that we transmit via our behavior and activities. I believe that we are all role models to our friends, children, parents, teachers and siblings. We do not have to achieve a particular status or notoriety to be role models. We all have that responsibility in some phase of life, everyday.

Dr. Jemison: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:22AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [32 ]
Brenda and Sarah. I was 35 when I first went into space and 30 when I entered NASA. I not I was not afraid.

Bordentown: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:24AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [33 ]
Was it hard reaching your goals?

: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:24AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [34 ]
Adam/Peto-Pasco High school - What are some other interests that you have?

: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:24AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [35 ]
What is the hardest thing about being an astronaut?

Jennifer Sellers/NASA: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:26AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [36 ]
This is a reminder to participants that Dr. Jemison's biographical information can be found at button

Cassandra John Muir Elem.: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:26AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [37 ]
do you think you will ever go on another space mission?

Miranda, Lucas/St. Lucy School: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:27AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [38 ]
Ms. Jemison, what did you miss most when you were in space?

Miranda, Lucas/St. Lucy School: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:28AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [39 ]
Ms. Jemison, my brother and I heard that sometimes the astronauts get sick in space, or sometimes when you're training to go to space. Did you ever get sick? Did your other astronaut friends get sick?

Bordentown: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:28AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [40 ]
HOW IS IT BEING BLACK AND A CELEBRITY AFFECTED YOU?

Bordentown: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:29AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [41 ]
what types of dance have you taken?

: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:30AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [42 ]
What are some of your hobby's?

Leah Mitchell age 10/Vinland Elem: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:31AM PDT (- 0700 GMT). . . [43 ]
What is the funnest thing about being an astronaut?

Miranda, Lucas/St. Lucy School: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:31AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [44 ]
Ms. Jemison, did you ever get to meet famous people, because you were an astronaut? The president maybe, or actors, or nobel-prize winners?

: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:32AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [45 ]
What are some of your hobby's?

Cassandra John Muir Elem.: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:32AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [46 ]
If you had a choice, would you have wanted to work somewhere else?

Psyber Phreak, Pasco High: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:32AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [47 ]
How many times have you been in space?

Miranda, Lucas/St. Lucy School: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:34AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [48 ]
Ms. Jemison, what was your favorite job, being an astronaut, or being a doctor?

Psyber Phreak, Pasco High: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:34AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [49 ]
How many times have you been in space?

Dr. Jemison: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:36AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [50 ]
Bordentown. My cat Little Mama was my mothers and I am not sure how she got her name. Sneexe is my cat that I got when I lived in Sierra Leone in West Africa. He got his name becuase the little girl who had him before me was allergic to cats ... so they called him Sneeze. Cats are probable my favorite animals.

: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:37AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [51 ]
I was wondering if there's something wrong with our connecton. I haven't seen any replies for a good 10 minutes...

Miranda, Lucas/St. Lucy School: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:39AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [52 ]
Ms. Jemison, did people sort of push you to become a doctor, or was it really what you wanted to do? How about being an astronaut? Did you grow up wanting to be one? Or did you change yourmind a lot?

: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:40AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [53 ]
Ooops! right after that was typed, a reply came up! Sorry!!!

Human: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:40AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [54 ]
hi

Human: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:41AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [55 ]
we come in peace

Miranda, Lucas/St. Lucy School: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:41AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [56 ]
Tell us more about the Earth We Share, your science camp for high school kids. Where is it? How many children? =All year round? Are there more than one camp?

Jennifer Sellers/NASA: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:43AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [57 ]
The person identified as "Human" needs to give a name and schoolname. Otherwise, I may need to move to moderation of the chat, which slows things down considerably.

Bernadette, NASA: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:44AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [58 ]
Ms. Jemison, I share you concern and enthusiasm for public schools. I'ma product of them myself (pennsylvania). But now I have children, and our public schools aren't so good.... I've opted for private school because I can't afford to live where the schools are good. What is being done (at any level) to raise the caliber of our public schools?

Jennifer Sellers/NASA: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:45AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [59 ]
All, it is becoming time to close our 45-minute chat! Dr. Jemison, can you choose one or two more questions to answer? We will finish in a few minutes.

Bernadette, NASA: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:45AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [60 ]
It appears our time is almost up. Can Ms. Jemison remain on line and answer the questions (even after we're gone), so that tomorrow or later we can access the archive and see the answers?

Cassandra John Muir Elem.: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:47AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [61 ]
What classes should I take if I want to become an astronaut?

Bordentown: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:50AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [62 ]
do you have email or a web cite?

Dr. Jemison: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:52AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [63 ]
Bernadette. I will give my final answer to you. We all have a role in the education of our nation. Unitl we all, as parents, adults and teachers, educators, politicians and business people wholeheartedly put our energy into ensuring quality education for all students and make it priority it will not change and will continue to deteriorate. I look forward to us making it a real priority and putting the money and effort into it. Thanks to everyone for their questions and time.

Dr. Jemison: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:53AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [64 ]
I have a Web site at Dartmouth college. Dr. J is signing off. Bye.

Jennifer Sellers/NASA: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:54AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [65 ]
Thanks to you, Dr. Jemison; your answers have been thorough and thoughtful! Good-bye to all and thank you for joining us today!

Megan Gilliland: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:54AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [66 ]
Thanks for the great chat!

Cassandra John Muir Elem.: . . . . Thu, Apr 24, 8:56AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [67 ]
You're amazing. Bye!

This NASA's Quest Project Web site is managed and maintained by Tish Krieg

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