Survey: U.S. Women and Minority Scientists Often Discouraged from Pursuing STEM Careers: As the first Black woman astronaut, Dr. Mae Jemison is used to breaking barriers. But like many accomplished women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, Jemison has experienced discriminatory treatment during the formative years of her training.
As a college student, Jemison encountered what a majority of female scientists reported in a new national survey as they pursue STEM careers: demoralizing discouragement by a college professor.
She distinguished herself early as a high-achieving student passionate about science and during grade school teachers nurtured her enthusiasm. But the college laboratory proved an unwelcoming environment, said Jemison, who earned a B.S. in chemical engineering from Stanford University and an M.D. from Cornell University.
“I never had a direct confrontation,” she said, adding that some professors “doubted my intellectual capabilities,” and tried to make feel “like I didn’t belong.”
