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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disability; signs typically appear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate, and interact with others . ASD is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a “spectrum condition” that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause of autism, but increased awareness and early diagnosis/intervention and access to appropriate services/supports lead to significantly improved outcomes. Some of the behaviors associated with autism include delayed learning of language; difficulty making eye contact or holding a conversation; difficulty with executive functioning, which relates to reasoning and planning; narrow, intense interests; poor motor skills’ and sensory sensitivities. Again, a person on the spectrum might follow many of these behaviors or just a few, or many others besides. The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is applied based on analysis of all behaviors and their severity. Early Signs of Autism: Autism is treatable. Individuals with autism do not “outgrow” autism, but studies show that early diagnosis and intervention lead to significantly improved outcomes. Little or no eye contact Persistent fixation on parts of objects Lack of or delay in spoken language Repetitive use of language and/or motor mannerisms (e.g., hand-flapping, twirling objects) Lack of spontaneous or make-believe play Lack of interest in peer relationships References https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism

First African American female to be admitted into the astronaut training program and fly into space in 1987. Dr. Mae C. Jemison was born October 17, 1956 to Charlie & Dorothy Jemison, in Decatur, Alabama, but considers Chicago, Illinois, to be her hometown. Graduated from Morgan Park High School, Chicago, Illinois, in 1973; received a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering (and fulfilled the requirements for a B.A. in African and Afro-American Studies) from Stanford University in 1977, and a doctorate degree in medicine from Cornell University in 1981. Member, American Chemical Society, Association for the Advancement of Science, Association of Space Explorers. Honorary Member, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Board Member, World Sickle Cell Foundation, American Express Geography Competition. Honorary Board Member, Center for the Prevention of Childhood Malnutrition. Clinical Teaching Associate, University of Texas Medical Center. National Achievement Scholarship (1973-1977); Stanford representative to Carifesta '76 in Jamaica; 1979 CIBA Award for Student Involvement; American Medical Student Association (AMSA) study group to Cuba; grant from International Travelers Institute for health studies in rural Kenya (1979); organized New York city-wide health and law fair for National Student Medical Association (1979); worked refugee camp in Thailand (1980). Recipient of Essence Award (1988), and Gamma Sigma Gamma Woman of the Year (1989). Honorary Doctorate of Sciences, Lincoln College, Pennsylvania (1991). Honorary Doctorate of Letters, Winston Salem College, North Carolina (1991). DuSable Museum Award (1992). The Mae C. Jemison Academy, an alternate public school established in 1992 in Detroit, Michigan. Montgomery Fellow 1993 Dartmouth College. Dr. Jemison has a background in both engineering and medical research. She has worked in the areas of computer programming, printed wiring board materials, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, computer magnetic disc production, and reproductive biology. Dr. Jemison completed her internship at Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center in July 1982 and worked as a General Practitioner with INA/Ross Loos Medical Group in Los Angeles until December 1982. Dr. Jemison was selected for the astronaut program in June 1987. Her technical assignments since then have included: launch support activities at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida; verification of Shuttle computer software in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL); Science Support Group activities. Dr. Jemison was the science mission specialist on STS-47 Spacelab-J (September 12-20, 1992). STS-47 was a cooperative mission between the United States and Japan. The eight-day mission was accomplished in 127 orbits of the Earth, and included 44 Japanese and U.S. life science and materials processing experiments. Dr. Jemison was a co-investigator on the bone cell research experiment flown on the mission. The Endeavour and her crew launched from and returned to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In completing her first space flight, Dr. Jemison logged 190 hours, 30 minutes, 23 seconds in space. Dr. Jemison left NASA in March 1993. Jemison also developed and participated in research projects on the Hepatitis B vaccine and rabies. References Administration, N. A. (1993, March). National Aeronautics and Space Administration: MAE C. JEMISON (M.D.). Retrieved February 25, 2019, from National Aeronautics and Space Administration: https://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/jemison-mc.html

Florida A&M Professor to Make History Twice Born in Rochester, New York and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, she understood very early on that when things don’t go as planned, you must adjust and continue to fight for what you want. Well, Tracy Thomas, who flunked out of pharmacy school while an undergraduate student at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), used her failure to make history. She is an alumni of FAMU and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. On August 5, 1994, Thomas earned her physical therapy degree, and two months later, she received her license to practice. Not to mention, she only had to take her board exams one time, which is extremely difficult for most. On August 8, 2008 at 39 years old, Thomas received her Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences with an emphasis in cardiovascular pharmacology and toxicology, becoming one of only five physical therapists in the United States with a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences. In 2014, she returned to Florida A&M University as the director of physical therapy research and a physical therapy professor. Thomas’ failure pushed her into a career that has allowed her to make history twice, and not to mention she has no student loans, and makes enough money to pay for her Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Clinical Doctorate degree. In May 2019, at 50 years old, Thomas will earn her Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Clinical Doctorate degree, making her the only African-American with both a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences and DPT in the nation. References OGUNSOLA, J. (2018, September 04). How Failure Led This Florida A&M University Professor To Make History, Twice. Essence Magazine. Retrieved January 2, 2019, from https://www.essence.com/lifestyle/goforit/how-failure-led-this-florida-am-university-professor-to-make-history-twice/