A: FROM MENTOR NATALIE GIVANS, PRINCIPAL FOR TECHNICAL CONSULTING FIRM BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON IN FALLS CHURCH VA
I really like Molly Williams' answer about Bill Nye the Science Guy as one possible avenue for your interest. Interestingly enough, my job as an engineering consultant also requires the combination of deep knowledge and skills in my field, which happens to be information security consulting (I was an electrical engineer with science and linguistics as my minors at MIT). A consultant is a person who not only has to know something that other people want to know but also needs to be able to present the information in a compelling and logical way to engender interest and invite a client to be willing to hire the consulting firm to perform the scientific research, engineering studies, development, integration, or whatever the task may be. I did not have public speaking and acting experience
beyond several musicals in high school and college and a debate class in high school. When I arrived at Booz Allen, one of my first activities was to present a brown bag on speech processing - I still have the video and it's pretty funny to watch - I was talking fast and was very nervous. Over the years, I've taken the Booz Allen courses on
presentation skills and also participated in Toastmasters for several years - through those experiences and lots of practice with client meetings, I've become very comfortable with one on one meetings as well as conferences, where we often present our ideas to hundreds of people. You might find this career to be of interest to you. Let me know if you have other questions about the technical and scientific consulting field.

A: FROM MENTOR KELLY BROWN, PHD, PRINCIPAL BIOLOGIST, MIDWEST RESEARCH
INSTITUTE, KANSAS CITY, MO
Hi Danielle, this is an interesting question. I have found that as a research scientist in biotechnology it is very important for me to have public speaking skills. These skills are very, very important for a research scientist! Some of the most fun I have had as a scientist is traveling to interesting places and giving talks about my research results. It is very important that you can communicate your results, and their significance, in front of an audience. Public speaking is an important aspect of both academic and biotech-type science careers
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Q: FROM MENTEE JEZRA B. IN NH
I'm going to take the SAT in May and my guidance counselor said I should take the SAT II's as well. Do colleges like to see SAT II in all subjects or just the main ones? OR do they like to see SAT II in the area of your major in
college?

A: FROM MENTOR CAROL TOMAN, DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF TECHNICAL STAFF AT LUCENT
TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
Jezra, schools will want to see two or three SAT II scores in your college application but you will probably want to take more tests and submit your best scores. Generally you should submit one from an area allied to your major, presumably math or science, and it might be a good strategy to submit a second strong score from another area like composition, sociology, or foreign language. Definitely submit the scores that will portray your strengths in the best light.
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Q: FROM MENTEE TABIA S. AND KARISTAN W. IN REGION III
Hi it is me again, do lawyers really use computers a lot?

A: FROM MENTOR KRIS MOODY, MIXED SIGNAL IC DESIGN ENGINEER AND COMPANY VICE
PRESIDENT AT ORION DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES IN LEE, NH
I have several friends who are lawyers. All of them use computers. Some use computers more than others, and some have only recently started to use computers at work, and are amazed at how much it has improved their ability to get things done. Computers are not the only tools they use, but as time goes on, computers have become more and more
useful to lawyers as well as many other professionals. The internet gives instant access to state laws, to court cases and legal decisions, to the activities of state legislatures as they make new laws and change old ones. Communication is often improved with the use of e-mail. And huge amounts of legal research can be done by accessing electronic versions of law journals on CD or over the internet. Also paperwork is simplified by having standard documents on the lawyer's computer. With all that said, there is still a lot that is done without a computer. Lawyers do all kinds of work, some of which takes place in a court room, some involves interviewing people, and working cooperatively with other people in and out of their profession. The computer is a tool that helps them to often work more efficiently, as computers do for the rest of us too.
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Q: FROM MENTEE JEZRA B. IN NH
I am very interested in astronomy and have a fantasy to live on the space station and explore the evolution of the universe. If I want to become an astronaut in the future, would the air force be a necessity?

A: FROM MENTOR NATALIE GIVANS, PRINCIPAL FOR TECHNICAL CONSULTING FIRM
BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON IN FALLS CHURCH VA
I, too, was very interested in the space program and wanted to be an astronaut ever since I was about 8
years old. My dad had been in the Air Force and had indicated that the best route would be to become a pilot or navigator with the Air Force and enter a good college for engineering or science. I did just that - Air Force ROTC and MIT - however, due to some issues with the Corps commander, I decided that they were not ready for strong, independent women at the time and did not pursue that dream (my eyesight also shifted such that I would not qualify as a pilot or navigator anyway by the time I would have entered the space program). At about the same time, the space program was shifting away from purely pilots as astronauts to include "payload" specialists as astronauts - I don't have facts and exact figures on this, but my impression of the shuttle missions is that most of the astronauts are not Air Force pilots anymore but are indeed science, engineering, or other specialists working particular "payloads" such as the Hubble Telescope launches, repairs, lab experiments on the effects of weightlessness on muscles, plants,
animals, or you name it! Other mentors may have more facts at hand but you can also check with NASA through their web site to see if there is more information on the background of the astronauts and their roles in the missions. Best of luck!

A: FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS, PHD, DIRECTOR, WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
PROGRAM AT KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN MANHATTAN, KS
Jezra, from fantasies often come the new inventions and advances of the future! If you want to be an astronaut, I don't think you have to go into the air force, though it is certainly an option. If paying for college is a worry, Air Force ROTC can provide money for your education in return for several years of service. I know a woman engineer at NASA who never was in the air force but who is now applying for the astronaut program...so another possible
route is to get your bachelor's degree and a graduate degree in engineering, go work for NASA as an engineer, and apply for the astronaut program that way! If you haven't already visited the Women of NASA web site, you might want to do so. I believe you can chat with women engineers and astronauts and scientists working at NASA and find out more about them and their work.
<http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/intro.html>http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/intro.html
Best of luck, and keep dreaming big dreams!

A: FROM MENTOR JULIA HOCHBERG, MECHANICAL ENGINEER, MOTOROLA IN IL
No, the Air Force is not necessary to become and astronaut. Though, I understand that experience as a pilot and/or the military is helpful because you have been trained by the US government for extreme and challenging situations, know how to fly, and have proven your quick problem solving skills. The best place to start is the NASA website where they talk about astronaut selection and training.
<http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/more.html>http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/more.html
I also think that, as space exploration advances, astronauts will need to be highly specialized in fields such as biology, geology, human physiology, chemistry and many others. Along with "driving" the space vehicles, expert
human researchers are needed to study these other subjects as we begin to understand the formation and content of our solar system. Becoming and expert in one of these "new" astro-related fields will be very beneficial to NASA and provides you another avenue to explore your interests as an astronaut.
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NEW QUESTIONS
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Q: FROM MENTEE JULIE C. IN CT
I have been looking through college sites. I am interested in science and math and outdoor adventure, like rock climbing and kayaking. I keep coming across this term: Experiential Education related. What does it mean? Can anyone suggest colleges I might like to consider when the time comes?
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Q: FROM MENTEE YUNJI IN IL
Hello, I am Yunji from Chicago and since I am a Junior, I am trying to figure out what I am going to do in the future and I need your help. Will you help me? Well, out of all my classes, I am interested in both science and Fine Arts. I
enjoy acting, singing, dancing, playing instruments, visual arts, all sorts of art.. but I am also interested in biology, genetics, and in dinosaurs. I really like animals, so if I ever go into medical field, I thought about being a doctor for both human and animals. I don't mind teaching or tutoring, if you want to know. I also want to learn about computers (to build a "personal" computer by combining lots of parts) and since I am the head of the house, I "have" to be successful. In this large universe, Is there any kind of occupation that I could do these kind of activities but still be successful?
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Q: FROM MENTEE AMAL D. IN GA
Hi..My dream job would be working in a lab and doing medical experiments, what classes would I need to take in college? And I also just wanted to say thanks to the mentors for helping young girls like ourselves by answering our
questions. Thanks for your time.
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Q: FROM MENTEE JEWEL C. FROM MASSACHUSETTS:
I have many questions in science, for it is my favorite subject in school, but I will give you 2 today.
1. Can gold conduct electricity?
2. What chemical mixture can be used to break through a crystal? thank you!
_____
END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 2, 2002
**********
ANNOUNCEMENTS
**********
Who has the best April Fool's joke that involves science, engineering or technology? Send in your April Fool's jokes, and we'll publish the best and the brightest in our Daily Digest during the month of April.
**********
NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO
COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
<http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
********
APRIL IS EARTH MONTH! THE QUIZ QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK IS: In 1962 a significant
book written by environmentalist Rachel Carson was published. What was the name of the book and what hazardous chemical did it expose?
**********
Q: FROM MENTEE JULIE C. IN CT
I have been looking through college sites. I am interested in science and math and outdoor adventure, like rock climbing and kayaking. I keep coming across this term: Experiential Education related. What does it mean? Can
anyone suggest colleges I might like to consider when the time comes?

A: FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS, DIRECTOR, WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
PROGRAM AT KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN MANHATTAN, KS
Julie, I would suggest looking into Rowan in New Jersey
(<http://www.rowan.edu/>www.rowan.edu),
Lafayette College in PA (<http://www.layfayette.edu/>www.layfayette.edu) and
Unity College in Maine (<http://www.unity.edu/>www.unity.edu) Rowan and Lafayette take a very hands-on approach to engineering education and do a good job of recruiting and retaining women students and making a good environment for them. Unity is a very interesting school. It is a small school, about 500 students, and focuses on environmental science, natural resource management, wilderness-based outdoor recreation leadership, and related fields. Unity might be a place that most closely matches all of your interests. I have a friend at Unity College named Dr. Pamela Proulx-Curry. Her email address is pproulx@unity.edu. You could write to her for more information about Unity and tell her that you heard about Unity from me. She will be happy to give you info or point you to the right people on campus to talk to!
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Q: FROM MENTEE YUNJI IN IL
Hello, I am Yunji and since I am a Junior, I am trying to figure out what I am going to do in the future and I need your help. Will you help me? Well, out of all my classes, I am interested in both science and Fine Arts. I enjoy acting, singing, dancing, playing instruments, visual arts, all sorts of art.. but I am also interested in biology, genetics, and in dinosaurs. I really like animals, so if I ever go into medical field, I thought about being a doctor for both human and animals. I don't mind teaching or tutoring, if you want to know. I also want to learn about computers (to build a "personal" computer by combining lots of parts) and since I am the head of the house, I "have" to be successful. In this large universe, Is there any kind of occupation that I could do these kind of activities but still be successful?

A: FROM MENTOR DANELL OLIVER-COLLINS RETAIL INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER HALLMARK CARDS
KC, MO
Well I think you can be successful in any of these fields, but here are some suggestions. If you measure success by the amount of money you make you can be successful in any of these fields as long as you choose your career path in that field carefully. Try to follow a career path that always moves up the corporate ladder. If you stay on one level so will your success. But, sometimes success comes with a hardship. You may not have much time for yourself. So if you measure success by your happiness, being able to fulfill all your wants and be happy with your family and personal life, look at a career does not demand more than an 8 hour day or allows you to set your own hours. I would talk to many women you know and ask them about their careers. Ask questions like do you enjoy your work, do you work in a team environment or on your own, how many hours do you work a day or week, what kind of schooling did you have to go to in order to get where you are, etc. I'll start you off, I am a plastics engineer and I love my work. I work in both a team environment and independently. The team gives me direction and a purpose and working independently allows me the freedom to pursue answers to questions without restrictions. I work an 8 hour day 5 days a week which allows me to have plenty of time for a personal life. I went through 4 years of college in the plastics engineering program. Good Luck

A: FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS, DIRECTOR, WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
PROGRAM AT KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN MANHATTAN, KS
Yunji, it sounds to me like you could be successful in almost anything you attempt! It is fortunate that you have such a broad range of interests because you will surely find something within them that you like to do for work and that will help you earn a good living. You might want to look into computer science or computer engineering. Within computer science, you can pursue your interests in the visual arts, and in almost any kind of science, including medicine for animals or humans. Computer science will give you tools you can use to address important and interesting problems in these areas. If you like designing and building computers, then computer engineering would be a good field to consider. If you decide to go into either field, then do some checking at the schools you are considering. Find out how many women students there are in those programs, and what approach they take to teaching. Is it lots and lots of programming courses before you ever get to explore the interesting applications? Or do they start integrating applications and programming right from the beginning? Carnegie Mellon is a very prestigious school for computer science. They have made some big changes lately that have increased the percentage of women (from 5% to almost 45%!) and have made the curriculum more interesting for students. Other schools are doing similar things. There are many schools you could go to learn these careers. Make sure it is a school that will give you a good experience!
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Q: FROM MENTEE AMAL D. IN GA
HI..My dream job would be working in a lab and doing medical experiments, what classes would I need to take in college? And I also just wanted to say thanks to the mentors for helping young girls like ourselves by answering our
questions. Thanks for your time.

A: FROM MENTOR DANELL OLIVER-COLLINS RETAIL INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER HALLMARK CARDS
KC, MO
Well you'll need to take all kinds of medical classes and chemistry classes. The chemistry classes will be beneficial not only because of the chemistry but because it teaches you how all the different pieces of lab equipment work. You will also probably need all the biology classes and genetics classes.

A: FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS, DIRECTOR, WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
PROGRAM AT KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN MANHATTAN, KS
Amal, there are many paths to prepare you for a career in laboratory work or research in the medical field. You might consider degrees in biology or biochemistry, or even chemistry. You'll have a set of courses you have to take, and advisors to help you in picking your electives. But more important that your classes will be getting some lab experience while you are an undergraduate. Look for schools that have research opportunities for undergraduates. Get to know the professors in your department early on, find out what kinds of research they are doing, and ask if they have any projects that undergraduates can work on. You may begin by just learning how to clean glassware and set up parts of experiments, and then progress to doing your own experiments. You need to find a school where the professors in biology or biochemistry or chemistry are doing medical-related research. If a university has a medical school or a veterinary school, it is very likely that a lot of professors will be involved in medical research, but it is not necessary. The main thing is that you want to get experience in a lab, in how to do experiments and so on, so that you can get hired as a lab technician at a university or a research center or at a medical school. You may decide that you like research so much that you want to run the lab yourself, and then you can go on and get a PhD and have your own laboratory! Good luck!
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Q: FROM MENTEE JEWEL C. FROM MASSACHUSETTS:
I have many questions in science, for it is my favorite subject in school, but I will give you 2 today.
1. Can gold conduct electricity?
2. What chemical mixture can be used to break through a crystal? thank you!

A: FROM MENTOR RAMONA GRAY, STAFF CHEMIST AT MERCK IN NJ
Hi Jewel:
1. Yes, Gold is an EXCELLENT conductor of electricity.
2. It depends on what type of crystal.
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NEW QUESTIONS
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Q: FROM MENTEE SB IN NH
I am interested in being a lawyer in representing sports players. I am also very involved in dance. Should I do dance as a minor and law as a major when I reach college? What could I do to involve both dance and law?
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Q: FROM MENTEE STEPHANY E. IN ??
What if you want to have so many jobs but you don't know which job you want the most?
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END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 3, 2002
**********
ANNOUNCEMENTS
**********
Who has the best April Fool's joke that involves science, engineering or technology? Send in your April Fool's jokes, and we'll publish the best and the brightest in our Daily Digest during the month of April.
**********
NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO
COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
<http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
********
APRIL IS EARTH MONTH! THE QUIZ QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK IS: In 1962 a significant book written by environmentalist Rachel Carson was published. What was the name of the book and what hazardous chemical did it expose?
**********
Q: FROM MENTEE SB IN NH
I am interested in being a lawyer in representing sports players. I am also very involved in dance. Should I do dance as a minor and law as a major when I reach college? What could I do to involve both dance and law?

A: FROM MENTOR CHRISTINE KUTA, PATENT ATTORNEY IN BOSTON, MA
It is not necessary to study law in college in order to go to law school. An undergraduate degree in something is really the only college prerequisite required. There are, of course, some majors that will make it easier to deal with the course work in law school -- anything that requires a lot of reading, use of analytical skills, and writing. So, minoring in dance is fine. For sports law, you should major in business administration. The majority of legal tasks in sports law involve analyzing contracts and helping clients with their business.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE STEPHANY E. IN ??
What if you want to have so many jobs but you don't know which job you want the most?
**********
Q: FROM MENTEE LINDSEY M. IN KY
Can you tell me what exactly a dietician does? AND What are the different fields of a nurse?
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Q: FROM STEPHANIE H. IN REGION I
I am a sophomore in high school and I was wondering if it is a good idea to take the SAT I this year for practice, or if it will only make me more nervous for when it counts next year?
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Q: FROM MENTEE ERIN R. IN REGION III
Hi, I was just wondering, If the speed of light is an absolute, why does it move differently in different mediums? and if the speed of light is the same, how come the Index of refraction is "the speed of light in a vacuum divided by the speed of light in the medium"? Also, with Huygen's principal, if everything wants to have the same motion that it has with out another force acting on it, why do they suddenly explode into wavelets if the wave can't hit any particles because it's in a vacuum? Thank you all so much for doing this, it's great to get information, advice,
help, and encouragement from people who actually have succeeded in a male dominated field. Thank you all so much.
_____
END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 4, 2002
**********
ANNOUNCEMENTS
**********
Who has the best April Fool's joke that involves science, engineering or technology? Send in your April Fool's jokes, and we'll publish the best and the brightest in our Daily Digest during the month of April.
*********
NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET
PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
<http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
********
APRIL IS EARTH MONTH! THE QUIZ QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK IS: In 1962 a significant book written by environmentalist Rachel Carson was published. What was the name of the book and what hazardous chemical did it expose?
*********
Q: FROM MENTEE STEPHANY E. IN ?
What if you want to have so many jobs but you don't know which job you want the most?

A: FROM MENTOR AIMEE WILLOZ, STAFF FIRMWARE TEST ENGINEER, SEAGATE=
TECHNOLOGY IN MN
Hi Stephany! Choosing what career you want can be very difficult. When I was about to enter college, I had a lot of different interests, so I found it hard to choose a major subject, too. My parents helped me a lot. Because I liked computers, they suggested either Cpr E or CS (Computer Science), and I chose Cpr E. It was hard work, but I've never been sorry! I also recommend doing some exploring in the areas you think you might like. There are lots of fun classes and summer seminars through all different kinds of institutions, such as schools, museums, etc. These might give you a little more information on specific careers that could help you decided what to focus on. One other thing you might choose to do is to take some interest inventories. They might be helpful in putting the pieces together -- you may be able to roll up all of the things that interest you into one career. You may also choose to focus on one thing professionally and do something else as a hobby. When my brother was entering college, he was considering majoring in either Music or Chemical Engineering (two very different things!). What he decided to do was to study Chemical Engineering and keep pursuing music as a hobby. One last thing - I did a quick web search for "interest inventory" and "career counseling", and lots of things came up. There are some great resources on the web, so exploring there may be fruitful, too. Most of all, have fun!
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A: FROM MENTOR ANNALIESE BRATCHER, INFO TECH TRAINER, U. KENTUCKY
Stephany, here are some ideas to help your refine your search and some to help you keep all your options open. I recommend you try volunteering, interning, or shadowing on jobs that interest you, and see the positives and negatives associated with each. With shadowing you "visit" a workplace and a mentor shows you around. Internships and volunteer work require that you spend time doing one job or a few inter-related jobs. With an internship or volunteer experience, you can feel what it's like to have that job. Shadowing let's you quickly see many different jobs. You can gather info by taking tests that match your interests and strengths to careers. Some of these tests are available on the web. Your high school counselor or a local college might administer these tests. Gather info on jobs that interest you, then try to prioritize them to see if a few stand out at the top of the list. I also encourage you and other young women to keep your options open. Realize that some jobs are composites of many interests. In the job that I'll be starting on April 22nd, here, I'll do all of the following: teach classes in instructional design, technology, and programming; provide one-on-one technical assistance, and training; provide instructional design advice; author web pages; make and edit digital movies; manage a budget, equipment and employees; launch marketing initiatives; and much more! You should also expect to change jobs every 3 to 6 years in today's market. If you're in a technology field, you might change jobs as often as once a year

A: FROM MENTOR NANCY VANDLING, ASSISTANT PROGRAM MANAGER, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION DIVISION AT PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY IN PITTSBURGH, PA
I sympathize with you and believe that this is a normal response and a hard decision. It is hard to visualize a job when you haven't had a chance to try it out. Here are a few suggestions. The mentors participating in this program have a wide variety of current job positions and past job experience. Ask questions of the mentors in this program regarding the specific jobs you are considering in order to gain information to help you make a decision. If I have a hard decision to make in choosing between several items, I write them down on paper and list the pros and cons of each item. This helps me work through why I prefer one over the other and then I can make a decision. You could write down all the things you like to do, rank them in preference of your priority, and decide which ones are applicable to the various jobs you are considering. If you know someone in the same type of job, ask them questions that may help you make a decision. Try to find a summer job in the same type of field. Many people change types of jobs or career paths in their lifetime as they acquire new knowledge and decide what they want or like to do. Each job gives you various types of experience that you can carry forward to your next job and in your daily life activities. Remember that a job is only part of your life and you can pursue other things you like to do in your free time.

A: FROM MENTOR KRIS MOODY, MIXED SIGNAL IC DESIGN ENGINEER AN COMPANY VICE
PRESIDENT AT ORION DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES IN NH
You might be comforted to know that most people change their careers more than once in their lifetime. Even if you choose one path to follow, that doesn't mean that the other paths are closed to you. You are lucky to see so many different interesting jobs out there. It's a whole lot better than to not see anything you want to do. When I was in college, I studied engineering, psychology and Latin, because I loved them all and I didn't know which to pick. I'm not sure I ever actually picked engineering. It kind of picked me, and somehow I went that way. I suggest that you go with the flow and remain open to change. It's a wonderful thing to have a wide range of interests.

A: FROM MENTOR MARTY CHINTALA, RESEARCH BIOLOGIST, U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, ATLANTIC ECOLOGY DIVISION, NARRAGANSETT, RI
Stephany, I think it's great that you have so many interests! Many people have a hard time trying to figure out what they want to do at all! I have always had many interests for jobs, and some I have managed to do, while others I have not. Whenever I was in a position where I didn't know which to prioritize, I just looked around for options in all of the areas of my interest. And eventually something came up in one of them that I could try. For example, I have always been athletic, but didn't want sports as a full time job. I also had an interest in sign language. The opportunity came up that I could be a part-time fitness trainer at the local YMCA (teaching people how to maximize their routines on Nautilus equipment). So I did it for a while- I liked it, and found out that I didn't want that as a full time job, but it was nice to try it. I then started taking sign language classes, and through that was able to get a part-time job on weekends working with deaf adults. So give yourself a chance at things and you'll be surprised what you discover about yourself! Sometimes you find out that you really didn't like to do that job after you try it, and then you try something else. Sometimes you also find that you absolutely love something that you didn't think you'd like initially. Good luck! Let me know what you end up trying!

A: FROM MENTOR MARY JO MULLEN, CIVIL ENGINEER AT PATRICK ENGINEERING IN IL
Well Stephany, you don't need to make that decision quite yet! If you know a general field you are interested in - environmental science, engineering, computers, chemistry - continue taking classes that deal with this field and
look into opportunities where you can experience what jobs in that field are like. Volunteering can be a great way to do this if you are interested. If your school has career center, look into these jobs and see if you can even spend a day with someone who has that job. That may help you narrow your choices. I don't know your age, but I am guessing you still have several years to determine exactly what you want to do. Many of my friends didn't settle on
a career until they were sophomores or juniors in college...one of my roommates in college majored in English because she loved it and then figured out what she wanted to do once she started interviewing Senior year! Point is, don't stress about what you want to do now...continue exploring your interests and something will probably jump out at you eventually
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Q: FROM STEPHANIE H. IN REGION I
I am a sophomore in high school and I was wondering if it is a good idea to take the SAT I this year for practice, or if it will only make me more nervous for when it counts next year?

A: FROM MENTOR MINI VARUGHESE, PHD, AT STEMCELL TECHNOLOGIES IN MARYLAND
Yes, take the test. I found that the more practice tests I took, the faster I got. Get your hands on old tests if you can and practice with those too. Especially if you can do it in the same format (computer based) as the test is given.

A: FROM MENTOR MARTY WOELFEL, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY,
KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY IN FRANKFORT, KY
Hi, Stephanie- I think you should take the SAT this year for practice. In fact, taking these types of tests for practice is what just about everybody recommends as a good preparation strategy. You can buy books that include practice tests too, so you can even practice for the practice test! Although practice can't keep you from getting nervous at all,
preparation and practice helps you deal better with nervousness. What if you were a singer? Would you say, "I've got a performance coming up, and I'm worried about stage fright. So, I'm not going to practice that song before I have to perform it when it counts. I'll just wing it." I don't think so! That singer would practice a lot so she would be as ready as possible. Then she would also figure out some things that help her deal better with nervousness, like taking deep breaths, visualizing success, and so forth. So, if you're worried about your performance on the SAT, start practicing and preparing now. Find some practice tests and take them. Analyze your performance on the tests and see where you do well and where you can improve. If you find you have trouble with some of the questions that deal with vocabulary analogies for instance, then you can start on a preparation program that improves your vocabulary AND on the way you think your way through questions of that type. You can also practice these tests on a "timed" basis and learn better how to manage your time in the tests. You might want to check with your high school counselor; perhaps the counselor has some preparation books or other materials that will help you better understand the test itself and what you need to do to perform your very best on the test. When, for instance, is it better to just not answer a question vs. guessing among a few choices? There's probably lots of good advice on test taking strategies out there for you to learn about to improve your performance. So, work hard to get ready, and good luck when you finally take the test when it counts! (Funny, those who work hard often have the best "luck". . . .)

A: FROM MENTOR KRIS MOODY, MIXED SIGNAL IC DESIGN ENGINEER AN COMPANY VICE PRESIDENT AT ORION DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES IN NH
I don't think it will make you more nervous at all. I think it's a great idea to take the test more than once, maybe more than twice. Everyone sometimes has a bad day, or alternatively maybe an especially good day. All my friends in high school did better on the SAT when they took it again. I think it's partly because we knew better what to expect, and along with that we were also less nervous. In fact, I think I took it 3 times. Here's a hint. Bring a bag of M&M's with you, so you can give yourself some energy during the long day. Plus it's a way to reward yourself for your effort

A: FROM MENTOR MARTY CHINTALA,=A0 RESEARCH BIOLOGIST, U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY, ATLANTIC ECOLOGY DIVISION, NARRAGANSETT, RI
Stephanie, I think the answer depends on how you feel about the exam. One thing about standardized tests like the SAT is that you tend to do better with practice, so taking it this year when it doesn't count might be beneficial. This is especially true if you get nervous during these tests and don't tend to do well. It can help you see where you might
need to practice before you take it for real the following year. If you feel nervous about how you will do next year, then I would be inclined to take it this year so you know what to expect. For me, I find that I am less nervous when I know what to expect. Good luck and let me know what you decide!
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE ERIN R. IN REGION III
Hi, I was just wondering, If the speed of light is an absolute, why does it move differently in different mediums? and if The speed of light is the same, how come the Index of refraction is "the speed of light in a vacuum divided by the speed of light in the medium"? Also, with Huygen's principal, if everything wants to have the same motion that it has with out another force acting on it, why do they suddenly explode into wavelets if the wave can't hit any particles because it's in a vacuum? Thank you all so much for doing this, it's great to get information, advice,
help, and encouragement from people who actually have succeeded in a male dominated field. Thank you all so much.
*********
Q: FROM MENTEE LINDSEY M. IN KY
Can you tell me what exactly a dietician does? AND What are the different fields of a nurse?
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END
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 5, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Who has the best April Fool's joke that involves science, engineering or technology? Send in your April Fool's jokes, and we'll publish the best and the brightest in our Daily Digest during the month of April.

THANK YOU TO AIMEE WILLOZ AT SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY IN MN FOR THIS APRIL FOOL'S
IDEA: While this wasn't precisely an April Fool's joke, it was the best practical joke I've ever seen that involved engineering! At my previous job, the managers' offices were around the outside of the building, and the wall of
each office that faced into the building was glass. One of the departments decided to decorate their manager's office for his birthday one year. Because people joked about the offices looking like hamster cages, the group decorated it
like that. It was hilarious! Here's what they did: they covered the floor with mulch and put out a dog bowl with dog food (it looked the right size to be a hamster bowl with hamster kibble). They attached a 5-gallon water bottle to
the outside of the glass wall, and connected two pieces of pipe -- one inside the office and one outside -- so it looked like a hamster's water bottle. Best of all (and here's where the real engineering comes in), they built a big hamster
wheel that worked! They used plastic piping for the wheel and 2x4's to make a stable base, and they wired up an old car antenna motor to turn the wheel. The manager thought it was very inventive, and brought his family in to take
pictures!
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET
PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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THE QUIZ QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK IS: A famous scientist has written about how her career path took her to Gombe National Park in Tanzinia. She writes: "I could have gone on at the museum. Or I could have learned a whole lot more about fossils and become a paleontologist. But both these careers had to do with dead animals. And I still wanted to work with living animals. My childhood dream was as strong as ever: Somehow I must find a way to watch free, wild animals living their own, undisturbed lives. I wanted to learn things that no one else knew, uncover secrets through patient observation. I wanted to come as close to talking to animals as I could."
WHO IS THIS SCIENTIST AND WHAT ANIMALS DOES SHE STUDY?
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Q: FROM MENTEE STEPHANY E. IN ?
What if you want to have so many jobs but you don't know which job you want the most?

A: FROM MENTOR MARGO AUXTER, RADIATION THERAPIST AT ST. JOHN HOSPITAL IN TULSA,
OKLAHOMA
That can be a hard decision, there are so many choices to make. You will need to ask yourself several things. For instance, is there a common bond between the careers you are thinking of? Also, what can you see yourself doing twenty years from now? You may have to move away from your family for certain careers, or it may be more difficult on a family life. Another factor is advancement, many jobs don't have much of a tract to climb, if you are interested in moving up. Some careers tend to be more flexible than others, some people work three-twelve hour days and get paid for forty, and some people work a few hours seven days a week. Try to think about what kind of life you want, and what will make you happy. I know it is hard to think about that far in the future, but give it a try. Most people love to talk about their careers, so just ask some people who have these careers what their feelings are. Good luck.

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY IN PROVIDENCE, RI
One of the most surprising aspects of this e-mail list (to me) is how focused girls are on careers, at an early age. To me it's a welcome sign that girls now take it for granted that they _will_ have careers, that they don't have to choose between careers and motherhood. I think it's perfectly normal and natural to be interested in many possibilities, and it's lucky that the American educational system doesn't make you specialize at the age of 11 or 16 or even 21 - there _are_ second, third and later acts in the drama of American lives. In school and college you can choose your courses to get some basic knowledge and experience in a variety of fields that interest you. You can look for summer jobs and volunteer experiences that expose you to other careers, too. (I've read that the US Dept of Labor names over 100,000 job classifications; you can bet that many are not directly related to _specific_ courses in school.) You may fairly naturally discover that one is far more appealing than the others - or you may not. For example, my college roommate majored at various times in English, chemistry, music and biochemistry (graduating, I think, in biochemistry); worked as a technician in chemistry, got a master's in physical chemistry, got a PhD in operations research and worked on the computer system that handled all the Visa cards for the Bank of America; and now makes her living as a professional violinist. One thing to remember is that some of your interests can be enjoyed as hobbies, without making a career of them, while others really can't. For my friend, music had been a major hobby all along and only late did it become possible to devote herself full-time to it. Choosing one career does mean giving up others, at least temporarily - but not choosing (not ever choosing) means never really accomplishing what you are capable of. You have plenty of time to choose - now you should explore all the possibilities, so that you can fall in love with the best one for you. And, if necessary, divorce it after some years when a different interest may be more attractive!
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Q: FROM MENTEE LINDSEY M. IN KY
Can you tell me what exactly a dietician does? AND What are the different fields of a nurse?

A: FROM MENTOR MARGO AUXTER, RADIATION THERAPIST AT ST. JOHN HOSPITAL IN TULSA
OKLAHOMA
The dietitians I know and work with start by seeing patients in consults where they ask several questions to get to know the patients situation. The reasons a patient sees a dietitian are varied. Some see one because of a disease, like diabetes, to help them to control insulin production. The patients I work with see a dietitian mostly because their cancer, radiation, or chemotherapy (or mix of any or all of these) have made them nauseated to a point they cannot keep food down. Sometimes the treatments can destroy taste buds, ma king it hard to want to eat. Some dietitians also work with people who want to lose weight. After the consult, they help the patient to develop a plan and goals to correct the problem, and then to follow it. They also continue to see the patient in follow-up to make sure they stay on the right track after their goals have been met. Dietitians work in clinic settings, in hospitals, and even in private practice. As for nursing fields, just about any area of medicine has a different nurse. They range from trauma, pediatrics, surgical, medical, oncology, geriatrics (older patients), private work, and even corporate settings. You cannot imagine the span of nursing, and it is getting bigger and bigger, at a time where the nursing shortage is getting worse and worse. If you are interested in nursing, you can pretty much pick and choose where you go and what you do.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE YUNJI K. IN IL
Can you tell me the difference between computer engineering and computer science?
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Q: FROM MENTEE ERIN R. IN REGION III
Hi, I was just wondering, If the speed of light is an absolute, why does it move differently in different mediums? and if The speed of light is the same, how come the Index of refraction is "the speed of light in a vacuum divided by the speed of light in the medium"? Also, with Huygen's principal, if everything wants to have the same motion that it has with out another force acting on it, why do they suddenly explode into wavelets if the wave can't hit any particles because it's in a vacuum? Thank you all so much for doing this, it's great to get information, advice,
help, and encouragement from people who actually have succeeded in a male dominated field. Thank you all so much.
____
END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 8, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Did you miss the answer to your question? No need to ask it again because all the questions and answers are kept in the GEM-SET archive located at <http://www.gem-set.org/>http://www.gem-set.org. Go to archive and click on
the month when you asked your question. Use the "FIND" feature in your Browser's menu and type your name to jump to your question in that month.
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
<http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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THE QUIZ QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK IS: A famous scientist has written about how her career path took her to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania. She writes: "I could have gone on at the museum. Or I could have learned a whole lot more about fossils and become a paleontologist. But both these careers had to do with dead animals. And I still wanted to work with living animals. My childhood dream was as strong as ever: Somehow I must find a way to watch free, wild animals living their own, undisturbed lives. I wanted to learn things that no one else knew, uncover secrets through patient observation. I wanted to come as close to talking to animals as I could."
WHO IS THIS SCIENTIST AND WHAT ANIMALS DOES SHE STUDY?
Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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Q: FROM MENTEE LINDSEY M. IN KY
Can you tell me what exactly a dietician does? AND What are the different fields of a nurse?

A: FROM MENTOR MEG WILLIAMS, TECHNICAL MANAGER, TRU64 UNIX & INTERNET SECURITY
AT COMPAQ COMPUTER CORP IN NH
Lindsey, My sister and her husband are both dieticians, although the work each does is different. My sister is a clinical dietician. She currently works at a small hospital, >50 beds. So most of her work is with non-resident (or out
patients). She works with them to design diets that help improve their overall health in relation to a disease that they have. She also does a fair bit of community training. She goes into schools to talk to children about good nutrition and balance in their diets. And she delivers seminars on specific diet related issues for her hospital. She spends about 50-75% of her week directly with patients, which I think is the part of the job she likes best. Her husband on the other hand works as a Director of Food Services for a hospital and its associated nursing home. He does some patient menus and such, but his major responsibility is to keep the kitchen staffed, stocked, up to standard, and ensure the right meals are delivered on time to patients. In addition, he does all the special meals for the patients at the nursing home, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. He does spend some time directly with patients, to solicit feedback in the quality of the food his kitchen is delivering. But the majority of his time is spend with hospital administrators and with his own staff. He is a very hands-on manager had has been known to wash dishes to keep his kitchen running smooth. As a side note: During high school, I worked in the kitchen of the hospital that my brother-n-law now manages. I did everything from setting up the trays of food that get delivered to patients rooms, to assisting the dietician, to working in the employee cafeteria. My sister, on the other hand, worked as a waitress through high school and college. So why did she end up as a dietician and I ended up in a technical field, specifically Computer Science. I think the primary reason is that my sister (and her husband for that matter) both love to cook and are both excellent cooks. She cooks to relax. She always has a vegetable garden. She studies everything she eats. She has been known to drive hours out of her way to get the right ingredients for a dish she is making.
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Q: FROM MENTEE YUNJI K. IN IL
Can you tell me the difference between computer engineering and computer science?

A: FROM MENTOR CAROL TOMAN, DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF TECHNICAL STAFF AT LUCENT
TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
In a nutshell, the difference is whether you specialize in the hardware or software component of computers. Computer engineers study electricity, electronics, circuit design, etc. They design the circuits and boards that reside inside the computer. But the hardware doesn't do anything unless it is programmed. Computer scientists study the fields that support the programs that run on computers such as theories of computability, queuing theory, operating system theory, etc. It is possible to be a computer programmer without having a computer science degree but, as in all fields, the more education you get, the more interesting your assignments and the more autonomy you'll have.

A: FROM MENTOR AIMEE WILLOZ, STAFF FIRMWARE TEST ENGINEER AT SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY IN MN
Hi Yunji, Although there are a few differences between computer engineering and computer science, they are very closely related fields. In fact, when it comes time to find a job, it may matter more what your focus is in school
(what technical electives you take, for example) than whether your degree is in computer science or computer engineering. I've worked with people having both types of degrees in my career, and the degree doesn't matter as
much as what type of work they like to do and are good at. Having given that caveat, I'll describe the differences as I see them. Computer Science degree programs are generally focused on software and programming skills. There are no absolutes, but people with degrees in Computer Science might work more on application-level programming. (I
would define application-level programming as programs that run on PC's or other computers, usually having a GUI (graphical user interface). Microsoft Word, for example, is an application) Computer Engineering degree programs generally focus on systems that have software and hardware aspects that are designed together. Again, there are no absolutes, but people with degrees in Computer Engineering might work on programming embedded or real-time systems. (Embedded systems rely on an internal microprocessor -- examples are cars, toys, microwaves, digital clocks, etc. I work on disk drives. They have a very complex embedded system, which surprised me a lot when I first entered the field.) I have a Computer Engineering degree from Iowa State University, and I took a variety of classes from Electrical Engineering (such as Electrical Circuits, Electronic Devices, and Electromagnetics), Computer Science (such as Data Structures and Operating Systems), and Computer Engineering (such as Computer Systems Architecture, and Computer Systems Interfacing). I really enjoyed the variety of classes and the different aspects one has to consider as one integrates hardware and software. Finally, Computer Engineering curricula can vary widely between universities, so look for a curriculum you like, if you decide to study CprE. If you like the curriculum, you'll probably like the types of jobs that curriculum will best prepare you for. ABET (Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology) audits engineering and technology programs. So, as an example, ABET would audit the Computer Engineering program at Iowa State University and grant that program accreditation based on the audit results. Their website (<http://www.abet.org/>www.abet.org) has good information on what
accreditation means, what to think about when choosing a university, etc., as well as the current list of accredited engineering and technology programs.

A: FROM MENTOR MEG WILLIAMS, TECHNICAL MANAGER, TRU64 UNIX & INTERNET SECURITY
AT COMPAQ COMPUTER CORP IN NH
Yunji, Typically computer engineering refers to the discipline of building the hardware bits, including the chips, boards, and boxes that make up computer systems. Computer Science is generally associated with discipline of
building the software, operating systems, applications, compilers, databases, etc that runs the computer system. In the study of computer engineering you spend a large percentage of your time building physical devices. Although a good deal of computer engineering involves simulation of circuits which looks a lot like programming! However if you pursue a Computer Science you will spend most of your time programming systems. Both studies expect that you have a strong math and physics back ground. And both expect that you take basic courses in the other discipline, so while my degree was in Computer Science, I took a number of courses that involved both Computer and Electrical Circuit Design so that I would understand something about the machines I was programming.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q:FROM MENTEE JEZRA B. IN REGION I
I've realized that a long time goal of mine for the future is to travel the world and take pictures for national geographic and study science like biology, chemistry and astronomy.... is this goal a good way of making a
living, what is the pay like and how do I make it come true? is this just a common dream of young people or can it really happen?
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Q: FROM MENTEE RUTH O. IN NH
I have this question which I need help with. I want to go to medical school and I want to be a doctor but I don't have
enough information concerning what is needed in order for you to join medical school. Meanwhile, before I go to medical school I want to do anything dealing with women rights as a major in college. If I do women rights as a major will that disable me from joining medical school?
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Q: FROM MENTEE SAKINA E. FROM MASSACHUSETTS
Who was the first woman technology inventor, where did she live and what was her invention?
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Q: FROM MENTEE LYDIA IN MN
Wow these things are great. All you mentors that answer these questions are awesome thank you. Now for some more questions. I like so many things. I like dancing, history, being outdoors, helping all people and love my church (its non-denominational, pretty upbeat.) What kind of career is good for these interest? AND
Hi I'm Lydia from MN. I saw there was a law question so I thought I'd ask mine. see I want to be a pediatrician and a lawyer. actually I just want to do something that helps people that really need it but cant exactly get it. also being a pediatrician takes a lot of math and science and those aren't my best classes. so is there any other ways I could help people without taking a lot of math and science courses?
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Q: FROM MENTEE ERIN R. IN REGION III
Hi, I was just wondering, If the speed of light is an absolute, why does it move differently in different mediums? and if The speed of light is the same, how come the Index of refraction is "the speed of light in a vacuum divided by the speed of light in the medium"? Also, with Huygen's principal, if everything wants to have the same motion that it has with out another force acting on it, why do they suddenly explode into wavelets if the wave can't hit any particles because it's in a vacuum? Thank you all so much for doing this, it's great to get information, advice, help, and encouragement from people who actually have succeeded in a male dominated field. Thank you all so much.
____
END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 9, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
**********
NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
<http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
********
THE QUIZ QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK IS: A famous scientist has written about how her career path took her to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania. She writes: "I could have gone on at the museum. Or I could have learned a whole lot more about fossils and become a paleontologist. But both these careers had to do with dead animals. And I still wanted to work with living animals. My childhood dream was as strong as ever: Somehow I must find a way to watch free, wild animals living their own, undisturbed lives. I wanted to learn things that no one else knew, uncover secrets through patient observation. I wanted to come as close to talking to animals as I could."
WHO IS THIS SCIENTIST AND WHAT ANIMALS DOES SHE STUDY?
Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
*********
Q:FROM MENTEE JEZRA B. IN REGION I
I've realized that a long time goal of mine for the future is to travel the world and take pictures for national geographic and study science like biology, chemistry and astronomy.... is this goal a good way of making a
living, what is the pay like and how do I make it come true? is this just a common dream of young people or can it really happen?

A: FROM MENTOR LINDA FUSELIER, GRADUATE STUDENT, UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY IN
LEXINGTON, KY
Jerza: Your dream of world travel and photography can become a reality but it takes a lot of hard work to make it one. I can't comment much about the pay, but I do know folks who do exactly what you describe. They are currently traveling through South America photographing Amazon parrots (that eat mud off river banks) and will be in Africa next. Besides photographing for National Geographic, fields such as evolutionary ecology, wildlife conservation, fisheries science, geology, entomology and the like can lead to interesting world travel and chances to do your own photography. Some ecologists that work in remote places sell their photographs to science supply warehouses as slide sets for particular topics. (One woman that worked with penguins in the Falkland islands sold her slides to an ornithology society.) I've worked in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Peru, the Bahamas and throughout the USA researching freshwater fishes. I'd encourage you to learn a second language and learn as much about the regions of the world in which you are most interested. I also encourage to hold on to your dream - it really can become a reality.
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Q: FROM MENTEE ERIN R. IN REGION III
Hi, I was just wondering, If the speed of light is an absolute, why does it move differently in different mediums? and if The speed of light is the same, how come the Index of refraction is "the speed of light in a vacuum divided by the speed of light in the medium"? Also, with Huygen's principal, if everything wants to have the same motion that it has with out another force acting on it, why do they suddenly explode into wavelets if the wave can't hit any particles because it's in a vacuum? Thank you all so much for doing this, it's great to get information, advice, help, and encouragement from people who actually have succeeded in a male dominated field. Thank you all so much.

A: FROM MENTOR MOLLY WILLIAMS, Ph.D., P.E. ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH AND
GRADUATE PROGRAMS, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES, WESTERN
MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY IN KALAMAZOO, MI
For some reason, nobody seems to want to tackle this problem. Here's an attempt: The speed of light in vacuum seems to be absolute (at least until the physicists change their story), but when light enters a medium, it slows down. When light or any electromagnetic wave passes through a medium, it wiggles the electric charges in the medium, and that takes longer than propagating the same wave through vacuum, so the transmission speed is reduced. That's the effect that produces refractions and allows lenses to work. If you have a lens that is thicker in the middle than at the edges, when a wave front passes through it, the center section of the wave has to pass through more glass than the edges, so the entire wave front is bent as the center is retarded relative to the edges. The result is that the wave is focused. Huygens' principle says that any point on the wave front can act as a source. But the principle doesn't say that the wave explodes or is broken up. This is just a mathematical basis for describing how you can figure out where a wave is at any time. Where the principle is the most useful is in figuring out how interference occurs when part of the wave is blocked, as in apertures that create concentric interference fringes. The challenge that designers of optical systems (like telescopes and microscopes) face is that the competing requirements for lots of light (big aperture), accurate optics (easier with small apertures because you avoid high curvature on the edges of lenses), and minimal diffraction patterns that reduce the resolution limit (this problem is reduced with big apertures), and
size and weight of the whole system (easier with smaller diameters). These are the competing needs that an engineering designer has to consider in design and construction of systems like the big radio telescopes on the earth or the Hubble Space Telescope.

A: FROM MENTOR DANELL OLIVER-COLLINS RETAIL INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER HALLMARK CARDS
KC, MO
Let me see if I can put my physics degree to work for you. I pulled out my old physics books and found several references that may be helpful to you. The speed of light: the speed of light depends on the material that light moves through. Thus, for example, light moves slower in glass than in air, and in both cases the speed is less than in a vacuum. However, the density of matter between the stars is sufficiently low that the actual speed of light
through most of interstellar space is essentially the speed it would have through a vacuum, so we don't make much error by ignoring the difference. The index of refraction is different for different mediums per the above statement
that the speed of light is dependant on the medium it is traveling through. The Huygen's principal is a little tougher because so many theories stem from Huygen's statements. I'll try to summarize the basic theory for you. Huygens'
original statement about secondary wavelets is that each wavelet - with the same speed as the original wave - represents a tiny light cone at that point, and Huygen's principle asserts that light is confined to those light cones.
We can still solve the wave equation, but the solution is not just a simple spherical wave propagating with unit velocity. Instead, we find that there are effectively infinitely many velocities, in the sense that a single pulse
disturbance at the origin will propagate outward on infinitely many "light cones" (and sub-cones) with speeds ranging from the maximum down to zero. Take a look at
<http://mathpages.com/home/kmath242/kmath242.htm>http://mathpages.com/home/kmath242/kmath242.htm
for more information on Huygens' principal
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Q: FROM MENTEE KARA T.
Hi this is Kara T. again trying to find some more information about being a genetic counselor. I am very interested in this field. I would like to know what schooling you need, what you make , and how many job openings there are. thank you

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
Hi, My friend, who is the Genetic Counselor, wrote this to me to answer your questions. Sorry for the delay. She's been extremely busy, working her fulltime job and pursuing a career as an Opera Singer!! In order to become a
Genetic Counselor, you have to get an undergrad degree and then 2 years of grad school. Average starting salary is around $40,000 I think....I'm not really sure because it has been a long time since I was a beginning counselor. There are about 8 new job postings per week. It is not hard to find a job if you are willing to move to where the job may be. There are lots of jobs. The hard part is getting into school. It is extremely competitive since most schools only take about 5 people per class and have hundreds of applicants. Some people have to apply more than one year to get in. Hope that answers some questions. Other questions can be looked up on the national society of genetic counselor's web site. It is <http://www.nsgc.org/>www.NSGC.org
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FROM BRYNN S. IN IA
I also have a question for the mentors...as I said I was a junior and getting very busy with looking into different schools. I also want to become a genetic counselor. I found a site that gave me the list of certified schools
for G.C. but for my undergrad degree of human genetics/psychology I have no idea where to start looking. How do I even find out what schools have a human genetics program and a good one at that? I just don't know where to start.
What do you suggest about finding the best school for what I want to go into? Thanks, Brynn

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
Again, my friend, the genetic counselor, answered your question: Basically the undergrad degree is premed plus psychology classes and statistics. So any school with a good premed program would be a good choice. Just make sure you take the classes you need to get into grad school. The classes required for grad school can be obtained from the grad schools themselves.
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Q: FROM STEPHANIE H. IN REGION I
I am a sophomore in high school and I was wondering if it is a good idea to take the SAT I this year for practice, or if it will only make me more nervous for when it counts next year?

A: FROM MENTOR RAMONA GRAY, STAFF CHEMIST AT MERCK IN NJ
Stephanie, it can't hurt to take the SAT I this year as practice. It'll better prepare you for taking it next year by giving you an idea what will be on the exam. If anything, it will make it more comfortable to take it next year! Happy studying and Good luck!
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE RUTH O. IN NH
I have this question which I need help with. I want to go to medical school and I want to be a doctor but I don't have
enough information concerning what is needed in order for you to join medical school. Meanwhile, before I go to medical school I want to do anything dealing with women rights as a major in college. If I do women rights as a major will that disable me from joining medical school?
**********
Q: FROM MENTEE SAKINA E. FROM MASSACHUSETTS
Who was the first woman technology inventor, where did she live and what was her invention?
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Q: FROM MENTEE LYDIA IN MN
Wow these things are great. All you mentors that answer these questions are awesome thank you. Now for some more questions. I like so many things. I like dancing, history, being outdoors, helping all people and love my church (its non-denominational, pretty upbeat.) What kind of career is good for these interest? AND
Hi I'm Lydia from MN. I saw there was a law question so I thought I'd ask mine. see I want to be a pediatrician and a lawyer. actually I just want to do something that helps people that really need it but cant exactly get it. also being a pediatrician takes a lot of math and science and those aren't my best classes. so is there any other ways I could help people without taking a lot of math and science courses?
____
END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 10, 2002
**********
ANNOUNCEMENTS
**********
NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET
PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
<http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
********
THE QUIZ QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK IS: A famous scientist has written about how her career path took her to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania. She writes: "I could have gone on at the museum. Or I could have learned a whole lot more about fossils and become a paleontologist. But both these careers had to do with dead animals. And I still wanted to work with living animals. My childhood dream was as strong as ever: Somehow I must find a way to watch free, wild animals living their own, undisturbed lives. I wanted to learn things that no one else knew, uncover secrets through patient observation. I wanted to come as close to talking to animals as I could."
WHO IS THIS SCIENTIST AND WHAT ANIMALS DOES SHE STUDY?
Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
**********
Q: FROM MENTEE LYDIA IN MN
Wow these things are great. All you mentors that answer these questions are awesome thank you. Now for some more questions. I like so many things. I like dancing, history, being outdoors, helping all people and love my church (its non-denominational, pretty upbeat.) What kind of career is good for these interest? AND
Hi I'm Lydia from MN. I saw there was a law question so I thought I'd ask mine. see I want to be a pediatrician and a lawyer. actually I just want to do something that helps people that really need it but cant exactly get it. also being a pediatrician takes a lot of math and science and those aren't my best classes. so is there any other ways I could help people without taking a lot of math and science courses?

A: FROM MENTOR CHRISTINE KUTA, PATENT ATTORNEY AT PERKINS, SMITH & COHEN, LLP
IN BOSTON, MA
It is possible to be a lawyer without taking any math or science classes, although you will have more career options if you have a good technical background. That being said, lawyers actually do help people who really need it. Some lawyers devote their entire time to providing legal services to the poor and some lawyers do it part of the time. Providing legal services for free or for a reduced cost is referred to as "pro bono" work. In addition to providing legal services to the poor, lawyers are involved in many types of pro bono activities and organizations that help people. Lawyers help on low-income housing projects, immigration projects, death row defense, protection of land and other natural resources, animal rights, public health and safety, elder rights, and the list goes on and on. Getting paid for the work is a bit of an issue. Most of it is volunteer which is why a lot of people do it part-time. There are some paid positions. There is at least one large law firm I know of that gives a two year grant to an attorney in their employ to devote to a pro bono project. Helping people as a lawyer is very satisfying and there is no shortage of work to be done.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
*********
Q: FROM MENTEE BRITTANEE K. IN MN
Hi! I would love to be a mechanical engineer when I grow up. I love working with wood, cars and I love welding. I was wondering if someone could give me some information on what it is like, if it is exciting and challenging, what
the pay is and etc. Thank you for answering my last question. It was very helpful. Thank you again and I look forward to this question's reply.
**********
Q: FROM MENTEE RUTH O. IN NH
I have this question which I need help with. I want to go to medical school and I want to be a doctor but I don't have
enough information concerning what is needed in order for you to join medical school. Meanwhile, before I go to medical school I want to do anything dealing with women rights as a major in college. If I do women rights as a major will that disable me from joining medical school?
**********
Q: FROM MENTEE SAKINA E. FROM MASSACHUSETTS
Who was the first women technology inventor, where did she live and what was her invention?
**********
END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 11, 2002
**********
ANNOUNCEMENTS
**********
NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
<http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
********
THE QUIZ QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK IS: A famous scientist has written about how her career path took her to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania. She writes: "I could have gone on at the museum. Or I could have learned a whole lot more about fossils and become a paleontologist. But both these careers had to do with dead animals. And I still wanted to work with living animals. My childhood dream was as strong as ever: Somehow I must find a way to watch free, wild animals living their own, undisturbed lives. I wanted to learn things that no one else knew, uncover secrets through patient observation. I wanted to come as close to talking to animals as I could."
WHO IS THIS SCIENTIST AND WHAT ANIMALS DOES SHE STUDY?
Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
*********
Q: FROM MENTEE BRITTANEE K. IN MN
Hi! I would love to be a mechanical engineer when I grow up. I love working with wood, cars and I love welding. I was wondering if someone could give me some information on what it is like, if it is exciting and challenging, what
the pay is and etc. Thank you for answering my last question. It was very helpful. Thank you again and I look forward to this question's reply.

A: FROM MENTOR JACQUELYN JURGA, MECHANICAL ENGINEER, MECHANICAL DESIGN/FABRICATION MANAGER AT CABOT CORP. IN BOSTON, MA
Good Morning Brittanee- I am a mechanical engineer. At this point in my career I manage a group of mechanical designers and the fabrication shops that make the equipment the design team creates. My weld shop is actually the largest team in the group. I started as a mechanical designer (designing manufacturing assembly line equipment for the very small parts assembly in the computer industry) and worked my way into management. I loved every step of the way. Designing is very challenging, but at the same time very rewarding because you actually see your designs become reality. For the most part your projects are to create a new methods or new innovative ideas that help your company continually succeed. You are always on the cutting edge of technologies (including design methods such as CAD/CAM softwares, new materials such as plastics and metal alloys, and fabrication methods.) It is good if you are a risk taker. We have a cute saying here and that is..."If you are not living on the edge ... you are taking up too much space". If you don't mind hard work (and sometimes dirty work), are creative in thinking outside the box without losing your foundation of design basics and standards to be met, you will enjoy the challenges that will face you. Pay scales are determined for the level of responsibilities you carry, your residential part of the country and the industry you are working in. The United States has good records of different sections of the country and what the 'going rate' is for engineers. I usually catch the latest updates in "Design News' magazine and/or engineering periodicals. The Wall Street Journal sometimes has reports on pay scales around the country. Here in New England it is very good. High Tech. better than commodities manufacturing. You will find the pay and benefits for a mechanical engineer is right up there. The last mechanical engineer I hired which happened to be at my last job which was in the high tech. computer manufacturing industry (just out of college)started at $48K. Don't quote me, but I believe that was above the national average. North East/High Tech helped. His annual increases were also a higher % than the hourly wage earners in the shop. Depending on the industry you get into, plan on traveling. Much mechanical engineering is done for manufacturing sites around the world. The equipment my team designs & fabricates here at Cabot is shipped to 23 plants in every corner of the world. Europe, Asia, South America, North America, India. Mechanical engineers often travel to help install, troubleshoot and train manufacturing facilities on the use of their equipment. Traveling the world, and learning about so many different cultures is very exciting. I like to see more women joining the forces of Mechanical engineering because it is so very exciting, challenging and rewarding. My very best to your endeavors. Regards, Jacqui.

A:FROM MENTOR CASSIE FENOSEFF, MECHANICAL ENGINEER AT GM NORTH AMERICA IN REGION V
Mechanical engineering, as with any job, can be as exciting as you make it. If you are interested in wood, cars, etc. as you state, then ME sounds like a good career choice for you. You may want to try to intern at an engineering company to determine if it really is something that is interesting to you. Most mechanical engineers where I live and work start out at about $40,000 annual salary and go up from there, so it is a well-paid career. The nice thing about
mechanical engineering is that there are so many things that you can do with it. Almost every product that you can think of requires input from MEs. Good luck.

A: FROM MENTOR JULIA HOCHBERG, MECHANICAL ENGINEER AT MOTOROLA IN IL
Without a doubt, being a mechanical engineer is very exciting and challenging. I think its great that you love all the hands on activities involved. In a college internship, I received some extensive training in a professional machine shop that I thoroughly enjoyed and that clearly assisted in my job search. Not only has it been a great conversation
starter in interviews, my knowledge of manufacturing has given me understanding in how to design a part that can be produced cheap, reliable, and effective. If this is what you are interested in, make sure that you look for hands-on opportunities in your college and job search. Make sure the college has a good machine shop with well-maintained machines and classes that give you an opportunity to utilize them. Ask your internships and potential job companies whether they have a machine shop that the development engineers are allowed to use and ask how much opportunity they have to use it. Though I do a large variety of things at my job, my list of things to-do today includes setting up a test in a thermal chamber, discussing a different/cheaper/better manufacturing process with a co-worker who is focused on research, talking to the manufacturing line to discuss upcoming part substitutions for a product improvement, preparing for a presentation to my team next week on a new test process for our product, and talking to a vendor about environmental restrictions we have on materials. ME jobs can span from purely a "desk" job using computer aided design software and analysis programs, to an active job helping to maintain a large-scale manufacturing line, to a creative design job where prototypes will make or break an account with a customer and many others in between. The more you know about what kinds of things you like to do, the better choices you can make for your school and career. All engineering positions pay very well and more detailed information can be found at many websites. Though engineering school is difficult and challenging, you are well rewarded in salary.
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Q: FROM MENTEE RUTH O. IN NH
I have this question which I need help with. I want to go to medical school and I want to be a doctor but I don't have
enough information concerning what is needed in order for you to join medical school. Meanwhile, before I go to medical school I want to do anything dealing with women rights as a major in college. If I do women rights as a major will that disable me from joining medical school?

A: FROM MENTOR DR. SUZANNE FRANKS, DIRECTOR, WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
PROGRAM AT KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN MANHATTAN, KS
Hi Ruth! I think you can pursue your interest in women's rights and still go to medical school - in fact you may find it helps you to be a better doctor. For medical school, you will first need to get an undergraduate degree. You might want to consider getting a degree in one of the sciences, such as biology or biochemistry or chemistry. When you choose a university, you will want to look into two things. First, do they have a good pre-med advising program? What kind of success rate do they have? That is, what percentage of their students who want to go to medical school actually get in to medical school? Second, do they have a women's studies program? And can you double major in it, or get a minor in it along with your pre-med major? Women's studies programs are the place where you will have the chance to pursue your interests in women's rights. You might find a combination of biology and women's studies to be very interesting, and an excellent preparation for medical school. But there are other majors as well that you can mix with women's studies and still be well prepared for medical school. The important thing is to do what you love. Don't give up on your passion for learning more about women's rights! The world needs more young women like you!

A: FROM MENTOR DESIREE BUTTER, M.D. IN PA
There are no restrictions on what your college major can be for entrance into medical school. In fact, medical school admissions committees often look for applicants with a broad background and other interests. You will, however, have to take certain courses that are required and take an entrance examination called the MCAT. Medical school admission requirement details can be found at the following web site:
<http://mln.lib.ma.us:8014/marion/AAD-2437>http://mln.lib.ma.us:8014/marion/AAD-2437
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Q: FROM MENTEE SAKINA E. FROM MASSACHUSETTS
Who was the first woman technology inventor, where did she live and what was her invention?

A: FROM MENTOR DR. SUZANNE FRANKS, DIRECTOR, WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
PROGRAM AT KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN MANHATTAN, KS
Hi Sakina! Now that is a very interesting question, and much harder to answer than it might seem. Because the further back in time you look, the more you find out about what women have done. One problem is that as you go further and further back in time, you find that the record-keeping about women's achievements is not so good. Often what women did gets attributed to men. Or the names of women were just not recorded. Or maybe what women invented - like, the earliest agricultural technology, or pottery, or design of devices to carry babies while still doing work - was the result of collective work and knowledge trading, and can't really be attributed to one particular woman. In the 1400's, a woman named Christine de Pizan wrote a book called "The Book of the City of Ladies" in order to record women's contributions to civilization, and to argue against the dominant belief that women had never done anything great and should not be allowed to take part in public life, politics, work, etc. She wrote about real historical figures as well as mythological figures. For example, she has chapters on Minerva as the inventor of many sciences and the technique of making armor from iron and steel; Ceres, who discovered the art of cultivating the earth; and Isis, who discovered the art of constructing gardens. A woman named Margaret Alic has written a book called "Hypatia's Heritage" which surveys the contributions of women to science and technology from prehistory to the present. She notes "Early women developed the tools and technology they needed to gather, prepare, and preserve food." In "Women in Science: Antiquity through the Nineteenth Century" by Marilyn Bailey Ogilvie, you can read about (among others) Isabella Cunio. Isabella lived in the 13th century and was probably the co-inventor,
along with her brother, of woodblock engraving. This was a major technological advance for printing. Also in the 1300's, Alessandra Gillani was an anatomist who developed the technique for injecting blood vessels with dyes, so that the paths of blood vessels could be traced. Hypatia, who lived from A.D. 370 to A.D. 415, was a mathematician who also invented many mechanical devices. You will also learn in this book about Margaret Knight, who invented a paper-feeding machine to fold square-bottomed bags - this was in the 1800's. Another book where you can learn more about women inventors is called "Mothers of Invention" by Ethlie Ann Vare and Greg Ptacek. There is a great deal of fascinating information in this book. Among others, you can learn about Maria the Jewess, who invented the
double boiler and a still called the tribikos, which may have been the first device for distillation. The moral of this long story is: women have ALWAYS been inventing things, we just haven't always gotten lots of credit and public attention for it!

A:FROM DR. ESTHER PEARSON OF MASSACHUSETTS
Sybilla Masters was the first women inventor ever recorded in history. Excerpt: "The Great Inventors and Their Inventions" Sybilla Masters carried a patent application to England in 1712. She invented a new corn mill, but the patent had to be filed in her husband's name because she was female. American colonist and inventor, Sybilla Masters invented a way for cleaning and curing the Indian corn crops that the colonist in early America received as a
gift from the native peoples. Masters's innovation allowed the corn to be processed into many different food and cloth products. The patent was issued in her husband Thomas' name by the British courts in 1715. That was the unfair law at the time, women and minorities had no rights to own patents. Thomas Masters was issued patents for "Cleansing Curing and Refining of Indian Corn Growing in the Plantations". A second patent was issued to Sybilla's husband for another of her inventions entitled "Working and Weaving in a New Method, Palmetta Chip and Straw for Hats and Bonnets and other Improvements of that Ware."
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NEW QUESTIONS:
**********
Q: FROM MODERATOR SARAH SHIRK
DID ANYONE DO ANYTHING FUN FOR SPRING BREAK THAT INVOLVED SCIENCE, ENGINEERING
OR TECHNOLOGY?
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END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 12, 2002
**********
ANNOUNCEMENTS
**********
NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
<http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
********
THE QUIZ QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK IS: Alice Hamilton, MD, was the first woman to be appointed to the faculty at Harvard Medical School. She devoted her career to what area of medicine?
Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
*********
ANNOUNCEMENT FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON
hi, Someone sent me this information on a gallery show tonight at IIT. If you are interested, please take a look at the url listed to see some of the artist's works. MECHANICAL ENGINEER BECOMES FAMOUS ARTIST
" Making the Impossible Possible: Painting on Water (TM)" Fri. 4/12/02 AT THE ILLINOIS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, 10:30PM, HUB Auditorium (After the Talent Show) The Alumni Association & UB Present IIT Alum Amy Lee Segami - 1982 M.S. ME, 1979 B.S. ME
*Segami unfolds her adventure: from China to the United States, from a career as a corporate mechanical engineer to life as an artist. She has been recognized for her extraordinary ability to bring science and art together.
www.segami.com FOR MORE INFO: http://www.iit.edu/alumni/events/segami.html
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Q: FROM MENTEE RUTH O. IN NH
I have this question which I need help with. I want to go to medical school and I want to be a doctor but I don't have
enough information concerning what is needed in order for you to join medical school. Meanwhile, before I go to medical school I want to do anything dealing with women rights as a major in college. If I do women rights as a major will that disable me from joining medical school?

A: FROM MENTOR DENISE HARBERT, STATISTICIAN AT UIC
Pursuing women's rights activities will not disable you from joining medical school. In fact, I believe that the opposite is true. Women's rights knowledge and experience will open doors for you as a doctor that you would not
otherwise know existed. I have never seen a college that offers a major in "women's rights", but almost every large university and many colleges offer majors in "women's studies" or "women's history". There are also classes in Art, Music, English, Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, Paleontology, Social Work, Foreign Languages, Political Science, Law, and others that focus on women-related topics. Your transcript would look incredibly diverse (and
valuable) to a medical school if you took one or two women-focused classes in many different departments. If you get into the honors program or go to a progressive university, you might even be able to negotiate with the Dean and
create your own "Women's Rights" major by combining these diverse classes to personalize your studies. These departments are usually all located within the same "section" of the university, often called the "College of Liberal
Arts" or "College of Letters and Science". This is usually the same college that offers majors in Biology, Chemistry,
Biochemistry, and other scientific fields that medical schools look for. MENTOR DR. SUZANNE FRANKS gave some great information in yesterday's digest about looking at the success rates of pre-med programs and looking into schools where you can double major. The undergraduate major is not as important as the skills gained from the entire undergraduate process. In theory, you could major in something as non-technical as English literature and still get into medical school if you took enough science classes and got a high score on your MCAT exam, which is like the SAT or ACT for medical school applicants. (This makes me think of the movie "Legally Blond", where Reese Witherspoon plays a bubbly Sorority President with a 4.0 in Fashion Merchandising and a ton of extra-curricular activities who gets a 179 on her LSAT exam and is admitted to Harvard Law School.) However, in practicality, the safest way to go is to major in something scientific that is related to medicine and pursue a second major or minor in a women's area. Not everyone is good in both science and humanities. It takes a special kind of person to do both. This is the sort of person that impresses medical schools. Being outstanding in the field of Medicine requires a very large dose of both skills. Furthermore, if you volunteered for some women's rights organizations in your community you would look even more impressive to medical schools. I cannot begin to tell you how much I have learned about public speaking, organization, fund-raising, event planning, networking, and leadership by simply watching the women's rights activists in my community. Mastering these skills is the key to becoming a national or international expert (think big) in any field, especially medicine. Medical schools will be especially impressed if you can
demonstrate experience with public speaking, leadership, fund-raising, and juggling many tasks simultaneously (2 diverse majors, community service, and possibly a job or internship). Listing the names of some controversial women's rights organizations on your resume could result in some negative views of your background, but that can be easily avoided by describing your activities without naming the organization. For example, the "Community Service" section of my resume has several bullet points like, "Lectured at and helped organize an event about the negative affects of domestic violence." Most people believe domestic violence is a bad thing and there is no reason why my resume has to reveal the name of the organization that sponsored the event. It is impressive enough that I can speak intelligently in front of a group about a topic that threatens human rights. Finally, women's rights expertise can make you a better doctor even if all of your patients are male. You may have better listening and communication skills than your male counterparts, you could help patients learn to talk about their medical problems with their wives, or the leadership skills you learn by being an activist for an underrepresented group could simply make it easier for you to confront difficult patients or tasks head on. The possibilities are endless. I hope you aggressively pursue your interest in both medicine and women's rights. The world desperately needs more people who can do both!!!
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NEW QUESTIONS:
**********
Q: FROM MODERATOR SARAH SHIRK
Did anyone do anything for fun for Spring Break that involved science, engineering, or technology?
**********
Q: FROM MENTEE GRETA IN MN
I'm a jr in high school and there are many different fields I am interested in. so many I couldn't even pick a school that had them. they range from nursing to mechanics and engines. Is there a good way to chose or should I try to intern in some of the fields?
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END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 15, 2002
**********
ANNOUNCEMENTS
**********
NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
<http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
********
THE QUIZ QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK IS: Alice Hamilton, MD, was the first woman to be appointed to the faculty at Harvard Medical School. She devoted her career to what area of medicine?
Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
*********
Q: FROM MENTEE RUTH O. IN NH
I have this question which I need help with. I want to go to medical school and I want to be a doctor but I don't have
enough information concerning what is needed in order for you to join medical school. Meanwhile, before I go to medical school I want to do anything dealing with women rights as a major in college. If I do women rights as a major will that disable me from joining medical school?

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL AT BROWN UNIVERSITY
IN PROVIDENCE, RI
I'd like to add that many people get into medical school having majored in seemingly unrelated things - literature, the arts, really _anything_ - so long as they have done the pre-med requirements sufficiently well. Those requirements in biology, chemistry, physics, math (and, the last I noticed, one in English) can be done as electives outside of just about any major. The majority of pre-meds do major in biology and related sciences, and that's fine,
but it means that medical admission committees look at a lot of very similar applications. Someone who's done well in the basic pre-med requirements but majored in something different looks different from the crowd and her application is just more memorable. In GEM-SET you've been self-selected for an interest in science, and that's fine
preparation for medicine - but I don't think that majoring in a science that is not obviously related to medicine is detrimental to your chances. What's medically related changes with time. MRI scans, for example, involve sophisticated physics; most undergrads encounter the concepts for the first time under the acronym "NMR" for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in their organic chem. course. (Patients would be scared by the word "nuclear" - which simple refers to the nuclei of the atoms in their bodies, not even radioactive ones, let alone anything explosive.) I'm sure that pre-meds taking organic chemistry years ago - and half of those taking it now - don't connect the basics of
NMR to the MRI scans they hear about in medical applications. Doctors are fond of saying that medicine is an art, not a science. I'm fond of retorting that the parts of medicine that _work_ are based on science... but medicine involves dealing with people, not with abstract diseases, and understanding human nature requires sensitivity to the whole person, something not directly learned in science courses.. We could debate to what extent that sensitivity can be learned, and whether it can be taught.
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Q: FROM MODERATOR SARAH SHIRK
Did anyone do anything for fun for Spring Break that involved science, engineering, or technology?

A: FROM MENTEE JACKIE W. IN REGION IV
Over Spring Break I went to the Kentucky History Museum and learned how technology evolved from the Native Americans to now.
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Q: FROM MENTEE GRETA IN MN
I'm a jr in high school and there are many different fields I am interested in. so many I couldn't even pick a school that had them. they range from nursing to mechanics and engines. Is there a good way to chose or should I try to intern in some of the fields?

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF GRADUATE SCHOOL AT BROWN
UNIVERSITY IN PROVIDENCE, RI
Interning is a good way to find out what you really want to do. But you have lots of time - a big advantage of America is that we don't specialize early, and we get second chances to study something different. If you pick a college that offers a variety of majors that attract you, you'll be able to choose one. Typically, you're not asked to choose (formally) until you've been at college a year or two - and even after that it's possible to change your mind. The important thing is to take the more general courses first - math and basic science - and then your options are open for a variety of specializations. In other words, take math, biology, chemistry and physics and you'll be prepared to choose between biomedical field or engineering. Volunteering in a hospital or interning in a mechanical
field can help you clarify where your interested really lie. It's possible to take some humanities and social science in college too, and save the truly specialized science courses for your last two years in college, when you have a better idea of what career you want.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE KARA T. IN REGION V
Hi, I would like to know what people think normal women jobs are, because this program is designed for women who want to get in male dominated jobs.
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Q: FROM MENTEE STEPHANY E. IN PA
Why is it that when you run over speed bumps with your front tire it does not matter, but when you run over the speed bump with your back tire the back of the car bounces?
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END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 16, 2002
**********
ANNOUNCEMENTS
**********
NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
<http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
********
THE QUIZ QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK IS: Alice Hamilton, MD, was the first woman to be appointed to the faculty at Harvard Medical School. She devoted her career to what area of medicine?
Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
**********
Q: FROM MODERATOR SARAH SHIRK
Did anyone do anything for fun for Spring Break that involved science, engineering, or technology?

A: FROM MENTEE SARAH D. IN REGION V
Our Girl Scout Troop took a trip to Savannah, Georgia and we spent a day with the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. We learned about the coastal wetlands and explored the animal and plant life on the beach and in a marsh.
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Q: FROM MENTEE KARA T. IN REGION V
Hi, I would like to know what people think normal women jobs are, because this program is designed for women who want to get in male dominated jobs.

A: FROM MENTOR RACHEL SPROUSE, CHANGE MANAGEMENT LEADER AT WEST VIRGINIA
OPERATIONS, THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY
Kara, our culture ~ 25 years ago used to "place" women into only a few types of jobs such as nursing, teaching or secretarial work. These were stereotypical jobs that women could perform and still be considered socially acceptable. It was rare for a woman to become a doctor, an engineer or a scientist. These were typically considered "male" jobs. This is definitely changing, although I feel there are people that still believe women should assume stereotypical jobs. However, if we disregard that kind of limited thinking, we will realize that there are infinite job options for women today. Women are only limited by our own thinking - if we set our minds to a career choice, we can certainly achieve it! My belief is that in 20 years from now, we will no longer need to concern ourselves with "normal" vs. "abnormal" job choices for women - there will be no such thing!

A: FROM MENTOR MINI VARUGHESE, PHD OF STEMCELL TECHNOLOGIES IN GERMANTOWN, MD
There are heavily female dominated fields and there are a few strictly female jobs, like egg and milk donation. Check this web page run by the US Department of Labor Women's Bureau for statistics on female dominated
occupations. <http://www.dol.gov/dol/wb>http://www.dol.gov/dol/wb/ It also has statistics on non-traditional occupations for women.

A: FROM MENTOR TERESA ESSER, WRITER IN MA
Hi Kara. The most traditional job for women is the job of housewife, mother, and child care provider. From there you can extrapolate to farmer's wife, grocery store owner's wife, veterinarian's wife, pastor's wife, etc. Another traditional job is healer, midwife, and herbal doctor. Traditionally women have been responsible for keeping costs down in the home. The work that women did -- raising children, cleaning the house, tending a garden, canning vegetables for winter, making candles, making home-made sausages, darning socks, gathering herbs, mixing up herbal remedies, etc. -- was not assigned any economic value. If you read old agricultural journals from the 17th and 18th centuries you will notice that it was common for young women to receive salaries that were about 60 percent of what their male counterparts were making. The assumption was that women would get married and then their husbands would pay for their expenses. There are lots of jobs today where women earn less than men. Today some women choose jobs that offer "mother's hours." This means coming in after 8:00 a.m. and leaving around 2:30 p.m., so that you could pick your child up at school or be home when the school bus arrives. A job that offer's mother's hours generally will pay less and have less responsibility than a full job. A traditional job for women assumes that the woman is going to spend a significant part of her time making a home and caring for her children. The assumption is that the woman could not travel on business and could not handle much job-related stress. A non-traditional job might involve some travel and might involve some stress. A non-traditional job would probably offer more prestige and a higher salary than the job of housewife or child-care provider.

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY
IN PROVIDENCE, RI
What "normal" women do has indeed been redefined! In the bad old days married women - let alone mothers - weren't supposed to work outside the home at all. Then, married women were Ok but mothers were supposed quit their jobs. Now, perhaps, "normal women jobs" are those that have a well defined, preferable short, workday, so a
mother can get home to the kids and not require the father to take time away from his "normal man's" job - which of course has more prestige, more power over subordinates, more responsibility, and pays better. Thank goodness it's become normal that women hold many of those more interesting jobs! Even normal women. Perhaps you've seen or read Thorton Wilder's play "Our Town." I saw it (again) Friday night - saw the brightest girl in her high school class marry a nice dull fellow without a tenth her brains; and as a ghost (she dies in childbirth) express no regrets at all over unfulfilled ambition - in high school she was ambitious as well as bright. Through my tears (it's a tear-jerker of a play) I was longing for a rewritten feminist version that would let Emily have more scope in the world - and still be considered a normal woman. I wonder if your question really might be, "What kinds of jobs will define me as a normal woman, so that some normal man will love me?" The range has become broader, and I can't imagine the trend reversing.

A: FROM MENTOR ANNALIESE BRATCHER, INFO TECH TRAINER, U. KENTUCKY
Hi, Kara! The upside of your question is that it seems you can orient yourself to any job with a great sense of freedom that there are no barriers to you because you are female. That's FANTASTIC! When I started college in 1976, I was told to choose between studying to become a school teacher, or a nurse. Concerned people gave me this advice, saying I would be able to have a family only if I picked one of these. My friend who started college in 1980 followed their advice. After 4 years of hard work and college tuition bills, she got a job as an unpaid teacher's aid. Several years later, she finally got a full time job as a teacher in Kentucky's largest school system. She was paid $14,000.00 a year. You may realize that's just a little more than minimum wage. After more than 15 years of teaching full time, she still doesn't make enough to support herself and her 2 children from a recent divorce. As an undergrad, I majored in Mechanical Engineering. I liked the subject matter, but the professors (all male) and students (all male except me and one other woman) were blatantly sexist. The experience made me turn my back on the tech professions for years. "In 1999, they [women]accounted for 10.6% of engineers, up from 8.4% in 1995. . . . Women represented almost 17% of all industrial engineers and almost 16% of chemical engineers in 1999, while
representing less than 5% of petroleum engineers and accounting for less than 1,000 agricultural engineers." So, in 2002 in the U.S., male-dominated jobs would include engineering. In the 1970s and 80s, most colleges and universities placed their computer science programs in Colleges of Arts and Sciences, a good science-technology
fit. In the 1990s many moved the Computer Science departments (with about 50% women) into Engineering Colleges. Today these programs graduate about 20% women. Two of my female students at Morehead State University dropped out of a different university's Computer Science department and joined Morehead's BIS department. In their Computer Science classes in the College of Engineering, they had only male professors who would never answer their questions, and refused to call on them in class. Just 2 years ago, these freshman computer science classes had about 10% to 20% women in them, down from almost 50% decades earlier. To come full circle back to your question, nursing remains a women dominated field "the overwhelming majority of students in today's baccalaureate nursing programs are female (91%)" says the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

A: FROM MENTOR MARSHA SEGEBARTH, PHD, BIOLOGY DEPT. AT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN
INDIANA
Kara, I don't know that there are "normal" women jobs - just as there are not "normal" women! Who sets norms? In the days of your grandparents, typical professions for women would likely have consisted of teaching, nursing, secretarial, and social work. Women were believed to be quite capable in the nurturing roles, but not in decision-making positions. Fortunately, we now realize that women's brains and psyches are just as capable as men's for making decisions, setting policies, manipulating tools, computers, numbers, etc. I think the qualifier in your questions is the term "normal". There is no such thing. People are very different. Males are different from each other; females are different from each other. Likewise, males and females are different. Personally, I believe the "normal" job for anyone - male or female - is the one which matches her/his interests and abilities. How abnormal it would be to force a very technical person to be an artist - or a creative thinker to be an accountant! I believe the important thing is to find what you really like to do - and believe that no matter which gender you are, you can achieve it.

A: FROM MENTOR KRIS MOODY, MIXED SIGNAL IC DESIGN ENGINEER AND COMPANY VICE
PRESIDENT AT ORION DESIGN TECHNOLOGIES IN LEE, NH
Part of your question is in fact a question of semantics. The word "normal" can be used in many ways with different meanings. Perhaps it is more fitting to ask about traditional and non-traditional jobs. A traditional job for a woman might include nursing or teaching. I think those might be the ones most often referred to as traditionally women's jobs. A non-traditional job for a woman could include engineering or construction, just as nursing might be non-traditional for men. Hopefully as time marches on and society evolves we learn not only to accept and respect the choices that people make for their own lives, but also to understand that just because we're all used to seeing something a certain way that that's not a good enough reason for it to remain that way. Historically women have had more limited opportunities than men, and it has resulted in less role models for young women. Just as when we close
our eyes and imagine who might be President, we never think of a woman. That is why something like this program can be so useful. It breaks down barriers. It helps us all see that we are capable of many things. Still we need to remember that whether we are men or women, we should not let outside forces and expectations, or lack of expectations, limit us.

A; FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
Hi, Kara, GEMSET is focused on helping young girls understand that they can go into anything they like and to consider male-dominated fields. When you say "normal women jobs", I assume you mean female-dominated. A couple female-dominated fields are : teaching, nursing, flight attendants. Being a female-dominated field does not make these jobs any less important. You should know that there are more choices and you should learn about as many choices as you can before you make your decision. It's great to have an idea, a goal, a dream. But, keep your mind and heart open. Do not discount a field because it is male-dominated. Most male-dominated fields are higher paying. Having a higher-paying job allows you to live independently, if you so choose. I hope that someday, "normal women jobs" include technology, law, medical fields.

A: FROM MENTOR MARY JO MULLEN, CIVIL ENGINEER AT PATRICK ENGINEERING IN IL
I think it depends very much on who you talk to! I like to think there are no "normal" women jobs, that anyone can perform any job these days. However, traditionally women have filled jobs that were not extremely technical in nature. When my mom was working, most of the women she knew were secretaries (more often called administrative assistants now), insurance underwriters, librarians and nurses. And she knew one nun. All of these jobs still require intelligence and some technical skills, but not the extreme technical knowledge required of engineers, scientists and mathematicians. It was a long held belief that men were superior at math and science, while
women superior at the arts. I think that abolishing this belief is a real goal of this program. Women have traditionally not filled the fields of engineering, math and science because of this belief, not because women really were inferior! Parents didn't encourage their girls the same way as their boys, schools wouldn't accept women into technical fields, and forget about managers hiring women. But now that people know better, doors are opening up for everybody, regardless of sex or race. There may be some old school thought here and there, but the options for someone your age are so open compared to when a lot of us were starting out, let alone when our mothers were in the work force!
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Q: FROM MENTEE STEPHANY E. IN PA
Why is it that when you run over speed bumps with your front tire it does not matter, but when you run over the speed bump with your back tire the back of the car bounces?

A: FROM MENTOR MOLLY WILLIAMS, PROFESSOR OF MECHANICAL AND AERONAUTICAL
ENGINEERING AND ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH IN THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND
APPLIED SCIENCES IN WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Wow, good question. How it feels to ride over a bump depends on the geometry of the vehicle and where you're seated relative to the axles. If you look at most passenger cars, you'll notice that the front wheels are right at the front of the car, while the rear wheels are tucked further underneath with the gas tank and trunk hanging out behind the rear axle. The driver and front seat passenger are usually closer to the rear wheels than to the front, and the back seat passengers are almost directly over the rear wheels. Now look at what happens if the front wheels go over a
speed bump. The front of the car rises and falls, but someone seated near the rear axle just rocks back and forth. But when the rear tires go over the bump, a rider near the rear axle has to rise up and fall back down the same distance as the bump itself. Where the passengers are relative to the axles is different for different kinds of vehicles. You might find very different results depending on where in the vehicle you're sitting, or if the vehicle is a mini van or a pick-up truck instead of a passenger car. Here's a chance to carry out some observations when you're riding in different kinds of vehicles. Try it and see if you can see and feel any differences.

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY
IN PROVIDENCE, RI
I'll look for an answer from an engineer - but my guess is that the weight of the engine in front makes the front harder to bounce. Perhaps the shock absorbers are stiffer in front, too? hmmmmm. I used to drive an old rear-engine VW but I can't remember how it bounced!
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE KATE H. in REGION ?
Hi- I have a question regarding foreign language. I am currently studying French and plan to study Spanish later on. I was wondering how many years of language is necessary for a career in the sciences?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 17, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
<http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
THE QUIZ QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK IS: Alice Hamilton, MD, was the first woman to be appointed to the faculty at Harvard Medical School. She devoted her career to what area of medicine?
Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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Q: FROM MENTEE KARA T. IN REGION V
Hi, I would like to know what people think normal women jobs are, because this program is designed for women who want to get in male dominated jobs.

A: FROM ARTICLE FOUND BY MENTOR MARY JO MULLEN AT PATRICK ENGINEERING IN IL
This is an article published by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). "Why More Women Aren't Becoming Engineers," "Education Week" (04/03/02) Vol. 21, No. 29, P. 42; Selinger, Patricia G. There is a noticeable decline in the number of women pursuing careers in science and technology: Women account for less than 10 percent of the engineering workforce, while the number of female college students earning degrees in technical fields has fallen 9 percent between 1984 and today. Research shows that women are being discouraged from science and technology at a young age. Boys aged 12 through 17 often nurture technical interests that later lead to engineering careers, whereas their female counterparts are drawn toward biology and language that are usually leveraged into medical, law, and artistic career choices. One of the reasons why girls tend to shy away from the field of engineering is because communities and clubs that serve kids with technical interests are largely male-dominated.
Furthermore, boys benefit from a greater emphasis in science and math in their high school education than girls. To interest more girls in science and technology, both educational institutions and households must make a concentrated effort to breed an atmosphere of encouragement where gender does not apply. Much of the responsibility for this falls on the shoulders of teachers and parents, who must convince girls that technical careers are not just attainable, but fulfilling, writes IBM fellow Patricia G. Selinger.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE RUTH O. IN REGION ?
I was just wondering. If cloning was legal, who could own a clone? Is it the person who donated stem cells or the scientists?
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Q: FROM MENTEE KATE H. in REGION ?
Hi- I have a question regarding foreign language. I am currently studying French and plan to study Spanish later on. I was wondering how many years of language is necessary for a career in the sciences?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 18, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
<http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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THE QUIZ QUESTION FOR THIS WEEK IS: Alice Hamilton, MD, was the first woman to
be appointed to the faculty at Harvard Medical School. She devoted her career to what area of medicine?
Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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Q: FROM MENTEE KATE H. in MA
Hi- I have a question regarding foreign language. I am currently studying French and plan to study Spanish later on. I was wondering how many years of language is necessary for a career in the sciences?

A: FROM MENTOR CASSIE FENOSEFF, DESIGN RELEASE ENGINEER AT GM NORTH
AMERICAN IN REGION V
In most cases, the amount of foreign language study that you must do is set by the college or university that you are attending. For example, for a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, I was only required to take one
semester of a foreign language. However, the more that you can take, the better. Many companies have facilities in foreign countries these days, and there is always a possibility that you will have to travel to them. Therefore, it is helpful to know another language. I have personally been to Mexico on business, and it would have helped if I had been more fluent in Spanish. My husband has needed to go to Mexico and Germany for his company. The most common languages that I have heard of people needing are Spanish, German and Japanese. But it all depends on the company that you end up working for. Knowing another language would also give you a better chance than your competition when you are interviewing for jobs. Chances are you'll travel to another country for pleasure also, so knowing a foreign language can have fringe benefits as well.

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN GRADUATE SCHOOL AT BROWN
UNIVERSITY IN PROVIDENCE, RI
Foreign languages have become less important for functioning scientists because more and more publications are in English, even publications abroad. Broken English is the lingua franca [old joke: foreign scientist brags, "I am speaking seven languages, English best."] Knowing at least one foreign language, though, is just good for everyone, scientist or not - it broadens your view of the world and enriches your life as a human being and your travels if not so much your life as a scientist. You probably enjoy French or you wouldn't be thinking of following it up with Spanish - so do it because you enjoy it. You can check out the degree requirements for undergraduate and graduate programs you are interested in and see whether they require a foreign language, and which language(s) are acceptable. In general French and German are the most common, with Russian a far less common option. I don't think Spanish is required for many science programs at all; but for practicing medicine it would be one of the most
useful options. It's better to learn your languages while you're young, not put them off until you simply have to pass an exam to get an advanced degree.

A: FROM MENTOR MOLLY WILLIAMS, Ph.D., P.E., ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH AND
GRADUATE PROGRAMS AT THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES, WESTERN
MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY IN KALAMAZOO, MI
Actually, you can get by in the sciences with no foreign language. While many years ago any serious scientist had to be able to read journals in other languages, today most publications are in English. Even the major publications in Japanese and Russian appear in English translation a few months later. And most educated scientists and business people have learned English even if it isn't their first language. However, you will be a much better citizen with some exposure to another language and culture. Many international corporations have operations around the world, and it helps to be able to travel and communicate in other countries without having to rely on others to learn your language. The problem, of course, is which language you want to study. You don't know now which will be the most useful several years from now. The languages that appear to be the most valuable now are Japanese, Chinese, and Russian because of expansion of business connections and the large number of speakers. However, these are very difficult for a native English speaker to learn. It would be much easier to start with a European language like Spanish or French There is not a great deal of scientific material published in these languages, but there are many speakers of these languages in the Americas, and you will have more opportunity to use the languages close to home. It can take several years to become passably fluent in a different language. Language programs in some high schools and many colleges will arrange for visits to foreign countries with an opportunity to spend time in a "home stay" living with a family. That experience, whether for a few days or a couple of months, significantly advances
fluency and familiarity with another culture. It's a great experience.

A: FROM ANNALIESE BRATCHER, INFO TECH TRAINER, U. KENTUCKY
Hi, Kate! Some university programs have prerequisites like 2 years of foreign language, etc. However, many science programs, don't require any prior knowledge of foreign language. I would encourage you to study a foreign language, however, especially at your age. Studies have shown a clear advantage to learning other languages at younger ages. At older ages, it becomes very difficult to learn the pronunciation and to speak with fluency. There are many careers in which a foreign language would be of great value. For instance, if you want to go into medicine, biology or a related field like anatomy, nursing, etc. then you will need to learn a lot of Latin terminology. If you have studied a Romance language (these include French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish and more), then you would have a great foundation for learning this terminology. Often pharmacy schools and other programs that are very competitive give applicants higher preference if they have a more extensive background in foreign languages. Another very important reason to learn a foreign language is that our society is becoming increasingly global. Many U.S. physicians, therapists and others in the medical field wish they knew Spanish and other foreign languages to better help serve their patients. Some clinical positions require that the medical professional know Spanish or another foreign language. Good luck with your language studies, Kate! I hope you enjoy them!
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE LINDSEY M. IN KY
Can you give me a dietitian salary compared to someone in the nurse field?
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Q: FROM MENTEE JENICE P. IN MASSACHUSETTS:
Where can I find jobs on the Internet that are related to Web Design?
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Q: FROM MENTEE RUTH O. IN REGION NH
I was just wondering. If cloning was legal, who could own a clone? Is it the person who donated stem cells or the scientists?
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END
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 19, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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HOLD SATURDAY, MAY 4TH FOR THE GEM-SET SATELLITE CONFERENCE! DO YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE? CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL CONTACT TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU. REGIONAL CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE GEM-SET WEB SITE AT http://www.gem-set.org
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation

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CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE GEM-SET MENTEES WHO ANSWERED LAST WEEK'S QUIZ QUESTION CORRECTLY. YES, ALICE HAMILTON, MD, WAS KNOW FOR HELPING TO ESTABLISH THE FIELD OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE. HER PUBLICATIONS WERE SO SCIENTIFICALLY PERSUASIVE THAT THEY CAUSED SWEEPING REFORMS, BOTH VOLUNTARY AND REGULATORY, TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF WORKERS. HER RESEARCH FOCUSED ON POISONS THAT WORKERS WERE EXPOSED TO WHILE ON THE JOB. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS SHE STUDIED? IN YOUR OPINION, ARE THESE TOXINS STILL DANGEROUS TODAY?
Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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Q: FROM MENTEE RUTH O. IN REGION NH
I was just wondering. If cloning was legal, who could own a clone? Is it the person who donated stem cells or the scientists?

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY IN PROVIDENCE, RI
First a disclaimer: I'm no lawyer, and legal decisions often seem quite illogical to me. Nevertheless...The legal issues are endless, aren't they! Slavery is illegal, so if you're talking about "reproductive cloning" to create a baby, you run
into much the same issues as with donated eggs and sperm and surrogate mothers rather than true property rights. If a woman were to clone herself and carry the child to term it would be hard to dispute that it was _her_ baby. Obstetricians and midwives and in vitro fertility experts collect their fees, but I don't think they ever claim parenthood on the grounds of their indispensable services. If it's "therapeutic cloning", making cells or a tissue that can substitute for a patient's defective cells, then ownership seems more open to legal challenge. Cell lines have been maintained in culture for years, and those are owned by the scientists who create them and maintain them; but there have been legal challenges from the people whose cells were taken to start those cell lines. Have a look at a mock trial: http://techlaw.lls.edu/atc3/ It fooled me at first into thinking it was a real case (I first found the mock legal brief at http://techlaw.lls.edu/atc3/Pl_opening_brief.pdf and only after noticing that the plaintiff was named Salvador Dolly did I smell a rat! or perhaps a whiff of sheep?) Because patents and profits are involved, there is a motive for the people whose cells are used to try to get some of those profits; and the companies that made the cell line and useful materials of course feel that it is _their_ work that counts and the particular source of the original cells, often a simple blood sample, is quite unimportant.

A: FROM MENTOR MINI VARUGHESE, AT STEMCELL TECHNOLOGIES IN GERMANTOWN, MD
The reason human cloning is not legal in many countries is because of these unresolved ethical questions. Reading sci-fi provides all sorts of scenarios for who owns or does not own a clone. Is a clone considered a child or a non-entity? If the clone is reared in a tank from embryo to adult hood to harvest its organs, is it ever considered human or just property? Can governments generate clones or only couples? The religious right claims that an embryo is a human before fertilization. Others say that a cloned cell that is pushed into being nothing but a liver, is not a human. Still many questions out there.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE LINDSEY M. IN KY
Can you give me a dietitian salary compared to someone in the nurse field?
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Q: FROM MENTEE JENICE P. IN MASSACHUSETTS:
Where can I find jobs on the Internet that are related to Web Design?
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Q: FROM MENTEE SAM B. IN NH
hi! What kinds of grades do you need to get into law school? Does your whole school career count? I'm thinking that I would like to go to Dartmouth....what grades do you need to get in there?
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END

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GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 22, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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HOLD SATURDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 4TH FOR THE GEM-SET SATELLITE CONFERENCE! DO YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE? CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL CONTACT TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU. REGIONAL CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE GEM-SET WEB SITE AT http://www.gem-set.org
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation *********
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE GEM-SET MENTEES WHO ANSWERED LAST WEEK'S QUIZ QUESTION CORRECTLY. YES, ALICE HAMILTON, MD, WAS KNOW FOR HELPING TO ESTABLISH THE FIELD OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE. HER PUBLICATIONS WERE SO SCIENTIFICALLY PERSUASIVE THAT THEY CAUSED SWEEPING REFORMS, BOTH VOLUNTARY AND REGULATORY, TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF WORKERS. HER RESEARCH FOCUSED ON POISONS THAT WORKERS WERE EXPOSED TO WHILE ON THE JOB. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS SHE STUDIED? IN YOUR OPINION, ARE THESE TOXINS STILL DANGEROUS TODAY? Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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Q: FROM MENTEE LINDSEY M. IN KY
Can you give me a dietitian salary compared to someone in the nurse field?

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES
Hi, Lindsey, You asked for salary comparisons for nursing and dietician. I chose registered nursing, but there are other kinds. If you have another in mind, go to the website and try running the program yourself. It's very easy. The following information was retrieved at: http://www.healthcarejobstore.com/hb_cfmfiles/salary/index.cfm you click on the job title and the area in the country and click on "Get Salary Information" Dieticians ---------- In Southeast, a dietician earns: (Average Salary = $39,216.10 and Average Bonus 5%) In the Southwest: (Average Salary = $42,339.59 and Average Bonus 4%) In the Midwest (Average Salary = $36,262.59 and Average Bonus 4%) In the Northeast (Average Salary = $37,170.28 and Average Bonus 4%) In the Northwest: Average Salary = $32,131.99 and Average Bonus 5%) Registered Nursing -------- Southeast: (Average Salary = $38,127.23 and Average Bonus 3%) Southwest: (Average Salary = $41,792.30 and Average Bonus 3%) Northeast: (Average Salary = $41,609.23 and Average Bonus 4%) Northwest: (Average Salary = $40,859.26 and Average Bonus 4%)
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Q: FROM MENTEE JENICE P. IN MASSACHUSETTS
Where can I find jobs on the Internet that are related to Web Design?

A: FROM MENTOR TERESA ESSER
Jenice, many Web designers begin their careers as independent consultants. You can start your career by learning as much as you can about Web page design on your own. You might design a Web page for yourself or for a friend. When you have something up on the Web that you are proud to talk about, you can look for a consulting client. You might start by asking the owner of a small business if she would like to hire you to design a Web site for her business.

A: FROM MENTOR ANNALIESE BRATCHER, MANAGER of MED CTR INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY CTR, U. KENTUCKY
Jenice, here are some excellent websites with information on Web Design. The first one contains tutorials on how to do web design, and descriptions of web design jobs, and links to finding jobs for web designers via the Internet. - Making Web Pages:
<HTTP: S01dm160.htmldigitalmedia depts. html libwww.cabrillo.cc.ca.us
http ://libwww.cabrillo.cc.ca.us/html/depts/digitalmedia/S01dm160.html
This "Making Web Pages" has a link to "Jobs for Web Designers and Developers" if you look down the left side. - Introduction to Web Design:<HTTP: toc.html Tutorial HTML Authoring www.wdvl.com
http://www.wdvl.com/A uthoring/HTML/Tutorial/toc.html
Jenice, I hope you enjoy learning more about Web design jobs. Designing new web pages has been one of the most fun parts of my job for the last 4 years. The people that I have met who design web pages tend to be very creative and love new challenges and new technology.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE SAM B. IN NH
hi! What kinds of grades do you need to get into law school? Does your whole school career count? I'm thinking that I would like to go to Dartmouth....what grades do you need to get in there? **********

Q: FROM MENTEE ISRRA A. IN PA
Hi, I want to know how do colleges react to good grades when it comes to accepting people to their colleges. Will it help the cost of the courses or is it all the same? how can I get more information on what some schools have to offer to their students?
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Q: FROM MENTEE M. IN IL
hi, I was just wondering what is proven to be the most accurate theory of evolution?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 23, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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HOLD SATURDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 4TH FOR THE GEM-SET SATELLITE CONFERENCE! DO YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE? CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL CONTACT TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU. REGIONAL CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE GEM-SET WEB SITE AT http://www.gem-set.org
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation *********
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE GEM-SET MENTEES WHO ANSWERED LAST WEEK'S QUIZ QUESTION CORRECTLY. YES, ALICE HAMILTON, MD, WAS KNOWN FOR HELPING TO ESTABLISH THE FIELD OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE. HER PUBLICATIONS WERE SO SCIENTIFICALLY PERSUASIVE THAT THEY CAUSED SWEEPING REFORMS, BOTH VOLUNTARY AND REGULATORY, TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF WORKERS. HER RESEARCH FOCUSED ON POISONS THAT WORKERS WERE EXPOSED TO WHILE ON THE JOB. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS SHE STUDIED? IN YOUR OPINION, ARE THESE TOXINS STILL DANGEROUS TODAY? Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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Q: FROM MENTEE SAM B. IN NH
hi! What kinds of grades do you need to get into law school? Does your whole school career count? I'm thinking that I would like to go to Dartmouth....what grades do you need to get in there?

A: FROM MENTOR SHARON ROSH, DVM, EDGEBROOK ANIMAL HOSPITAL IN EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ Good question!!! Yes, schools look at grades for acceptance but that is not all they look at. Colleges also are interested in what you have done in addition to class work like sports, extracurricular activities, and community service. If you have really good grades then you might be eligible for a scholarship which would off set the cost of your education. In order to get more information you have to decide which facility you are interested in and then call or write a letter or send email to their admissions office and the personnel there should be able to give you the information you want. Good luck!!!

A: FROM MENTOR DEIRDRE DANIELS, MS, ASSOCIATE SCIENTIST, MIDWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE, KANSAS CITY, MO
Hi Sam. That is great that you already have a pretty good idea what career you would like to pursue. It might be a little easier if you take it one step at a time. First if you are thinking about going to Dartmouth, I would take some time to research this particular institution by visiting www.dartmouth.edu. Their website could very well answer a lot of your questions. If you click on "admissions and financial aid" you will most likely find out what grades are needed for admission. If not, there is probably a phone number or e-mail address where you can contact someone in admissions directly about your question. This site may also provide some insight into how many students from Dartmouth go on to attend law school. Perhaps it is not the best college to attend if you are interested in law school, or perhaps it is one of the better schools to attend for this purpose. I don't know the answer but it is something to consider. As for your question regarding what law schools look at when considering admission of students. Every school has their own set of admissions criteria. Yes, your high school grades will be looked at, but your performance during college will be of much greater importance. My suggestion, concentrate on college first, consider law school opportunities second. Hope this helps. :-)
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Q: FROM MENTEE ISRRA A. IN PA
Hi, I want to know how do colleges react to good grades when it comes to accepting people to their colleges. Will it help the cost of the courses or is it all the same? how can I get more information on what some schools have to offer to their students?

A: RESPONSE FROM DR. ESTHER PEARSON OF MASSACHUSETTS
Isrra, you pose a great question. Generally, colleges are glad to accept students whose transcripts indicated good grades. Their grades indicate they have the study skills and commitment to learning to be successful in college. However, colleges don't necessarily give these students discounts on the cost of courses. The colleges can provide academic scholarships if a student demonstrates good grades and this scholarship financial support can reduce the costs students and their families are responsible for paying for courses.

A: FROM MENTOR CAROL TOMAN, DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF TECHNICAL STAFF AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
Isrra, Colleges most certainly do look at grades both when they decide whether they want to accept your application, but also when they decide on the financial aid package they will design for you. And, they don't look at grades alone; they look at extracurricular activities and interests as well. I'm attaching an answer I gave before to a similar question and I hope this helps. Almost every school in the country requires that you submit the FAFSA form (visit www.fafsa.ed.gov for information) if you apply for financial aid. Once a school has decided that they want to admit you, they also determine how badly they want you. If you have stellar grades, a specialty they want (music or sports, etc.), or that special sparkle in your application, they'll want you enough to put together a financial package to attract you. The FAFSA form computes how much your family is expected to pay each year for your college (you re-file every year because things change). The actual college you go to is irrelevant -- this is based entirely on the amount of money the family has saved and how much you, the student, has saved, and your expenses (such as having a sibling in college at the same time). Certain assets are excluded, like the value of your house and life insurance annuities. Then they compute that parents are expected to contribute a percentage of their assets (I think it's around 5%) toward college and the student is expected to contribute a much higher percentage of their assets (around 35%, I think) toward paying for college. When all this is computed, the bottom line is your family's expected contribution. The college will then attempt to make up the difference between your expected family contribution and the cost to go to their college. They will make up this package from a combination of scholarships, loans, grants, and work (e.g., serving meals in the cafeteria). They more they want you, the harder they'll work to get you a good package. Pay close attention: if your family's expected contribution say is $10000 per year, and both Yale and UofI want you badly and come up with great packages for you, then whether you go to Yale or UofI, you'll pay $10000 out of your pocket for college. I'll say it again: if they really want you, they will come up with great packages and you'll pay the same amount whether you choose UofI or Yale. So, what can you do so you can increase you odds of going to Yale for free? Two things: make yourself attractive to the college by doing all the things we've discussed in this forum. Second: check out what the FAFSA form computes and do things early to move assets into categories that are not counted or are counted at a lower rate. You want to minimize your family's expected contribution. There are agencies that you can hire to look at your assets for you and to fill out your FAFSA form so as to minimize your family's expected contribution but that will cost you money. Good luck.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE M. IN IL
hi, I was just wondering what is proven to be the most accurate theory of evolution?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 24, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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HOLD SATURDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 4TH FOR THE GEM-SET SATELLITE CONFERENCE! DO YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE? CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL CONTACT TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU. REGIONAL CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE GEM-SET WEB SITE AT http://www.gem-set.org
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation *********
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE GEM-SET MENTEES WHO ANSWERED LAST WEEK'S QUIZ QUESTION CORRECTLY. YES, ALICE HAMILTON, MD, WAS KNOWN FOR HELPING TO ESTABLISH THE FIELD OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE. HER PUBLICATIONS WERE SO SCIENTIFICALLY PERSUASIVE THAT THEY CAUSED SWEEPING REFORMS, BOTH VOLUNTARY AND REGULATORY, TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF WORKERS. HER RESEARCH FOCUSED ON POISONS THAT WORKERS WERE EXPOSED TO WHILE ON THE JOB. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS SHE STUDIED? IN YOUR OPINION, ARE THESE TOXINS STILL DANGEROUS TODAY? Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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Q: FROM MENTEE M. IN IL
hi, I was just wondering what is proven to be the most accurate theory of evolution?

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF GRADUATE SCHOOL , BROWN UNIVERSITY IN PROVIDENCE, RI
You've noticed that there is some controversy about evolution and about the nature of theory and the nature of proof. I noticed that nobody bit on this one the first day... but I feel willing to take a stand. I think that the evidence is overwhelming that all life on earth is related and that sensible relationships indicating how closely different species are related can be proposed, now on evidence from the DNA sequences, usually confirming the broad outlines we inferred from morphology. There are plenty of cases in which natural selection has worked in recent years, in real time, and is going on as I write this e-mail. An old case is the one of dark moths becoming predominant against soot-darkened 19th-century tree trunks, where light-colored moths had been less obvious to predatory birds in cleaner times. Right now our use of antibiotics is selecting resistant strains of bacteria. What is more controversial than the existence of evolution as a natural process are theories of exactly how it works. Darwin thought random mutations and natural selection were enough to explain it all. Stephen J. Gould and others think that the pace of evolutionary change is too erratic for that to be the whole answer. Their "punctuated equilibrium" proposes that for long periods of time little change occurs and then suddenly new species arise. I personally favor Darwin's original idea, because I don't think we know enough about how the genes determine the forms of living organisms to be able to say that it takes a lot of genetic change to cause a lot of change in form. Chimpanzee DNA, for example, is about 99% the same as human, and we have no trouble telling those two species apart. Just last week in Science magazine I read an article suggesting that the genes themselves might be the same in two organisms but might be producing different _amounts_ of the same products, and that might lead to different forms and different species. Small genetic changes can be important in regulation of gene activity - regulatory sequences are often short compared to the genes themselves, and less tolerant of random mutations. Furthermore, when an environment is stable for eons there is no pressure for well-adapted organisms to change, no selective pressure. (It was the soot that made it advantageous for a moth to be darker; without coal-burning factories the white moths would still have survived better. Without antibiotics, resistant bacteria are usually less prolific than the original, antibiotic-sensitive strains.) We know that climate change can be quite rapid and erratic - so why shouldn't the fossil record show periods of rapid evolution in response? Even if the rate of mutations stays constant, selective pressures may not. Where is God in all this? That's why evolution is so controversial; those who believe in God as a creator of each species separately have a hard time facing the sort of evidence I'm citing. Other people who believe in God see the whole of life as a marvelous creation - one of those, Ken Miller, is a professor of Biology here at Brown and has written a book you might like to read. The book is Finding Darwin's God: A Scientist's Search for Common Ground Between God and Evolution. It's available in paperback. Our conception of God needs to be big enough not to be just a "God of the gaps" as some have termed it - a God we invoke whenever we can't understand how something came to be. As the gaps in our understanding are filled, such a God gets driven back to hide in remaining gaps... maybe back beyond the Big Bang. We need a basis for morality and concepts that give life meaning even as we discover more and more of how life's mechanisms work on a molecular scale.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MODERATOR SARAH SHIRK AT UIC
(These questions are for BOTH MENTORS and MENTEES!) How old were you when you first sent an e-mail and/or used the Internet? Did you think it was "cool" or "boring"? Do you think e-mail and Internet technologies have improved your quality of life?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 25, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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HOLD SATURDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 4TH FOR THE GEM-SET SATELLITE CONFERENCE! DO YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE? CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL CONTACT TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU. REGIONAL CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE GEM-SET WEB SITE AT http://www.gem-set.org
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation *********
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE GEM-SET MENTEES WHO ANSWERED LAST WEEK'S QUIZ QUESTION CORRECTLY. YES, ALICE HAMILTON, MD, WAS KNOWN FOR HELPING TO ESTABLISH THE FIELD OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE. HER PUBLICATIONS WERE SO SCIENTIFICALLY PERSUASIVE THAT THEY CAUSED SWEEPING REFORMS, BOTH VOLUNTARY AND REGULATORY, TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF WORKERS. HER RESEARCH FOCUSED ON POISONS THAT WORKERS WERE EXPOSED TO WHILE ON THE JOB. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS SHE STUDIED? IN YOUR OPINION, ARE THESE TOXINS STILL DANGEROUS TODAY? Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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Q: FROM MODERATOR SARAH SHIRK AT UIC
(These questions are for BOTH MENTORS and MENTEES!) How old were you when you first sent an e-mail and/or used the Internet? Did you think it was "cool" or "boring"? Do you think e-mail and Internet technologies have improved your quality of life?

A: FROM MENTOR JATARA BROWN IN IL
I was 17 years old (I am now 24) and a senior in high school when I first used the Internet, only I didn't understand it at the time. I had a classmate who liked to telnet into chat rooms and talk with people from around the world. The next year, I was a freshman in college majoring in electrical engineering. As a student, I got my very first email account and access to a lab that had computers connected to the Internet. When I first started out on the Internet, I started using telnet to log into talkers and began to chat with people. I wasn't introduced to the world wide web (via Netscape Navigator) until the next semester. I never thought that the Internet was boring. Next to looking up information, meeting people was my second favorite Internet activity. To this day, even six years later, I still keep in touch with my "email pals" that I met online back in 1996. As a person with a hearing disability, the Internet has improved my life tremendously! sly. Not only does communicating with people online via email remove the physical and psychological barriers that would make face-to-face communication difficult, it allows me to remove my disability from the equation. When people email me, they don't know that I am hearing impaired, nor do they care. I like the fact that I am able to communicate with people one-on-one without my disability entering the picture.

A: FROM MENTOR VICKIE OWENS-RINN AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
I was in college (Purdue University) the first time I used email - so I was 18. It wasn't called email at the time or the internet. The only places you could communicate with were other universities and a few companies - one of which was AT&T (who ended up being my employer). It was all plain text and used a Unix command line interface -- no graphic or screens or anything like that! In contrast, both of my stepdaughters learned how to use the web before they were 10 at science camps run by a local college.

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY IN PROVIDENCE, RI
My first experience of e-mail was a message system internal to my university, on the mainframe computer, just before we began to have personal computers. I must have been about 38 at the time, and I was also learning to use the mainframe for word processing (a clunky mark-up language, not WYSIWYG). Very soon the first IBM PC's appeared and I learned some programming in Basic, writing some programs for my biochemistry class and organic chemistry class to use. One of the grad students who had taken the same word processing course (and heard me swearing every time I made a typo) was my TA for biochemistry. When I announced to the class that I'd written a program for the students to use, he burst out laughing, "_You_ wrote a program!!???" I fairly soon lost the need to swear at my typos - on computers they are so easy to fix compared typos on paper with a typewriter. (Isn't the backspace key the most well worn key on everyone's computer?) And now that word processors highlight misspelled words - the millennium has truly arrived. Getting addicted to e-mail was a gradual process. It's now the first thing I do when I get in to work - most of it work-related, but personal stuff and this list too. I have conversations with applicants to grad school (and with friends) all over the world, without worrying about time zones or the expense of phone calls. I don't know how we got along without it! I don't think there were more than an handful of applicants this year who didn't provide us with their e-mail addressed, and the majority apply via our on-line application, not on paper. Students can stay in touch with professors on leave all over the world. We can send a message to 1400 students almost instantly. The internet became far more useful to me after I discovered google.com - it's by far the best search engine I know. It actually finds relevant sites every time! For you high school students who are looking for colleges you can find out so much more so easily than in the bad old days of writing away for catalogues. It always interests me to see how easily children take to computers. Actions that adults have to consciously learn - like, click on things to make something happen - seem to come so naturally to kids.

A: FROM MENTOR MARY JO MULLEN, CIVIL ENGINEER AT PATRICK ENGINEERING in IL
Good question, we should get some variety in answers! I was a freshman in college the first time I did either. My college email account was my first email and I thought it was the most amazing thing ever. I could use our system to look up my high school classmates emails at other schools and drop them notes. Although it severely damaged my snail mail time. I was an excellent letter writer for the first two years of college, and then it dropped off because of email. It may sound silly, but getting mail was such a GREAT thing in college, that its almost a shame email has probably totally replaced it. I first used the internet about halfway through my freshman year. I had never heard of the internet or Netscape, the browser my school had on the engineering computers (I loved SPARCS). This is only 8 years ago. A friend of mine who was a computer engineer was making a web page and he showed me how I could look at it. I think I spent 2 hours straight that afternoon going from link to link to link, just amazed at what was out there. I never did anything useful with it until I was job-hunting my junior year of college, and I could check out all the big engineering companies' web pages. I thought then, and I still think, that the internet and email are right up there among the greatest inventions ever. Even if email is a little counterproductive for me at work. :)

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
I have sent email within the company for many years, probably at least since 1987. I think I started sending email to outside the company around 1990 or so. I knew then, that there were some techies in the company that liked to use something called the Internet and had been using it for quite some time. It wasn't a graphical tool as it is today, although they thought it was VERY cool. I wasn't interested then. They used something called Mosaic, I believe. In 1993, I took a 2-year leave of absence from my job. During that time, I met people in the arts who were into graphic design. They were using AOL, which, as you know is a graphical tool and fun and intuitive to use. I got an account and started using the internet and sending email. I came back to my job in 1995 and had to go to the company library to use the internet because my workstation was UNIX-based and did not have Netscape or Explorer on it. These browsers were PC based at that time. I remembered feeling very excited that I had "discovered" this great new tool that I could use to research things. I wasn't sure how reliable the information was and there was a lot less out there then. Now, I rely heavily on the internet. We buy books less because we can look up technical information on the web. We know it is reliable because the sites are set up by the companies or consortiums who are experts in that field. At work, we can share information via a website or email. And we can make it secure so that only the people we want to access that information, can. I can now keep in touch with my family via email. I can "talk" to them every day instead of calling them long distance once every couple weeks. Although, an occasional phone call and snail mail are still something we all enjoy. Email and the Internet have improved my life. They have made my personal life more enjoyable and easier. They have also made my job more interesting. Most who work in technology have a chance to set up their own web site or that of the group they work with at the company. I have written graphical user interfaces in Java because of the advent of the WWW. The only downside for me, is that the technology keeps changing SOOO much so quickly, that I am always feeling behind. In technology, you really have to keep learning about anything that can affect or improve your job. This can be stressful. But, it also means that your job is important.

A: FROM MENTOR DANELL OLIVER-COLLINS RETAIL INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER HALLMARK CARDS KC, MO
I think I was 26 or 27 years old when I sent my first email and used the internet. I thought it was great. I looked up all my friends and tried to send emails to all of them. I did think the internet was huge and thought I would never learn how to operate it. But I did it was really easy. I think it has improved my life tremendously. Anything I am curious about I can look up on the internet, it is wealth of information, a giant encyclopedia. It has also helped with become a better consumer. I do competitive pricing on the internet, research what I want to buy completely so I do not make a mistake.
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 26, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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HOLD SATURDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 4TH FOR THE GEM-SET SATELLITE CONFERENCE! DO YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE? CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL CONTACT TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU. REGIONAL CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE GEM-SET WEB SITE AT http://www.gem-set.org
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation *********
Quiz-of-the-week: Florence Bascom is known as "the first woman geologist in this country." She paved the way with many "firsts." Bascom was the first woman hired by the U.S. Geological Survey (1896), the first woman to present a paper before the Geological Society of Washington (1901), the first woman elected to the Council of the Geological Society of America (elected in 1924; no other woman was elected until after 1945), and the first woman officer of the GSA (vice president in 1930). She earned a doctorate in geology, becoming the first woman to receive a degree from Hopkins. She was an associate editor of the American Geologist (1896-1905) and a four-starred geologist in the first edition of American Men and Women of Science (1906), which meant that her colleagues regarded her as among the country's hundred leading geologists. What nickname was she given by her colleagues? Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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Q: FROM MODERATOR SARAH SHIRK AT UIC
How old were you when you first sent an e-mail and/or used the Internet? Did you think it was "cool" or "boring"? Do you think e-mail and Internet technologies have improved your quality of life?

A: FROM MENTOR KIMBERLY O'DONNELL, SENIOR MECHANICAL ENGINEER, MOTOROLA IN REGION V
In 1984-1985 I was on the internet via my Commodore 64 computer through CompuServe. I was in Junior High at the time. At that time with CompuServe there was a not very well-known service where you could compose little animated cartoons and send them to people. I surprises me I haven't seen such a service since then. Unfortunately, an electrical storm destroyed the computer, otherwise I may have wound up as a computer science engineer instead of a mechanical engineer! I thought it was very cool, and really the only way to get to know people far away. I don't feel that the Internet improved my quality of life until around 1996 once there was more information, map quest, yellow pages, shopping, personal banking, etc.

A: FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS, PHD, DIRECTOR, WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE PROGRAM AT KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN MANHATTAN, KS
It was in 1991 and I was 28 years old! I had just moved to Germany after finishing my PhD. I did not know all that many people with email addresses but it was very nice to be able to keep in touch with the people I knew who did have one. I was especially grateful for email at that time because I was so far away from home and everyone that I knew. It wasn't long before I was communicating with people in the U.S., in Australia, in Israel, in Switzerland, in England, and in Canada. I thought it was just wonderful! And I found that it quickly became oddly addictive for me. I was working at the German Cancer Research Center and sometimes my colleagues and I would even email each other, even though we were right there in the same place. One of my colleagues wanted to use email with me as a way to improve his written English. I'm definitely an email addict!

A: FROM MENTOR MARTY WOELFEL, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY, KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY IN FRANKFORT, KY
Uh, I think I'm showing my age (mid-fifties). Not because I don't use the internet or e-mail, but because I don't remember when I started!!!! I don't like these "senior moments" I experience again and again now. Ugh. I think I bought a computer with a modem in 1994 or thereabouts. Or was it 1995???? I was an e-mail junkie from the beginning. At work, by 1996 I was insisting to the Prez of the University that I would not take a particular job she wanted me to do unless I was hooked up at work to the rest of my "work world". Then, from late 1996 until 1999, I ran a major project here at the U (an accreditation self study, for those of you who know about these things) and I simply DO NOT know how I could have done it without e-mail. That occupied a heckuva lot of my time, and I didn't really start using search engines or even the internet much until toward the end of that project. All of us old goats who used to have to research stuff through hard copies of Biological Abstracts and other similar reference aids NEVER want to go back to those days. Now, you get to the material you need--and the material you DON'T need--much sooner, using Google or other good search engines. But, don't ever think that the availability of info solves the age-old problem of deciding whether the info you get is worth paying attention to. The old, more time-consuming methods produced junk, too. That's the biggest problem I see--both with myself and with my students. How do you tell if a source is reputable? How do you sift the wheat from the chaff? Whether it's with the internet or the "old fashioned" way with hard copy of books and abstracts, you still need to be able to assess the usefulness of your sources. And regarding e-mail: What a blessing! Not only for work, but also for personal relationships. I am much closer to my sister, who lives several states away, than I ever was with old-fashioned letters and phone calls. We e-mail several times a week. We share pictures. We instant message whenever we see the other on-line at the same time. And, we actually drive to see each other more often--a direct result of the closeness we have re-gained via e-mail. The same is true for my friends. And the friends I've made!!!!! Some of you may remember I am a Girl Scout volunteer. I've gone camping with people I've "met" on line, gathered with them at national conventions, and other such stuff. I'd sooner give up the internet than e-mail. I THINK I'd sooner give up my telephone than e-mail. . . . **********
Q: FROM MENTEE KATE H. in MA
Hi- I have a question regarding foreign language. I am currently studying French and plan to study Spanish later on. I was wondering how many years of language is necessary for a career in the sciences?

A: FROM MENTOR KIMBERLY O'DONNELL, SENIOR MECHANICAL ENGINEER, MOTOROLA IN REGION V
I don't know that any foreign language ability is necessary in a career in the sciences. However, like any talent or skill, it is valued. I have found as an engineer, it can help if you have knowledge of the language of your customer. For example, in my division, our customers are automotive manufacturers. Recently in a meeting with a German car company, there was lots of German spoken during a conference call. Since I had German for four years in high school, I was able to understand most of the questions in German before they were translated to English, and respond immediately. It made the customer feel more comfortable with me. Also, some large companies you could work for may have offices in foreign countries, knowledge of a foreign language would make it much easier for you to take an assignment overseas!
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NEW QUESTION:
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Q: FROM MODERATOR SARAH SHIRK AT UIC
In honor of Earth Month, what do you think is the single most important thing we can do to preserve our environment?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 29, 2002
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HOLD SATURDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 4TH FOR THE GEM-SET SATELLITE CONFERENCE! DO YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE? CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL CONTACT TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU. REGIONAL CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE GEM-SET WEB SITE AT http://www.gem-set.org
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation *********
Quiz-of-the-week: Florence Bascom is known as "the first woman geologist in this country." She paved the way with many "firsts." Bascom was the first woman hired by the U.S. Geological Survey (1896), the first woman to present a paper before the Geological Society of Washington (1901), the first woman elected to the Council of the Geological Society of America (elected in 1924; no other woman was elected until after 1945), and the first woman officer of the GSA (vice president in 1930). She earned a doctorate in geology, becoming the first woman to receive a degree from Hopkins. She was an associate editor of the American Geologist (1896-1905) and a four-starred geologist in the first edition of American Men and Women of Science (1906), which meant that her colleagues regarded her as among the country's hundred leading geologists. What nickname was she given by her colleagues? Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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Q: FROM MODERATOR SARAH SHIRK AT UIC
In honor of Earth Month, what do you think is the single most important thing we can do to preserve our environment?

A: FROM MENTOR VICKI WHITE, IBM BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN WALTHAM, MA
I think the most important thing we can all do to preserve our environment is be the most conscientious recyclers we can be. It's an easy habit to develop and if you think about all the garbage that's generated by people in the world, the more people we get to recycle the better. It's mind boggling to think about the disposal of all that garbage and what the landfills are doing to the earth. It amazes me that there are still people out there that think it all disappears somehow. We all need to do our part.

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY IN PROVIDENCE, RI
Not letting population grow too large seems to me fundamentally important. At any population level various processes can be more or less efficient, but the most efficient use of energy and raw materials can be overwhelmed by too many people. Similarly, waste and pollution per capita can be minimized, but that "per capita" is always there. If we look at the US standard of living, and try to bring everyone in the world up to our standard, we just can't do it with the technologies available today, at least not by the figures I've seen. The resulting inequality is not morally defensible and is politically dangerous. One bit of hope is that we _have_ improved the efficiency of many technologies in the last decades - SUV's notwithstanding, energy usage per unit of gross national product is lower, or so I've read. But there's still that "per unit GNP factor", which is proportional to "per capita" unless we want a lower per capita GNP. The old Pogo comic strip said it well, "We have met the enemy and he is us."
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM YUNJI K. IN IL
Is there any kind of source where we can look up colleges that have all your criteria? What if you like Archeology, theater, club sports, Vet and human Med., Media, etc and you can just click and see what colleges or universities offer all these stuff, or are well known for it? Thank you.
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Q: FROM MENTEE HEATHER J. in REGION V
What's the best way to memorize the table of elements?
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Q: FROM MENTEE REBECCA H. IN WI
I'm starting to look at colleges and I'm having troubles deciding what I possibly want to major in. In the last couple of years I have been thinking engineering and someday working for NASA or wildlife biology and doing research on wolves and coyotes. I'm trying to find a possible way to combine the two and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions.
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for April 30, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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HOLD SATURDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 4TH FOR THE GEM-SET SATELLITE CONFERENCE! DO YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE? CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL CONTACT TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU. REGIONAL CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE GEM-SET WEB SITE AT http://www.gem-set.org
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation *********
Quiz-of-the-week: Florence Bascom is known as "the first woman geologist in this country." She paved the way with many "firsts." Bascom was the first woman hired by the U.S. Geological Survey (1896), the first woman to present a paper before the Geological Society of Washington (1901), the first woman elected to the Council of the Geological Society of America (elected in 1924; no other woman was elected until after 1945), and the first woman officer of the GSA (vice president in 1930). She earned a doctorate in geology, becoming the first woman to receive a degree from Hopkins. She was an associate editor of the American Geologist (1896-1905) and a four-starred geologist in the first edition of American Men and Women of Science (1906), which meant that her colleagues regarded her as among the country's hundred leading geologists. What nickname was she given by her colleagues? Send your answer to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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Q: FROM MODERATOR SARAH SHIRK AT UIC
In honor of Earth Month, what do you think is the single most important thing we can do to preserve our environment?

A: FROM MENTEE ALEXIS K. IN REGION III
How about "Just Try"? "We" means everybody, not just the people who have already developed an active interest in taking care of the environment (like our moderator!). Living overseas taught me a lot about good and bad ways people can make a difference. One country I lived in was awful: garbage all over the sides of streets (and I mean a lot!), no garbage separation, and it was common to see people burning stuff (even tough it was illegal). In another country, I lived in many different regions and each region had a different set of rules. The strictest required separating paper, plastic, glass, chemicals and more. Your garbage would not be picked up if you didn't separate. Guess what? everybody separated. I moved back to America and had to learn NOT to separate trash (at school)and that very few of my neighbors separate their trash. I know this because we are one of the few in our area who use our recycle boxes. But maybe my neighbors don't ever have paper, glass and plastic in their garbage and don't need to separate like we do? Right, and garbage trucks dump their loads off the edge of the earth. "We" are not choosing to do enough and there aren't the right kind of laws to make us "volunteer" to take better care. I see this as the closest to the earth level of grass roots. It is easy to blame big business and governments, and we should, but we have no personal motivation to hold them any more accountable than we have to hold ourselves accountable. Now, that I have that off my chest, it's time to go to school (I walk). Okay, okay, you got me started again! Any idea how many people who live by me (I live three blocks from my school) drive their car to the high school (which is right next to mine)? Now that's taking care of the environment! Another question could be "How much damage to the environment needs to happen before we take better care of it"?
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Q: FROM YUNJI K. IN IL
Is there any kind of source where we can look up colleges that have all your criteria? What if you like Archeology, theater, club sports, Vet and human Med., Media, etc and you can just click and see what colleges or universities offer all these stuff, or are well known for it? Thank you.

A: FROM MENTEE AMY N. IN MN
In careers class we used a site that you could type in the majors or things that you wanted and it would show you colleges that offered these things. it was<HTTP: www.collegenet.com www.collegenet.com it works really well. Just click on the college search button and then click on the custom search button and search away! hope it works **********
Q: FROM MENTEE HEATHER J. in REGION V
What's the best way to memorize the table of elements?

A: FROM MENTOR DANELL OLIVER-COLLINS RETAIL INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER HALLMARK CARDS, INC. KC, MO
Try memorizing the ones you will use most often first. Such as the gases in group IIIB, IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB, and VIII. You can memorize them in table for or memorize them vertically or horizontally Then memorize group IA and IIA, the common elements. The rest you can memorize as you go, but the gases and common elements are the ones you will use most often. Good Luck

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL AT BROWN UNIVERSITY IN PROVIDENCE, RI
I'm not sure I'd ever want to do that - and I majored in chemistry without ever doing it. But if you must .... do you know Tom Lehrer's song about the elements?<HTTP: lyrics.html periodic chemlab.pc.maricopa.edu http://chemlab.pc.mari copa.edu/periodic/lyrics.html gives the lyrics and a Quicktime recording. The only problem is that he chose the order of the elements for assonance, rhyme and comic effect and not for their order in the periodic table. But the song is so amusing that you ought to know about it. The tune, by the way, is the Major General's song from Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance: "I am the very model of a modern Major General/ I've information vegetable, animal and mineral..." The best way to memorize anything is to make up your own mnemonic. I had a teacher once who had one for the periodic table, but he wouldn't share it. He muttered it under his breath and all I caught was "twisting, twirling..." and he refused to tell all. Quite possibly his lyrics were too bawdy for my young ears - that seems to be the best way to make anything memorable! Make up your own sentence with words beginning with H, He, Li, Be. B, C, etc, Maybe separate sentences for each row of the table. Hi, Helium! Like Beetles (boring cars)... The non-memorizing way would be, as you learn chemistry and encounter each element, to think of its position in the periodic table. You'll be learning that its chemistry differs from the chemistry of elements to the left and right and above and below in systematic ways, and if you visualize the position of those elements as you learn the chemistry you'll "know" most of the table without having to "memorize" it like a bunch of vocabulary words in a foreign language.

A: FROM MENTOR MOLLY WILLIAMS, PH.D., P.E., ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES, WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY IN KALAMAZOO, MI
Wow, Heather, you must have a chemistry teacher who takes his or her job seriously! I've learned most of the periodic table, but it took a long time and a lot of exposure to the elements themselves. Here are a few hints to approach the task from several directions: First, be sure you understand the general structure of the periodic table. The number of elements in each row corresponds to filling the energy levels available for electrons, so the numbers in the first few rows (2, 8, 8, 18) tell you what orbitals the electrons are in. The system is a bit messy because some of the 3rd level orbitals don't fill until after part of the 4th level is filled. Second, learn about the atoms that have similar chemical properties. They're in vertical columns. So the alkali metals (Lithium, Sodium, Potassium, Rubidium, Cesium, Francium) have one electron all by itself starting a new energy level. Since that lone electron is easily lost, the elements are very chemically active. Another example is the noble gases (Helium, Neon, Argon, etc.) with complete electron shells; these elements are very stable and do not easily form compounds. And, the halogens (Flourine, Chlorine, Bromine, Iodine) are just one electron short of a completed electronic energy level, so they easily gain one electron to become ions with a charge of -1. There are other elements in the middle of the table that form important groups, like the ones used in steel (iron, chromium, nickel) or the precious metals (gold, silver, platinum, palladium). Third, learn a little about the history of how the elements were discovered and named. The Handbook of Chemistry and Physics has a paragraph on each element, including the origin and meaning of its name (Some are named for places or mythological characters), what it looks like as a element, and where it is used practically. Rereading just a few descriptions each day would give you some exposure to each element. Fourth, find a recording of Tom Lehrer's song "The Elements." Tom Lehrer was a Harvard faculty member, pianist, songwriter, comedian and political commentator from the 1960's. He sings the entire periodic table to a tune from Gilbert & Sullivan's operetta, Pinafore. If you can learn to sing along with him, you'll surely know how to pronounce all those elements like Praseodymium that you don't encounter very often! Good luck! And have fun!
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Q: FROM MENTEE REBECCA H. IN WI
I'm starting to look at colleges and I'm having troubles deciding what I possibly want to major in. In the last couple of years I have been thinking engineering and someday working for NASA or wildlife biology and doing research on wolves and coyotes. I'm trying to find a possible way to combine the two and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions.

A: FROM MENTOR LINDA FUSELIER, UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY IN LEXINGTON, KY
Your interests in NASA and wildlife biology go together more so than you might imagine. NASA funds research using satellite imagery and other remote sensing techniques that can be applied to studies of animal and plant populations and communities. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are commonly used to study movements of large animals such as wolves. I trapped and radio-collared wolves for a summer in a national park to gain information about how the packs move and interact. Folks with experience in GIS can then use the information on wolf locations to determine the types of terrain important to pack dynamics and the conservation of wild wolves. One thing you can do to pursue your two interests is learn about GIS and even volunteer in the parks to get first hand experience on how wildlife biologists combine satellite technology with conservation. Best of luck.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE KARA T. IN MN
I have a question about light bulbs. It is: why do light bulbs burn out if they run on electricity?? thanx
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Q: FROM MENTEE AIMEE M. IN REGION V
I am in the process of selecting my classes for next year, when I will be in 11th grade. I plan on taking very advanced courses, all AP classes (advanced placement, for college credit) at school. I plan to be a zoologist or some other area where I will be studying animals and collecting data. I have AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP English, advanced Spanish, and AP European History. I also was signed up for Pre-Calculus. Here is my question: I think this may be too much of a load for me, especially since I hope to participate in drama club and I have a busy schedule. I am afraid that I'll start all these classes next year and find it's too much for me. So I am hoping to put off Pre-Calculus to my senior year. I was going to take AP Calculus my senior year, but I think pre-calc would be good. This would also give me a chance to take electives of things I enjoy instead of having all work. Is having AP Calculus in high school extremely important to my college and career in the future?
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