=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 1, 2001
Q: WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST BENEFITS (BOTH PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL)
FROM
WORKING IN YOUR JOB?
A: FROM MENTOR JUDY McGOOGAN at Lucent Technologies
The best part is working with some of the most talented and creative
people in the world. They're leaders in their fields.
Another benefit is the opportunity to continually learn and grow.
I also
liked the variety. Most of my work was project driven, and the projects
and
the people I worked with changed often, so I'd get to learn something
new
and work with new people on each one!
NEW QUESTION: Who is your favorite female scientist?
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 2, 2001
Q: WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE WOMAN SCIENTIST?
A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON at Lucent Technologies
My favorite woman scientist is Madame Curie. I did a report in grade
school
on Madame Curie. I read her biography and was so impressed with
her. She was so
intelligent. And she broke barriers for women in science. I marveled
at her
courage and focus.
A: FROM STUDENT ELIZABETH C. at Girl Scouts of DuPage
I am not very sure. I don't really know any scientists!!!!
A: FROM BEAULAH VAZ at IIT
I have to agree with Kristin Taghon, Madame Marie Curie is my favorite
female scientist. She was the reason I decided to pursue a Master's
in
chemistry. She's also my role model as a chemist. When I worked
in a
chemistry lab, I used to get frustrated when the experiment didn't
work out
the way out wanted to. At times like those one of my co-workers
would remind
me about Madame Curie, and tell me that she probably worked on radioactivity
for years on end before she finally discovered Polonium. It's perseverance
and hard work that makes things possible.
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 3, 2001
Q: WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE WOMAN SCIENTIST?
A: FROM MENTOR LAURA DUNCAN at Regis Technologies, Inc.
My favorite woman scientist is someone whose name I don't remember
(I
have a terrible memory for names). She's at University of Chicago,
and
she's the person who "discovered" pheromones and how they
synchronize
the menstrual cycles of women who live and/or work together. Her
initial insight came when she was a graduate student, I believe,
and
observed this synchronization among her dorm-mates. She has continued
work in this area. Her most recent findings were about how pheromones
cause people to be attracted to each other.
What I like so much about her work is that it springs from her own
natural interests and observations, and that it explains some of
the
mysteries of human behavior.
A: FROM MENTOR LYNELLEN PERRY at META Group
I think one of my favorite scientists is Admiral Grace Hopper. She
spoke
at my high school once. She was a charming, tiny, white-haired lady
in a
Navy uniform with a lot of braid, admonishing us to remember out
nanoseconds. The "nanoseconds" she handed out were lengths
of wire, cut to
not quite 12 inches in length, equal to the distance traveled by
an
electron along the wire in the space of a nanosecond--one billionth
of a
second. In teaching efficient programming methods, Admiral Hopper
wanted
to make sure her students would not waste nanoseconds.
As computer pioneer Howard Bromberg has written, Hopper was much
more than
a great teacher. She was a "mathematician, computer scientist,
social
scientist, corporate politician, marketing whiz, systems designer,
and
programmer," and, always, a "visionary."
Her work on compilers and on making machines understands ordinary
language
instructions led ultimately to the development of the business language
COBOL. Hopper's work also foreshadowed or embodied enormous numbers
of
developments that are still the very bones of digital computing:
subroutines, formula translation, relative addressing, the linking
loader,
code optimization, and symbolic manipulation.
One of the things she is most 'famous' for is that she may have
been the
first person to invent the term 'bug' to describe a problem with
a
computer program. The story goes that she found a moth squished
in a part
of the computer, and that the moth body was keeping the computer
from
working properly. Thus there was a bug in the program causing errors.
For a short bio about Admiral Hopper, see www.gracehopper.org/gmh.html
(which is where I got much of the information above).
A: FROM MODERATOR SARAH SHIRK at UIC
My favorite scientist is Gertrude Elion, winner of the 1988 Nobel
Prize in Medicine and recipient of the 1991 National Medal of Science,
the United States' highest scientific honor. She is a chemist who
developed the first drugs effective against childhood leukemia,
the first successful anti-viral medications, and a drug that made
possible the first kidney transplant. She is quoted as saying, "I
still get goose bumps when somebody who gets a kidney transplant
comes to me and says thanks to your drug, I have lived twenty-five
years with a kidney transplant."
Elion was inspired to pursue a career in science at the age of
15 when she observed her grandfather dying of painful stomach cancer.
NEW QUESTION: What or who inspired you to go into your career choice?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 6, 2001
WHAT OR WHO INSPIRED YOU TO GO INTO YOUR CAREER CHOICE?
A: FROM STUDENT ELIZABETH C. at Girl Scouts of DuPage
family members!!!!!!
A: FROM MENTOR JULIA HOCHBERG at Motorola
To respond to Elizabeth who does not know any scientists- there
are many
wonderful stories of scientific discovery made by women (and men)
in
both our history books and the daily newspaper. Can you believe
that a
man was persecuted for saying the earth revolved around the sun?
That
the 1940's actress Heddy Lamar dreamed up the backbone of CDMA
(cellular) technology? That Madame Curie died from her own discoveries
(the high doses of radiation caused cancer)? Next time you have
the
opportunity to write a paper or do an independent study, try researching
women scientists for a topic- there is a lot of inspiration to be
found
there. Personally, I don't think I have a favorite, but more an
admiration for any woman that has followed her beliefs and tried.
Knowing women's historical role in society and the scientific community,
that takes courage, confidence, and intelligence that I find inspiring.
To respond to today's question:
I think there are a many things that inspired me to go into
engineering. When I was younger, my goal was to work for NASA and
help
design the next human space vehicle and I thought that mechanical
engineering was the best start on that path. Also, my dad is an
engineer at heart and I have helped out on so many basement projects.
I
liked the idea that I was going to be challenged mentally, though
I was
a little scared. I liked that I was going to be using my hands.
I like
to solve problems. I like figuring out they way things work. I liked
that it was something different (not everyone decides to go into
engineering and stays there) and I even like the surprised look
on some
people's faces when I tell them what I do. I guess that, in a way,
it
gave me self-confidence to know that I am becoming a mechanical
engineer
and it made me proud.
A: FROM MENTOR CASSIE FENOSEFF at GM North America
My Dad inspired me to go into my career, mostly because he inspired
me to take
as many math classes as I could, which led
me into engineering. He has a math degree and still remembers everything
after
25 years, so he was always able to help me
with my homework, which was an added benefit. He always told me
that I would be
able to do anything I tried, which gave me the
confidence to pursue something which sounded difficult, like engineering.
A: FROM MENTOR LISA FITZGERALD at Walgreen Co.
My mother actually inspired me to go into the
general area of computers. I was interested in
computers from the time I first saw one in my
classroom. My mother was also interested in computers
starting when she was an Actuary in a major
insurance company. This was in the mid 1960's, and
many corporations were starting to use computers. One
of her duties was to write test cases for the programs
to test their new code. At this time many people got
into computer careers because their company chose some
current employees to retrain in this area. Few
Universities had computer curriculums.
My mother applied for an open position in the
computer department, and did extremely well on their
aptitude test. Despite this they refused to train her
for the job because she was a woman. They told her
they would be waiting their training on her because
she would probably quit soon and start a family.
Unfortunately she wasn't happy with the job she
remained in, and did choose to not go back to work
after starting a family. I really believe she would
have gone back if she enjoyed her career.
I knew this story when I was very young, and it
initially angered me. Then as I got older, it
inspired me to go to College and start a career of my
choice. I just happened to also be interested in
computers, like my mother. Initially I never really
thought of it as a career choice, mostly because I
didn't know what kinds of computer jobs existed. My
mother suggested that I just go ahead and pursue the
field and see where it takes me. In fact, I didn't
even know my current position existed until I was
offered the job, while working in another department.
NEW QUESTION: It is apparent that family members have played a
critical role in career choices. Has anyone experienced family members
who resisted their career choice rather than encouraging it? If
yes, how did you handle this?
=========================================================================
GEM-SET DAILY DIGEST for August 7, 2001
Q: HAS ANYONE EXPERIENCED FAMILY MEMBERS WHO RESISTED THEIR CAREER
CHOICE RATHER THAN ENCOURAGING IT? IF YES, HOW DID YOU HANDLE THIS?
A:FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON at Lucent When I decided to go into
Computers, I did not have resistance from my family, but I also
did not have encouragement. I chose my college on my own, I chose
my career on my own and not once, did I ask for advice. I do not
recall many comments about my career. In fact, I don't recall even
telling my parents or family what my career choices were! At the
time, I did not think it was strange because it is MY career. But,
now, when I look back, I realize that I had a lot of courage to
go into a non-traditional career for women without any support from
my family. When I was 18, I thought I knew all the answers. In hindsight,
I wish I had had someone to ask and I possibly would have made a
better college choice. But, it all turned out great! I recall that
most of my girlfriends were very intelligent and were going into
engineering, accounting or med. school. I believe that they must
be the people that encouraged me most just by example.
A: FROM MENTOR CASSIE FENOSEFF at GM North America Luckily, I have
never had any family members oppose my career choice, mostly because
engineering is a respected career.
NEW QUESTION: We all need a break from the fast track once in a
while! Just for fun, how many of you are (were) able to enjoy a
summer vacation? What was the best part? Any vacation spot recommendations
for the rest of the GEM-SET participants? =========================================================================
GEM-SET DAILY DIGEST for August 8, 2001
Q: WE ALL NEED A BREAK FROM THE FAST TRACK ONCE IN AWHILE! JUST
FOR FUN, HOW MANY OF YOU ARE (WERE) ABLE TO ENJOY A SUMMER VACATION?
WHAT WAS THE BEST PART? ANY VACATION SPOT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE
REST OF THE GEM-SET PARTICIPANTS?
A: FROM MENTOR JULIA HOCHBERG at Motorola My husband and I both
have our private pilot licenses and we bought our first airplane
in May. We go flying a couple of times a week from Palwaukee Airport
(NW of Chicago) to sightsee, to dinner or breakfast, to fly-ins,
or overnight/camping. One of my favorite trips this summer was Madeline
Island, which is one of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior off
the coast of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Because we made our plans
24 hours in advance and partly by design, we pitched a tent in the
grass right next to the airplane and slept there. We can fit our
bikes in the airplane (if we take the front wheel off) and were
able to ride the 1.5 mi. to civilization and restaurants and exploring
around the 14 mile long island. The island is cute with a good mix
of students/artists and posh city dwellers visiting their summerhouses
which makes for a good atmosphere and good restaurants. The island
is also accessible by ferry from Bayfield, WI which is much of the
same kind of shore-like atmosphere. We also frequent a restaurant
in the terminal at Janesville, WI for breakfast, an Irish restaurant/pub
on the field at Lansing, IN, and a great restaurant at Schaumburg
Airport in IL. Small airports often host fly-ins or open houses,
so this weekend we have a pancake breakfast one day and an ice-cream
social at another airport the next day! If any of the students (or
mentors with children) are curious about learning to fly airplanes,
there is an organization called Young Eagles that will give rides
to kids ages 7-17 for free. Look them up on the web at www.youngeagles.org
for the nearest participating airport to you. We volunteer at Meigs
Field in Chicago that usually holds their events the second Saturday
of every month (except this August).
A: FROM KRISTIN TAGHON at Lucent I like to spend a few vacation
days here and there doing small things and then take larger vacations
during the colder months (like in March when you haven't had a break
in a while). So, this summer, I've taken a couple days off to go
to Cubs games. I took a few days off one week to hang out with my
family and we took all the kids swimming and to the zoo, etc. In
a couple weeks, I'm going to take a long weekend and go to a cottage
up in Michigan on a private beach. In late September, I'm taking
a long weekend and going to Nantucket. So far, the best part of
my vacation was going down the water slide in the public pool in
my hometown. I had to get up the nerve (rides scare me!) and it
ended up being so much fun! And the kids, of all ages, in line at
the pool, were so friendly and supportive (they knew a big "kid"
like me would be nervous).
A: FROM MOLLY WILLIAMS at Western Michigan University I just returned
from a week's vacation in Kentucky doing traditional music and dance.
This is participatory dance (as distinguished from performance dance)
that involves people of all ages, from 3 to 94! The tradition goes
back to the 1600's in England, when dancing was an important community
social activity, and extends to colonial America where early contra
dances, like the Virginia Reel, and square dancing began. Interestingly,
there are an amazing number of musicians and dancers who in real
life have technical careers. We all like to see patterns and ways
that things fit together. Even during a week of Internet or television,
our fundamental ways of looking at the world continue.
A: FROM MENTOR MARY JO MULLEN at Patrick Engineering I agree 100%
that we all need to get away. I get a little shaky when it's been
a long time since I've taken time off. Sometimes, I just need to
take a sanity day to do something that doesn't involve sitting behind
my computer. I went to Hawaii this summer for our honeymoon. It
was as amazing as I ever could have dreamed. We went to Kauai, Maui
and Oahu. Lots of people told us to not bother going to Oahu and
now I understand why. I would never NOT recommend Oahu, just because
there are some very good things to see and do there, but Maui and
Kauai are far superior in the activities, beaches and overall beauty.
Before we were there for a week we already vowed to go back. We
biked down a volcano, went parasailing, kayaked, hiked, sat on many
beaches and laid by our resort pools while people brought us drinks.
This was absolutely the best vacation I have ever taken.
A:FROM STUDENT ELIZABETH C. of Girl Scouts of DuPage I enjoyed
my summer!!!! Being with my friends and family. No I did not go
on vacation. Q: Has anyone experienced family members who resisted
their career choice rather than encouraging it? If yes, how did
you handle this?
A: FROM MENTOR LAURA DUNCAN at Regis Technologies I'm a day behind,
but I didn't have time to collect my thoughts yesterday! My parents
never steered me towards a specific career, but they always wanted
me to think about what I would be doing when I grew up. My first
influence was the movie "To Kill a Mockingbird"--I wanted
to be Atticus Finch. I stayed on track with law through high school.
However, I took all the academic courses, including chemistry, biology
and physics, and all the math that was available. So when I got
to college, and decided to change my major to chemistry, I had some
background already. I was afraid to tell my parents about changing
my major. Ours is a liberal arts household--my dad a psychologist,
my mom a social worker--and I didn't know any practicing scientists
and my parents didn't either. But they were happy about my switch,
if baffled about the subject matter. Like many people, they don't
hold the legal profession in much esteem. I was negatively inspired
to go to graduate school in chemical engineering. I was working
as a quality control chemist at Bendix. I noticed that I was paid
less than the engineers I worked with, and that I was definitely
at least as smart as those guys (and they WERE all guys). So I figured
I could be an engineer too. Also, as a chemist I enjoyed most "engineering"
areas like kinetics, catalysis and thermodynamics. My father was
really helpful when I was in graduate school. He was able to give
me strategies regarding surviving my advisor, who was pleased to
have one of the first female PhD students but who seemed to think
I needed extra torture to prove that, as a woman, I had enough brain
power to get the degree. Based on my work experience, I believe
that affirmative action will no longer be necessary when a woman
or person of color can be as incompetent as a white male and still
hold onto the job. _____ End
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 9, 2001
Q: WE ALL NEED A BREAK FROM THE FAST TRACK ONCE IN AWHILE! JUST
FOR FUN, HOW MANY OF YOU ARE (WERE) ABLE TO ENJOY A SUMMER VACATION?
WHAT WAS THE BEST PART? ANY VACATION SPOT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE
REST OF THE GEM-SET PARTICIPANTS?
A: FROM MENTOR HEATHER SULLIVAN at Daimler Chrysler I took a one-week
vacation in Ohio. Normally, I wouldn't consider Ohio to be a prime
vacation spot, but we had a great time. I have a three-year-old
daughter. We spent 1 day at COSI (Center of Science and Industry)
in Toledo, 2 days at Six Flags (water park, sea life park, and amusement
park) near Cleveland, 3 days at Put-in-Bay, and 2 days at Cedar
Point (amusement park). My daughter loved it, and I had fun in the
little kid areas, also.
A: FROM CASSIE FENOSEFF at GM North America I know I'm a day behind,
but I couldn't miss the opportunity to write in about my honeymoon.
We went to Maui, and I would agree with the other mentor who wrote
in that it is a wonderful island. We were there for 8 days and kept
busy every day, although we had time to relax as well. We went scuba
diving, hiking, biking, on a helicopter ride, snorkeling, sailing,
shopping, to a luau (of course) and many other things. It is also
not as expensive as everyone thinks. I would highly recommend it.
NEW QUESTION: Do you recommend taking time to explore careers between
high school and college or is it better to dive right into a college
program? =========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 10, 2001
Q: DO YOU RECOMMEND TAKING TIME TO EXPLORE CAREERS BETWEEN HIGH
SCHOOL AND COLLEGE OR IS IT BETTER TO DIVE RIGHT INTO A COLLEGE
PROGRAM?
A: FROM STUDENT ELIZABETH C. of Girl Scouts of DuPage
I think that you should explore otherwise you could end up with
a job you
don't like!!!
A: FROM MENTOR MOLLY WILLIAMS at Western Michigan University
I would strongly recommend going right on to college. The jobs
available for someone with a high school degree might leave you
in a
very restricted environment with little chance to explore other
career possibilities. There are many more opportunities to explore
while in a college or university. Academic advisors, career
counseling centers, professors, and other students are available
to
talk about career options. There are also student professional
societies that sponsor activities and programs including interaction
with professionals. This situation gives undergraduates the chance
to see what the various career options are. Furthermore, there are
many chances to find interesting and career-relevant part time
employment while in a college or university. Many institutions
operate an employment service to help students find part time or
summer jobs either off-campus in area businesses or on campus (like
helping to grade papers, set up lab experiments, do office work).
When people employ students, working hours are usually flexible
to
accommodate academic schedules. Even if you don't feel ready to
try
a 4-year institution, at least start a program through a community
college so that you can continue to meet people from different
backgrounds and can continue to advance your education.
A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON at Lucent
If a student has a clear idea of what they want to take, I think
they should
"dive right into college courses". Of course, every student
is different in
what would work. I believe that if the student is not sure what
to go into, the
first two years are a great time to explore different classes while
also
interning or working at a job/jobs that will help to make the decision.
The
first couple years are typically a little easier if you don't take
any high
level courses. It would be nice if the student could mix in one
or two higher
level courses so that the last 2-3 years aren't SO tough, but if
she isn't sure
yet, she may not be able to. If, after a couple years, the major
is still
undecided, I believe that the student definitely should take leave
until she
makes her decision.
Career analysts say that it is typical to change your career a couple
times
during your life. Could that be because we were too young to make
that decision
early on? We grow so much during our late teens and early 20s, even
30s!! I
guess, all through our lives, priorities change. I view taking the
time to
really explore and to learn who you are during these earlier years
as a mature
thing to do. But, students should set a goal, set up a plan. Years
go by
quickly and sometimes that distance from school could cause fear
and
procrastination for returning students. On the other hand, my sister
is a good
example of exploration. She went to two years of college and decided
she just
wasn't sure what she wanted. She had high grades, but just wasn't
sure of her
direction. She quit school. The first 5 or 6 years, she did not
explore. She
just worked. I viewed this as a mistake. But, when she was in her
late 20s,
she got motivated and looked into different careers, chose one and
began taking
classes soon after. She now has a fulltime job in a career she really
enjoys
and is very good at.
NEW QUESTION: What professional societies or associations have
been most important in your career development?
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 13, 2001
Q: WHAT PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES OR ASSOCIATIONS HAVE BEEN MOST IMPORTANT
IN YOUR CAREER DEVELOPMENT?
A: FROM MENTOR JATARA BROWN at Lucent
Without a doubt, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
and the
Society of Women Engineers (SWE). NSBE is the largest student run
organization in the country and were very instrumental in securing
me
internships with both Boeing and HP. Each year, their annual conference
draws more than 200 companies (including Lucent) and approximately
10,000 attendees. I have been an NSBE member since 1996 (4 years
as a
student member, 1 year as an alumni member) and I consider it one
of the
best investments in my career. I served as president of the local
SWE
chapter my last year of college and enjoyed it as well. I am not
currently affiliated with any local chapter yet, but I did enjoy
my
experiences with SWE while I was in college. Interacting with the
other
women in my classes, bringing in guest speakers, and networking
were
just some of the many activities that we were involved in. The above
two
groups are broad, targeted for people involved in most SET programs.
There are many others targeted for specific majors. For computer
science, I was involved with AITP (Association for Information
Technology Professionals), ACM (Association of Computing Machinery)
and
Upsilon Pi Epsilon (the honor society for the computing sciences).
For
math I was involved with the Mathematics Association of America
and Pi
Mu Epsilon (the honor society for mathematics). Even though you
may not
be in college yet, most of these organizations have programs targeted
toward youths and teenagers. If you are interested in a specific
field
or in SET in general, you can contact any of those organizations
directly and ask them for information. They will be happy to help
you
out!
A: FROM MENTOR LIESE DALLBAUMAN at Honeywell
The main society for chemical engineers is the American Institute
of
Chemical Engineers (AIChE). Many, or even most, students join as
undergraduates and virtually all graduate students go through the
rite of
passage of presenting a paper at an AIChE conference. In addition
to
presenting technical conferences, the institute provides continuing
education and offers group insurance coverage, among other things.
I've
been active in the AIChE Separations Division since its birth (1991)
and
have been rising in the ranks since 1995. I'm currently the first
vice
chair and will become chair of the division next year. This division
is
viewed as being one of the most successful in AIChE and I was recently
asked
to discuss why it was doing so well. My short answer is that it's
a great
way to make contacts. I think it's incredibly cool that I can call
up or
email some of the country's most notable chemical engineers -- and
they'll
call back! Sometimes they even call me first. If I have a question
about a
technical problem, I know who to contact for information. My work
with the
division has given me a degree of visibility in other areas of AIChE
-- last
year I was nominated to the Institute's Chemical Technology Operating
Council, which is a group of about twenty industry and academic
folks who
are responsible for 'knowledge advancement and dissemination' --
that
translates to research and programming.
In addition to AIChE, I am a (less active) member of the North American
Membrane Society. This is a smaller, more focused group of people
and the
main benefit I get from this membership is information about what's
going on
in membrane technology.
A: FROM MENTOR BARBARA SMOLEN at Northrop Grumman Corporation
I have really been helped by Society of Women Engineers. For years
I have worked in an all-male department (although now there is one
other women, but not an engineer), and often am the only woman in
meetings with other departments. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only
female engineer out there. Our company has a branch of SWE here.
I joined about 4 years ago. Once a month I get together with the
other members (about 25 or so come to each meeting), and I realize
we're all feeling that way. In addition to the formal meeting, we
have an informal lunch get-together once a month. We meet at a local
restaurant and visit during lunch. I really enjoy that too.
Also, I know so many members, that if I have a technical question,
I can call a woman from that department, and she can direct me to
the expert in that area, male or female. So I have a lot of points
of contact in many departments.
I don't know if our branch is typical or not, but we do a lot of
volunteer work to try to interest Jr High and HS students in science
and technology subjects, and in Engineering as a career. That makes
me feel good, that we are making a difference in the area. One of
the simple things we do is sponsor an essay contest at local Jr.
Highs during Engineering Week, with the topic, "What is an
Engineer?". We award prizes.
A: FROM MENTOR JUDY MCGOOGAN at Lucent
The Society of Women Engineers (www.swe.org) has made a big difference
for me. I've developed a great network of professional friends throughout
the Chicago area - and across the country. I learned a lot by holding
different offices in the Society. I've also grown and learned new
skills by attending their programs, professional development conferences,
and National conventions. Many of these events encouraged me to
take time to do a quiet self-assessment of my values and skills,
and to plan for the future.
Q: DO YOU RECOMMEND TAKING TIME TO EXPLORE CAREERS BETWEEN HIGH
SCHOOL AND COLLEGE OR IS IT BETTER TO DIVE RIGHT INTO A COLLEGE
PROGRAM?
A: FROM MENTOR KIMBERLY O'DONNELL at Motorola:
I would definitely recommend diving right into a college program.
The job possibilities for a high school graduate would be seriously
limited; most companies wouldn't look at someone for a technically
involved job unless that person was at least enrolled in a corresponding
degree program. I do agree that many people don't know what they
want to do going into college; internships and co-op work are a
great way to determine what appeals to you in the "real world".
NEW QUESTION: Has anyone ever switched careers or career tracks?
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 14, 2001
Q: HAVE YOU EVER SWITCHED CAREERS OR CAREER TRACKS?
A: FROM MENTOR HEATHER SULLIVAN at DaimlerChrysler Although I have
worked in the automotive industry since I graduated from college,
I have switched disciplines several times. I have worked in engineering,
quality, and procurement. It's interesting to learn the different
functional areas within a company. It helps you understand how your
department fits within the "big picture", and helps direct
your energy toward satisfying "customers" in other areas
of the company
Q: WHAT PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES OR ASSOCIATIONS HAVE BEEN MOST IMPORTANT
IN YOUR CAREER DEVELOPMENT?
A: FROM MENTOR BIRGIT SORGENFREI at Lincoln Mercury I have been
actively involved with the Society of Women Engineers since my freshman
year at college. This has been a great experience offering opportunities
to practice leadership skills in a low-risk non-threatening environment.
Through such positions at the student, local and national levels
as Meeting Planning Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President
of Student Services, and President, I have developed skills such
as: - Administrative: establishing plans, developing staff structure,
developing systems and processes, managing execution, and working
efficiently - Communication: speaking effectively (in meetings and
in delivering presentations), listening skills, writing effectively
- Interpersonal: building relationships, leveraging networks, valuing
diversity, and managing disagreements - Leadership: providing direction,
leading courageously, influencing others, fostering teamwork, motivating
others, and championing change - Motivation: driving for results
and showing commitment. My recommendation: pursue leadership opportunities
in societies and associations as you will gain much benefit in return
for your efforts.
A: FROM MENTOR CASSIE FENOSEFF at GM North America I'm sure a lot
of other mentors will have the same response- I belonged to the
Society of Women Engineers during college and found it to be beneficial.
It was helpful to get assistance/advice from a group specifically
focused on females and their unique challenges. I also belonged
to Tau Beta Pi, an engineering honor society, which was also beneficial
because not only did it look good on a resume, it gave me a network
of students and professionals to ask questions of, etc.
NEW QUESTION: What are you looking for or did you look for when
choosing a college? =========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 14, 2001
Q: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR OR DID YOU LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A
COLLEGE?
A: FROM MENTOR CASSIE FENOSEFF at GM North America I tried to locate
a smaller college that would have more personalized attention for
the students. I did not want to be just a number. I also was interested
in staying in Michigan, and I wanted a college that had a good reputation
in many areas. At the time I entered college I did not know what
I wanted to do, so I did not want to go to a specialized college,
but instead one that had a variety of degree programs. I ended up
going to Oakland University because it met all of the above criteria
and also because they gave me a full scholarship. I feel it was
a good decision and I even went back for my Master's degree at Oakland.
NEW QUESTION for students from moderator Laura Stempel: Does the
downturn in the tech industry make you think any differently about
your future career? =========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 16, 2001
Q: DOES THE DOWNTURN IN THE TECH INDUSTRY MAKE YOU THINK ANY DIFFERENTLY
ABOUT YOUR FUTURE CAREER?
A: FROM MENTOR BARBARA SMOLEN at Northrop Grumman Corporation My
job, logistics engineering, is primarily a "Defense Industry
only" job, and right now that industry in on the upswing. I
did a lot of investigation a few years ago, when the defense industry
was slowing, and also completed some questionnaires in "What
Color is your Parachute?, a book designed to help you target your
strengths and weaknesses, for use in evaluation of changing careers.
I decided if need be, I would return to school and get a computer
science degree, and specialize (at that time, there may be more
popular languages now) in C++. This is a career that spans defense
industry and non-defense industry. A lot of the same skills required
for Logistics Engineering are used in computer programming. If our
situation looks bad in defense, I would still consider that.
A: FROM MODERATOR, BEAULAH VAZ at IIT I am not sure that I have
the right answer to this question. Anyway, since I started working
as a Co-op counselor, I have seen many students worried about job
prospects in the tech industry. However, the market keeps changing,
and it is always good to have an alternative plan just incase you
need to use it. =========================================================================
GEM-SET DAILY DIGEST for August 17, 2001
Q:DOES THE DOWNTURN IN THE TECH INDUSTRY MAKE YOU THINK ANY DIFFERENTLY
ABOUT YOUR FUTURE CAREER?
A: FROM MENTOR KIMBERLY O'DONNELL at Motorola Not really. It's
normal in the business cycle for there to be periods of prosperity
followed by periods of slow growth. I believe this recent downturn
was caused by the ridiculous overvaluation of Internet and related
tech stocks, and a large influx of day traders not conscious of
the fundamentals of the companies they were buying and selling.
The Internet is here to stay, and there will continue to be a need
for those with technical expertise, but just not at the growth rate
we have seen in the past ten years.
A: FROM STUDENT ELIZABETH C. of Girl Scouts of DuPage I am not
sure!!!!!!
NEW QUESTION: Pretend your employer/school gives you an opportunity
to work anywhere in the world for one year. Where would you most
like to go? =========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 20, 2001
Q: PRETEND YOUR EMPLOYER/SCHOOL GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD FOR ONE YEAR. WHERE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO
GO?
A: FROM MENTOR LYNELLEN PERRY at META Group I would most like to
go to Scotland. I have a lot of Scottish heritage and would love
to spend weekends exploring the land of my forefathers. There are
also some excellent schools there in my discipline (artificial intelligence)
and it would be great to take a class or two!
A: FROM STUDENT ELIZABETH C. at Girl Scouts of DuPage California
A: FROM MENTOR JUDY McGOOGAN at Lucent I love the south of France.
Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo. It's beautiful there with great weather
most of the year + it's a great starting point for trips to Italy,
Spain, France & anywhere else in Europe. I've been there on
business trips twice, and it's a great spot!
A: FROM MENTOR MARY JO MULLEN at Patrick Engineering I think I
would go to Australia. It seems like an amazing place. I could experience
a very different life style without a language barrier, or at least
too much of one. I remember hearing about all the slang they use
from the Olympics. And it would pose a lot of different challenges
at work too. Coming from the Midwest where there is little topography
and going to Australia with mountains, valleys, desserts, river
basins, and ocean, there would be quite the adjustment in site design!
NEW QUESTION: Have you ever had to relocate for your career? If
yes, how did this impact you and your family? =========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 21, 2001
Q: HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO RELOCATE FOR YOUR CAREER? IF YES, HOW DID
THIS IMPACT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY?
A: FROM MENTOR MICHELLE MOENSSENS at GM Corporation This question
could not be more perfect for me than right now. Currently, I am
in the process of relocating from Detroit to Fort Wayne, Indiana
to work at the GM assembly plant there. This is why I haven't written
in so long. Anyway, I have been trying to go to the assembly plant
since February. I am married and have no children, so my husband
and I spent long hours talking about the different possibilities
of moving to Fort Wayne vs. other assembly plants vs. staying here
in Michigan. It was a difficult decision, especially when I am asking
my husband to leave his job for the sake of mine. We talked and
talked and came to the consensus that we would move to Fort Wayne
at the end of 2001. Then, my husband would go back to school full
time (for engineering, remember him?? He's the one who has a sociology
degree and decided how great engineering is later??) Anyway, so
that was our plan. Fort Wayne has a lower cost of living so this
decision would enable him to go full time and get done sooner. Which
is great, college is an investment and I would rather pay more now
but be done quicker because you will get higher return on your investment
sooner. So, I found out three weeks ago that Fort Wayne wants me
NOW. I am starting there next week as a production supervisor. It
is probably one of the hardest and least glorifying positions, but
it is excellent experience for what I want to do. I have a very
supportive husband who understands how important both he and my
career are to me. We have a very open and "us" relationship
where we decide on everything together. This has helped with my
career. We relocated to Michigan last year right out of college.
My husband had never been to Michigan before and decided to move
there without even seeing it. It is a big impact to move, but sometimes
it is necessary and for the better. I think the more you talk about
it, the less impact moving will have. We have talked a lot and we
are both excited to move!!!
A: FROM MENTOR MOLLY WILLIAMS at Western Michigan University Our
only relocation was the move from graduate school in California
to our current home in Michigan. My husband and I were among the
first wave of "two-body problems." We were married while
in graduate school in the mid-60's and then tried to find a location
where we could both use our specializations, one in pharmaceutical
organic chemistry and one in materials science. I had naively thought
that most cities would have job opportunities for both of us. As
it turned out, this was more difficult than expected. So my husband
got a job with a pharmaceutical company, and I got a position teaching
mathematics, chemistry, and physics at a small college. It wasn't
until several years later, when attitudes toward hiring women in
technical fields had changed, that I was able to get a job in a
discipline closer to my primary specialization. At one point, we
seriously considered relocating to get me into a better position,
which would have required compromising my husband's career path.
Ultimately, we were able to stay in the same area. Two-career couples
face the additional challenge of finding suitable employment for
both of them. This is generally possible in major metropolitan areas.
But big cities often have high housing costs and long commuting
times. Finding the right place to develop two careers may be difficult
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 22, 2001
Q: HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO RELOCATE FOR YOUR CAREER? IF YES, HOW DID
THIS IMPACT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY?
A: FROM MENTOR JUDY MCGOOGAN at Lucent I was lucky. My husband
and I work for the same company. When they wanted him to re-locate,
they helped me find a position at the same location he was moving
to. It provided good opportunities for both of us, and ultimately
led to promotions for both of us. Our children were in Kindergarten
and 2nd grade at the time. They adapted quickly. The schools we
moved them to were among the best in the country.
NEW QUESTION: In your career, what is more important, on-the-job
training or in-school training? How many of you participated in
internships while pursuing a degree? =========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 23, 2001
(NOTE: STUDENTS, WE WANT TO HEAR MORE FROM YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS AND/OR COMMENTS FOR GEM-SET? WHAT QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR
CAREER DO YOU HAVE?)
Q: IN YOUR CAREER, WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT, ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
OR IN-SCHOOL TRAINING? HOW MANY OF YOU PARTICIPATED IN INTERNSHIPS
WHILE PURSUING A DEGREE?
A: FROM MENTOR CASSIE FENOSEFF at GM North America
I feel that the on-the-job training I have had for each of my jobs
has been more
beneficial than the in-school training I received. The in-school
training was
important, but it did not give me the specifics I needed to do my
jobs. I
participated in an internship at an electrical component supplier
when I was in
college, and continued to work there part time during my last year.
However, it
was not as beneficial as it could have been due to the assignments
that I was
given. I think internships are most beneficial when you are given
some level of
responsibility and an ongoing project to work on. Most employers
look for
internship experience also.
A: FROM MENTOR JOAN SCHESKE at Ford
Both in-school and on the job training are important. Without a
clear understanding of certain concepts and principles learned in
school, I would not understand the information that I analyze every
day. To analyze the data, I use in-house computer tools, that are
only learned and used here.
Yes, I participated in a summer internship program with General
Motors. Invaluable experience.
A: FROM MENTOR HEATHER SULLIVAN at DaimlerChrysler
The degrees that you hold help determine the types of jobs you will
be
considered for, and help your eligibility for promotions. Most companies
have a salary scale that is dependent on the colleges you attend
(someone
with an engineering degree from MIT will be given a higher starting
salary
than someone with a degree from Wayne State University). Once you
start
working, however, on-the-job training is critical to help you understand
your company's systems/procedures, and will help you learn your
specific
job skills. The companies I have worked for have required that each
employee take 40 hours of training each year through the company
course
offerings. In-school training is typically very general and doesn't
prepare you for a specific job at a specific company in a specific
industry. Regarding internships, I worked at Chrysler for two summers
while I was working on my bachelor's degree. Internships are helpful
if
you are unsure of the industry that you'd like to pursue, and they
also
help train you in the "people" aspects of working in the
corporate world.
In-school education doesn't help prepare students for the interpersonal
communication skills and politics that are so important once they
start
working.
A: FROM STUDENT ELIZABETH C. at Girl Scouts of DuPage
I am not sure cause I don't have a job!!!
A: FROM MENTOR CAROL TOMAN at Lucent
Before my junior year of college was over, I searched
long and hard to find a summer job in my chosen field of
computer science. I walked into dozens of companies
in the area and finally was offered two summer
internships, from which I chose AT&T. I had a fantastic
summer learning from a wonderful, supportive group of
people. Although I learned a lot, that's not where the
value of my internship came from. I'd have done the
same learning in the first three months on a real job anyway.
The bigger benefits were: first, reconfirmation that I liked
the field I was entering and second, during real job
interviews later that year, it demonstrated to employers
that I had initiative. (At the time I thought that the
job experience mattered to the employers, but later I
realized that it was attitude, not experience that they
valued.) My internship had another side effect: I
started asking myself and my teachers "Why am I
learning this? Where does it fit in to the whole picture?"
Up until then, I guess I had always learned for the sake
of learning, but suddenly I realized that I needed to
transfer all this learning to a job.
Which matters more in computer science, book-learning
vs. experience? I believe a mix of the two is best.
Today there are plenty of young people that think they
know all about computers because they grew up using
them and may have even built one from components or
recompiled and installed Linux on one. But they are
missing the whole theoretical side -- after all, it's called
computer *science* because there is a lot of science
in it. On the other hand, getting an advanced degree
without applying the theories and doing the work doesn't
really prepare one for the real world either. Most
college programs in computer science today provide a
good mix of theory and practical application.
A: FROM MENTOR MARY JO MULLEN at Patrick Engineering
In my career, on the job training is where I have learned pretty
much
everything I do on a daily basis. School for me was learning engineering
problem solving and judgement and the basic concepts behind everything
I do.
However all of the modeling programs and calculations methodologies
I have
learned on the job. If I had attended a more rigorous engineering
school,
like Illinois, I might have gotten more in depth in my class work
and
learned a modeling program or two that I use all the time now. I
find that I also learn a lot at seminars offered by American Society
of
Civil Engineers and Illinois Department of Transportation, both
of which
offer regular training in many of the programs I use. I attend a
couple of
such seminars a year and they are a great help.
I had an informal internship for 2 summers at the same company.
I say
informal, because I wasn't there to just do engineering work, they
needed
office help and engineering help, so I was a combination of engineering
intern and secretary. It helped me discover in what area of civil
engineering I was most interested. I would highly recommend getting
a
summer job in the field you are studying, it might even make you
realize
that while the class work you do is very interesting, the job isn't.
A: FROM MENTOR JULIA HOCHBERG at Motorola
Internships during college can be a very rewarding and enjoyable
experience, but it really depends on your interests. I had many
internships in college- some during the summer and some during the
school year. Balancing these while finishing an engineering curriculum
in 4 years was a sacrifice because it had a visible (but not
detrimental) effect on my grade point average. But they were
opportunities that were too good to pass up and, to me, the experiences
were valuable. An example of an added benefit was an internship
at NASA
where I got a lot of experience in a machine shop. Senior year,
I was
able to apply those skills to a machining class where the professor
let
me submit a project I was working on at NASA instead of spending
time
doing a separate project for the class. Upon graduation, I had a
stellar resume and great work experience that gave me skills beyond
the
other graduating students. In contrast, several friends of mine
became
interested in academics and graduate school and so work experience
was
not as important to their education. Instead they focused on their
classes and university research and succeeded in their interests.
In
summary, I think a combination of college classes and work experience
is
key to your education but each job and company is different and
they all
require their own training. My current job would be impossible without
the on-the-job training, classes, and mentoring that I have received.
Engineers are always learning.
END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 24, 2001
NEW QUESTION from MENTOR MAUREEN MCGRATH at SmartForce:
Now that summer is drawing to a close, did any experience (work
or
otherwise) this summer help clarify your ideas about a future career?
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 27, 2001
Q: NOW THAT SUMMER IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE, DID ANY EXPERIENCE (WORK
OR OTHERWISE) THIS SUMMER HELP CLARIFY YOUR IDEAS ABOUT A FUTURE
CAREER?
A: FROM STUDENT ELIZABETH C. at Girl Scouts of DuPage
No, I did not!!!
NEW QUESTION from Student Melissa M. at WISE Program of U. of M:
What do you find most rewarding about a career in engineering?
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 28, 2001
Q: WHAT DO YOU FIND REWARDING ABOUT A CAREER IN ENGINEERING?
A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON at Lucent
I enjoy the teamwork that is imperative to making a system work.
I enjoy
interacting with the intelligent and fun-loving people who are able
to mix
fun into the workplace.
A: FROM MENTOR BARBARA SMOLEN at Northrop Grumman Corporation
Successfully finding a solution to a problem, and maybe being the
only one
that could do it.
A: FROM MENTOR CASSIS FENOSEFF at GM North America
The thing I find most rewarding about engineering is that you are
affecting
products that people are going to use everyday, and therefore affecting
their lives. Engineering provides products such as vehicles, computers,
etc., that have become integral to people's daily lives, and decisions
engineers make could affect how efficient, satisfying, etc. people's
days
are. Usually millions of people are affected by these products also,
not
just a small number. It is nice to know that people are actually
going to
use what you have spent time working on.
A: FROM STUDENT ELIZABETH C. at Girl Scouts of DuPage
I am not sure.
NEW QUESTION FOR STUDENTS: What classes are you looking forward
to
this school year?
NEW QUESTION FOR MENTORS: What were your favorite classes in high
school?
==================================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 29, 2001
Q FOR STUDENTS: WHAT CLASSES ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SCHOOL
YEAR?
Q FOR MENTORS: WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITE CLASSES IN HIGH SCHOOL?
A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON at Lucent
I LOVED my Sociology class in Senior year. It really made sense
of human
behavior and I had an amazing teacher who gave us hands on experience
with projects. I really enjoyed my math classes Freshman through
Junior year
because it came easy to me (Senior year, I hated it because I had
to work at
it). I also loved my Band class which I had every day all 4 years
of school. I
played saxophone and got experience in Concert Band, Marching Band
and Stage
Band. Band helped me develop a sense of teamwork and close friendships
and
also to develop an appreciation of music that will last for the
rest of my
life.
A: FROM MENTOR CASSIE FENOSEFF at GM North America
My favorite class in high school was actually Yearbook (yes, it
was a
class). I liked the creativity the class had, and I also liked how
different
it was from other classes. In the more academic classes, I liked
math the best
since it was usually clear-cut and methodical.
Q: WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST REWARDING ABOUT A CAREER IN ENGINEERING?
A: FROM MENTOR HEATHER SULLIVAN at DaimlerChrysler
A career in engineering offers good pay with a relatively low stress
environment. Depending on your position, the hours are reasonable
(minimal overtime required). Most companies have objectives to increase
the
percent of women employees and managers, so you may have an advantage
relative
to equally qualified men.
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 30, 2001
Q: WHAT WERE (ARE) YOUR FAVORITE CLASSES IN HIGH SCHOOL?
A: FROM MENTOR JUDY MCGOOGAN at Lucent
I think I had favorite teachers more than favorite classes. The
ones I
remember best - and who probably influenced me the most taught math
analysis
(pre-calculus), science seminar (a small class where we formulated
our own
experiments!), and speech.
A: FROM MENTOR: BEAULAH VAZ
My favorite class in high school was chemistry. We did a lot of
cool
experiments and it was always so much fun to watch lab demonstrations.
Besides, I found organic chemistry really fascinating because it
deals with
carbon. And it's just so intriguing how many different compounds
can be made
with just carbon, by simply changing the number of atoms in a given
molecule.
NEW QUESTION: Do you have a favorite quotation that comes to mind
when you
need inspiration or guidance? What is it and who said it originally?
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for August 31, 2001
Q: DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE QUOTATION THAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU
NEED INSPIRATION OR GUIDANCE? WHAT IS IT AND WHO SAID IT ORIGINALLY?
A: FROM MENTOR JULIA HOCHBERG at Motorola
Throughout high school and college, I had the poem titled "Desiderata"
posted on my wall. Its sort of long, so I don't want to post all
of it
here, but I found a copy on this website:
http://hobbes.ncsa.uiuc.edu/desiderata.html. I think I like it so
much
because I really value the perspective it puts on relationships
with
friends, careers, interests, love, and the way the world works-
which
all are often in turmoil during those formative years of high school
and
college. "Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations
to the
spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain
and
bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than
yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans." and
"Be
yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical
about
love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as
perennial as the grass." are two of the verses. The origin
of this poem
has been disputed- some say its from an old church wall and others
say
it was by Max Ehrmann (as noted and copyrighted on the website I
linked). Whatever the case, it has calmed, inspired, and enlightened
me.
NEW QUESTION: What are your favorite hobbies? Do they help or hinder
your career goals?
____
End of August
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