A: FROM MENTOR DR. ESTHER PEARSON OF MASSACHUSETTS
Playing sports has a definite positive effect on a woman's career. Sports teaches several key items that assist in a successful career. It teaches how to work in a competitive atmosphere while still demonstrating and encouraging
teamwork. It also teaches discipline and graciousness in victory and defeat. These four items (competition, teamwork, discipline and graciousness) go a long way in shaping a positive career outlook and taking on leadership roles within academia, government and corporate organizations.

A: FROM MENTOR MARGARET FOWLE, WILDLIFE BIOLOGIST, NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION, MONTPELIER, VT
YES - definitely. I think sports teach you a lot about team work, discipline, and challenging yourself. They can only help you in your career. It is more than likely that you will have to work as part of a team in your job, and sports play a big role in teaching you how to do that. The discipline and hard work required to play sports, whether individual or team, will also prepare you for college and your career. Plus, being physically fit keeps your mind alert
and your body healthy.

A: FROM MENTOR ELLEN PICCIOLI, SENIOR MEMBER OF TECHNICAL STAFF AT COMPAQ
COMPUTER CORP. IN SHREWSBURY, MA
As noted in a reply per extra curricular activities, I played field hockey and lacrosse throughout college, as well as other sports before college. I still play field hockey on a club team. I've often thought back and realized how much
more I got out of playing the sport than just playing field hockey. For example, some of the skills required to excel and be successful in a team sport include team work, leadership, communication, negotiation, planning (contingency and otherwise), motivation, etc. These skills can be applied to many different careers and life experiences.

A: FROM MENTOR MARY JO MULLEN, CIVIL ENGINEER AT PATRICK ENGINEERING
I don't know if it has a direct affect on a woman's career, but I would say my experience in sports was beneficial. You learn things from participating in sports that help you develop skills which are helpful in college and your
career. Your interaction with your coach, especially one that may not be easy to get along with, preps you for interaction with professors and future bosses. The social skills you develop by being involved in a team are very
important in business. Also, many offices participate in some sort of sporting event, whether the company has a softball team in a local league or participates and hosts golf outings. I've found golf to be huge in engineering, I've been trying to learn to play so that I can be a part of the outings that take place. As unfair as it may seem, playing in these outings can really help your career.

A: FROM MENTOR CASSIE FENOSEFF, DESIGN RELEASE ENGINEER AT GM NORTH AMERICA
I think that sports (or any other extracurricular activities) have an indirect affect on your career. They can help you get into college, or even obtain a job when people see that you are well-rounded and involved. That is the experience
that I have had.
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Q: FROM MENTEE STEPHANIE H. IN CT
For any mentors in the field of medicine, at which point in your lives did you first become interested in your career option and also when did you decide for sure that you would be pursuing that career? (middle school, high
school, college?) I'd be interested to know, because I'm a sophomore in high school and I'm pretty sure medicine is a field I would like to get into.
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Q: FROM MENTEE ALLIE IN KY
What classes are beneficial for me in high school, since I want to be a nurse.
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NEW QUESTIONS
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Q: FROM MENTEE MADDIE W. IN KY
If I were to look into a job in the field of the study of history, but I want to travel the world what would be a good job to look into?

Q: FROM MENTEE LEAH C. IN KY
What jobs are the most injoyable for a good amount of pay
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END
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for January 3, 2002
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Q: FROM MENTEE LEEANN M. IN KY
In your opinion, does playing sports in high school have any affect on a women's career?

A: FROM MENTEE JESSICA M. in Vermont
I believe playing sports in high school has an effect on a women's career. Women who play sports in high school are more competitive in their work. Being more competitive these women are able to take a loss alot easier than those who have never played sports. Playing sports makes a women stronger to deal with losses in her career. Participating in sports makes women compete harder for a certain career than it would if they didn't compete.

A: FROM MENTOR RACHEL SPROUSE, WEST VIRGINIA OPERATIONS CHANGE MANAGEMENT
LEADER AT DOW CHEMICAL CO.
Yes! Playing sports teaches you valuable skills that you cannot learn from a textbook. Working with other women and/or men in a team setting teaches you how to interact with others. It is essential to learn how to work with
others, adapt to their differences and still be effective in a working environment. By participating in sports, you will begin to develop some of these skills. Also, being active in sports is a great way to network with other men or women. This, too, is important in a working environment - to meet new people that could be a help to you in your career.

A: FROM MENTOR NANCY VANDLING, ASST. PROGRAM MANAGER, ENGINEERING AND
CONSTRUCTION DIVISION, PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY IN PITTSBURGH, PA
It may or may not effect your career choice; however, I believe that it positively assists you in college and in your career position. Participating in sports helps you learn how to: participate and work together as a team; plan and schedule your activities so that there is time to practice, attend competition events or games, study/do home work, spend time with your family, and participate in other social events; develop communications skills with many types of people and personalities; compete for and achieve a goal; improve your concentration; budget your funds to
acquire necessary equipment or to get to an event; use your imagination to raise funds for the team; and develop your social skills.
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Q: FROM MENTEE STEPHANIE H. IN CT
For any mentors in the field of medicine, at which point in your lives did you first become interested in your career option and also when did you decide for sure that you would be pursuing that career? (middle school, high
school, college?) I'd be interested to know, because I'm a sophomore in high school and I'm pretty sure medicine is a field I would like to get into.

A: FROM MENTOR MARSHA SEGEBARTH, PhD, INSTRUCTOR OF MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY &
ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN IN
I don't know that I can exactly pinpoint when I decided I wanted a career in the health field! I always enjoyed biology (science in middle school) and always wanted to know "why" - the research part. During high school I
decided I wanted to be a part of the medical arena, but I did not think I wanted to pursue medical school. When I entered college I did so as a pre-pharmacy major. Quickly I decided that I wanted more 'hands on' and switched my major to medical technology/biology. I really enjoyed the laboratory experiences. My master's degree is in Allied Health Science. I have never regretted my decision. I think you need to examine what you REALLY like. For me, it was biology and laboratory experiences. Medical technology was a perfect fit. For you it may be something different. If you really love chemistry, maybe pharmacy (an area in which you actually prepare the prescriptions rather than just dispense) might be what you want. Examine your motives. If you think you want medicine based on the prestige and the income, think again! Please!!! It is so much more important to spend your life doing something you really love than working for the income.

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGAHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER, LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
I decided to work with software when I was a sophomore in college. I changed my major from Elementary Education to Software because I took a class in Fortran and realized I really liked it, I understood it and it would make more money than teaching. Also, I had been a park leader during the previous summer and realized that I had less patience with kids than I thought!!
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Q: FROM MENTEE ALLIE IN KY
What classes are beneficial for me in high school, since I want to be a nurse.

A: FROM DR. ESTHER PEARSON IN MASSACHUSETTS.
I strongly recommend that you take Biology, Chemistry and Anatomy/Physiology. Also any advanced courses in these areas that are available to you are recommended. These three areas are the core in high school curriculum for
preparation for a career as a Registered Nurse.
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Q: FROM MENTEE MADDIE W. IN KY
If I were to look into a job in the field of the study of history, but I want to travel the world what would be a good job to look into?

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY,
PROVIDENCE, RI
Even dry-as-dust academic historians travel to archives all over the world. Journalists travel, and the more they know history the more they can understand of what they see in the present. Writers - novelists and magazine writers as well as historians - have a good excuse to travel, for background and accurate local color. There are tours to all sorts of historically interesting places, and a guide who knows her history would get to travel and meet people (of course a tour guide has to be nice to demanding customers whether she feels like it or not!). Bon voyage!

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER, LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
One that comes to mind is geologist. Another is archaeologist. Both deal with history and both require lots of travel to digs. The following definitions of these two sciences are taken from the third college edition of Webster's New World Dictionary: Geology is the science dealing with the physical nature and history of the earth, including the structure and development of its crust, the composition ofits interior, individual rock types, the forms of life found as fossils etc. Archaeology is the scientific study of the life and culture of past, especially ancient, peoples, as by excavation of ancient cities, relics, artifacts, etc.

A: FROM MENTOR CHANDRA L INGLIS, ARCHAEOLOGIST WEST VIRGINIA DIVISION OF
HIGHWAYS IN CHARLESTON, WV
Authors who write historical novels, often travel to do research. Antropologists and archaeologists, depending on their field of study travel quite a bit to do their work. You could become a teacher on the Semester at Sea ship. Learn a Foreign language and become an interpreter, or get involved in political science

A: FROM MENTOR TERESA ESSER, WRITER
You can travel the world regardless of which career you choose. When I was an undergraduate I served as a research assistant for Professor Harriet Ritvo, the head of the history faculty at MIT: <http://mit.edu/hnritvo/www>http://mit.edu/hnritvo/www/ Professor Ritvo was always flying off to Great Britian to access original research materials at particular libraries. Clearly, if you want to study the history of a certain region, it's a good idea to travel to that region. But most professional fields have opportunities for travel. If you study geology or anthropology you will have to travel to the places where your rocks or your indigenous populations are.
If you study Biology or Environmental Engineering or any other scientific subject you will probably
have to present your research findings to your colleagues at scientific conferences around the world. If you study medicine you might choose to take your skills to a part of the world that is plagued with diseases. If you study wind power you might find yourself traveling to China to examine the potential for generating wind power in that country. Student travel is cheaper than you think! Check out the air fares on this Web site:
<http://www.statravel.com/>http://www.statravel.com/ Check out inexpensive lodgings at this site:
<http://www.iyhf.org/home_gb.html>http://www.iyhf.org/home_gb.html I have stayed at youth hostels in New York City and Australia and they are generally pretty reasonable. I think the United States lags behind other countries in encouraging its young people to go abroad. In Australia, going "on walkabout" is practically a rite of
passage. If you travel before the age of 25 you can get heavily discounted rates on airfare. I'm pretty sure that Eurail has cheap rates for students and those under 25: <http://www.railpass.com/>http://www.railpass.com/ There are a number of excellent travel book series, such as the Rough Guides <http://travel.roughguides.com/>http://travel.roughguides.com/
and Lonely Planet <http://www.lonelyplanet.com/>http://www.lonelyplanet.com/
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Q: FROM MENTEE LEAH C. IN KY
What jobs are the most enjoyable for a good amount of pay?

A: FROM MENTOR MARTY CHINTALA, RESEARCH BIOLOGIST, US EPA, ATLANTIC ECOLOGY
DIVISION, NARRAGANSETT, RI
Leah, I think the answer to that is very subjective and depends on each person's personality and interests. What is enjoyable to me, may not be for you. Also, I sometimes find that there can be an inverse relationship between what you find enjoyable, and how much money you can make at it. Sometimes you may have to choose which is more important to you, doing something you like, or making good money. I, personally, prefer to do something I enjoy for a job, and then I just live within my means. There are always ways to get extra money, whether it is working an extra job, etc. But if I have a main job that I spend a lot of time doing, I want to be able to enjoy it.

A: FROM MENTOR DANELL M. OLIVER-COLLINS, RETAIL INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER, HALLMARK
CARDS, INC, IN KANSAS CITY, MO
This is a difficult question to answer in black and white terms. For a job to be enjoyable it depends on who is doing the work. I could be an accountant and get good pay but I don't enjoy numbers that much. I love engineering becaue I get to design and build things and it has pretty good pay and other benefits. If you want to get paid well for doing what you enjoy look into getting a college degree or some kind of advanced technical training in a field that interests you. The college/training on your resume will make you eligible for positions with higher pay.

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER, LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
All jobs are enjoyable by someone! It all depends upon your own interests. You should talk to your school counselor about your interests and she/he can help you find career possibilities. From there, you can look up the average pay
for these careers.
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Q: FROM MODERATORS TO GEM-SET MENTORS THAT ARE ENGINEERS
We have over a dozen types of engineers in the GEM-SET mentoring program. How did you decide on your engineering specialty? What makes your specialty more interesting than the others?

A: FROM MENTOR RACHEL SPROUSE AT DOW CHEMICAL CO.
I chose chemical engineering because I enjoyed chemistry and found it fascinating. Chemistry allows one to create something totally new from two or more substances. Also, the chemical engineering field is one of the top paying four year degrees in engineering. Working in the chemical engineering field also allows me to do numerous things throughout my career - I am not "stuck" in the same job year after year. I have the ability to transfer to a different plant within my location and learn a completely new process, learn the new chemistry, etc. I work on totally different projects from month to month, which keeps things interesting. I can be working on a project to improve the safety of my plant, and also be working on a project to improve the quality of the product at the same time. I also have the option to work in design, R&D, maintenance, operations, EH&S (environmental, health and safety), etc. The options are endless.
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NEW QUESTIONS
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Q: FROM MELANIE T. IN KY
When it was time for you to decided what you would major in for college, what did you take into account to help you make this decision?
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Q: FROM MENTEE JESSICA M. IN VERMONT
What is the difference between a four year and two year business college? Is four years a bachelors degree and two years an associates degree?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for January 4, 2002
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Note: Are you new to the daily digest? If you want to read past discussions, go to the "Daily Digest Archives" found at <http://www.gem-set.org/>http://www.gem-set.org. At this web site you will also find short biographies on each of the GEM-SET mentors. Feel free to ask a question to a specific mentor or to the entire GEM-SET list by sending your question to GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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Q: FROM MELANIE T. IN KY
When it was time for you to decided what you would major in for college, what did you take into account to help you make this decision?

A: FROM MENTOR CASSIE FENOSEFF, DESIGN RELEASE ENGINEER AT GM NORTH AMERICA
I considered what classes I had liked and had done well in in high school, what types of programs the college I was attending offered, and what industries had good potential for the future, among other things. However, I think the most important thing to consider is what you are interested in. Don't choose something just for the money, because it's easy, because your friends are in it, or because your parents think you should. You will be much happier if you
choose something because you like it.

A: FROM DANELL OLIVER-COLLINS, RETAIL INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER, HALLMARK CARDS,
INC, IN KANSAS CITY, MO
I looked at the classes I liked best in school and what activities I liked outside of school. I talked with people about their jobs asking them what they do and how they do it and what the pros and cons were of their jobs. You don't have to decide before you get to college. You can use the first year or two of college taking classes in all areas to help expose you to the different fields out there. I recommend any seminar classes which give a general overview of the degree and the careers you can make for yourself using those degrees.

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
The main thing I took into account was which classes I liked and did fairly well in. Secondly, I realized that the career I was choosing would make a pretty good living, but that wasn't my main reason. I also took into account the
number of jobs in that field. Tech fields were growing back in the late 70s, early 80s and they were beginning to encourage women to enter these fields.

A: FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS, PhD, DIRECTOR, WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
PROGRAM AT KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN MANHATTAN, KS
Melanie, I think almost everyone has an interesting story about how they finally picked their college major! Here at
K-State, most students change their major 2 or 3 times before deciding on a final choice. When I was still in high
school, I thought I wanted to be a psychologist or a forester, because I had taken a psychology course I liked, and because I liked trees. However, I initially chose environmental engineering for a couple of reasons: I was good at math, so my mom encouraged me to try engineering. She had two brothers who were engineers and she knew they had done a lot of math when they were students, but she didn't really know anything else about engineering. So I looked through my college catalog at all the descriptions of engineering majors and that helped a little but I still didn't really understand it. I finally picked environmental engineering because I liked trees and nature and I thought it would be connected somehow. In my first year of college, I found out that environmental engineering was not really interesting to me. But I had a work-study job and was fortunate to work in the nuclear engineering department. I got to know a lot of the professors and I got really interested in atoms and nuclear energy and so I
switched majors. Later I switched again, to engineering science, because I wanted to do a research project and all the students in that major had to do one. One semester I had to do a research paper on a new area of technology and I wrote about magnetic resonance imaging, which was just being developed at that time (mid-1980s.) This was really interesting to me and so I did my research project on an imaging technology with a professor in the nuclear engineering department. It was in working on this project as a senior in college that I really discovered what I loved - the combination of engineering science and medical research. I went on to graduate school to do more research in this area and eventually got my PhD in biomedical engineering. There are a few things you can tell from this story: 1. I was lucky to have someone (my mom) who encouraged me to try non-traditional career choices like engineering. 2. My early choices, in high school and my choice of first major in college, turned out to be things that I really wasn't interested in - so it's a good idea to let yourself keep exploring options for a long time and look for opportunities to see if something that interests you is really what you like. 3. Don't be surprised if you change your major once or twice or three times as an undergraduate! That's a normal part of the process of figuring out what you want to do. Very few people know by the time they start college exactly what they want to do. 4. To help you figure out what you like - take a variety of classes. If you have an opportunity to job shadow someone, do so (job shadowing helped me figure out I didn't want to be a forest ranger.) When you get to college, try to get a job working in a department that interests you but that you haven't chosen as a major. You can do this as a workstudy student or if you don't have work study, perhaps you can volunteer. This is a good way to meet people and learn more about a major to see if you like it. There are so many interesting things to do that it is hard to pick just one! The good thing is you don't have to know for sure on your first day of college what you want to do for the rest of you life!

A: FROM MENTOR MARTY WOELFEL, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY AT KENTUCKY STATE
UNIVERSITY
There's three big things to consider: First, what do you really like to do? Second, what can you become really good at doing? Third, what career opportunities does the major lead to? The first question is important because you are unlikely to do well in your major unless you have some interest and enjoyment in the major field of studies. You are also unlikely to be either really good or really happy in a career unless you like what you are doing. The second question is important because most folks are more talented and suited for excellence in some areas than in others--and this has to do with more than just study or attitude alone. Just as specific types of physique influences success in specific sports, your aptitudes and personal characteristics influence how successful you may be in specific careers. I'd hate to see a pediatrician who intensely dislikes babies and children, for instance, or a field biologist who is intensely allergic to outdoor allergens. And, I suspect that although I really like music and sing reasonably decently, I was not born with the right combination of vocal cords and other physical factors needed to become an outstanding career vocalist. (So I sing in a chorus for fun, instead, and have developed my voice considerably there. . .but not to
soloist quality.) The third question is important because most of us have to work for a living--and it's important to do your life's work in what you like to do and are good at doing. So, you'll want some assurance that if you major in a particular area and become good in doing things related to that field, you will be able to find a job you find satisfactory in terms of income, lifestyle, and future opportunities for growth. Remember, as a previous mentor has said recently, money is not everything. For example, many of us who have chosen to teach have deliberately passed up more lucrative careers because of job satisfaction factors unrelated to income. You'll want to look for the right mix for you--sufficient income to live comfortably and job satisfaction/lifestyle factors which enable you to enjoy your life's work.
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Q: FROM MENTEE JESSICA M. IN VERMONT
What is the difference between a four year and two year business college? Is four years a bachelors degree and two years an associates degree?

A: FROM MENTOR MARTY WOELFEL, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY AT KENTUCKY STATE
UNIVERSITY
You've hit on one of the differences between two and four-year colleges, but there are others as well. . . and at both, finishing a program may take a different amount of time than what you might expect. "Two year" and "four year" programs assume that a student comes in ready to start the program (no remedial or "catch up" work in English or Math, for instance), will study full time, and will experience no unluckiness or changes in career plans. In actuality, the records show many students do not finish a program in the "announced" number of years but often take longer. Still, in general, an associate's degree is considered a two year degree and a bachelor's degree is considered a
four-year degree. Two-year colleges often offer associate degrees, but many have other "certificate" programs of various lengths which lead to certification (and sometimes licensure) in specific career areas. Some stick mainly
to vocational/technical careers, and others have programs which lead more smoothly to a four-year bachelor's degree (these are often called "transfer" programs). To confuse things more, some four-year schools (mine included) have some certificate and two-year programs they offer. The most important thing to remember is to choose a program that is right for you at a school you can attend (i.e., you qualify for admission and you can afford to go there). For some types of careers, two year schools are the best bet. Also, in many parts of the country, a lot of students typically begin study at a two year school and then transfer to a four-year school to complete a bachelor's degree. No matter what type of school you choose, check to see if it is "accredited." In every area of the country, there are certain agencies which check out schools and make sure they meet certain minimum quality standards. (For the southern states, for instance, the accrediting should have a statement in its catalogue indicating by whom it is
accredited. Your guidance counselor at high school or admissions counselors at colleges and universities should be able to help you find these statements. I'd be careful about going to any school that is not accredited by one of the major agencies.

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES
You got it right - Bachelors degrees typically can be finished in 4 years, and associates in 2 years. Some people can do it faster, some slower. Typically, the jobs that require more schooling also pay better. But, this isn't always the case. Sometimes, getting an associates and starting at entry level for that degree can get you a foot in the door. And you can then work your way up into higher paying positions with your own work experience. Also, sometimes the company will help pay for your schooling to go for a bachelors, masters ( the degree you receive after your bachelors) or phd (degree after themasters).
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NEW QUESTIONS
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Q: FROM MENTEE ALYSSA G.
I have such a boring science teacher. He collects rocks!! How can I learn to pay attention in class?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for January 7, 2002
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Note: NEW QUESTIONS ARE LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DAILY DIGEST.
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Q: FROM MELANIE T. IN KY
When it was time for you to decided what you would major in for college, what did you take into account to help you make this decision?

A: FROM JENNIFER MARSH, PhD, Esq., SENIOR ASSOCIATE, COUNCIL ON SECONDARY
EDUCATION IN FRANKFORT, KY
I only had to look at what I enjoyed spending my time doing and then scanned course catalogs to find a major that encompassed those interests. I spent my days since I was old enough to walk with animals, plants, learning about
birds,standing in water to see who lives there, so biology was natural for me. After I received my Ph.D. I decided the world that I loved so much needed an advocate and went to law school so I could practice environmental law. After
practicing for a few years I realized the protection I had envisioned begins with legislation so went to work as general counsel for my state's legislative body. The story I'm telling you is that as a seventeen year old, I never, ever considered that I would be an attorney, working in senate and house chambers all day, researching, drafting, and negotiating legislation, but all the classes I took throughout my college career, even the ones that didn't seem applicable at the time, prepared me for where I stand today. Look at how you spend your time, note the things you do that make you happy, and follow that path. Where the path leads may not be where you started but if you stick to your interests, you'll enjoy the trip.
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Q: FROM MENTEE ALYSSA G.
I have such a boring science teacher. He collects rocks!! How can I learn to pay attention in class?

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY IN
PROVIDENCE, RI
Is he teaching you about rocks, or is his collection just a hobby? You know, boredom is in the mind of the beholder - different people find different things intrinsically fascinating or intrinsically dull. There are just different tastes; and you can find someone who collects almost anything you can think of. But there are also styles of teaching that work better than others (and styles that work well with one student often don't with another student.) One thing I do if a lecture is boring is think about how I might make it more interesting, if I had to give the lecture. Might there be
some demonstrations, some show-and-tell to liven it up? What real-life examples might I add, to connect the subject with students' own experience or interests? With rocks, for example - some are quite beautiful, particularly crystalline minerals, and that makes them more pleasant to study. If I were to say that women have a long history of being interested in rocks like diamonds, rubies, amethysts, sapphires - and might care to know how to tell the real
ones from imitations - I might get shouted off this list as being anti-feminist.... so I would never say that. ;-) All rocks are products of geological processes that tell us a lot about the earth. Are they sedimentary, telling us that they came from the bottom of a sea or lake? With fossils to reveal their age? Were they deposited by the wind? Were they heated? Have they been melted? How fast did they cool? Were they formed right where we find them or were they moved - by man or by glaciers? We can learn about the state of the earth when they formed - and that's pretty
impressive, so long ago and no written history to consult. Some rocks are useful for building materials, and traveled long distances. If you live in a city with stone buildings, where did that stone come from, and how was it transported? What properties allow us to be sure that the granite in two neighboring buildings had to come from different quarries hundreds of miles apart? How was it transported to the site 150 years ago? Anyway, even with a subject like rocks you can think of questions that might interest you and connect with things that you already find
intrinsically interesting. You might even find that your teacher would enjoy making these connections if you ask questions. Or you might just have learned that this subject is one that you don't care about and won't care about, and move on to others. Good luck!

A: FROM MENTOR ANNALIESE BRATCHER, INFO TECH TRAINER, U. KENTUCKY
There are things you can do during class that will help you develop scientific knowledge despite a boring teacher. If the textbook is interesting, you could read and study it. Teacher rarely object to students working with the class's textbook. However, to actually pay better attention during the class and get the most out of your teacher and class
sessions (as you suggest), consider trying to engage your teacher. Since you know he like rocks, give rocks a second look and see if you can find some new interests. My son loves volcanoes, so I'm learning tons of stuff about the many uses of volcanic rock. Pumice is used for soaps, buffs and all kinds of personal grooming products. Perlite an excellent plant starter (instead of soil or mixed into soil) is exploded volcanic rock. You might also find it interesting to explore what myths various cultures have associated with gems and other rocks. If you can involve your teacher in a discussion of something like this, he may realize that during his class, he can talk with real people who have an interest in science. He may start involving you and your fellow students in the classes. When I've tried this strategy in the past, I've been amazed at how much a little student-initiated conversation can impact a teacher.

A: FROM MENTOR CAROL TOMAN, DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF TECHNICAL STAFF AT LUCENT
TECHNOLOGIES, INC. IN NAPERVILLE, IL
Hey, I collect rocks and I'm not boring! One of my favorites is a garnet the size of a grape half exposed from its field of micaceous schist which I got on a trip to Alaska. Another favorite is a piece of the mineral smithsonite in the most beautiful turquoise shade which I collected from the only place on earth that contains that color, Kelly, New Mexico. You might try staying after class one day and asking your teacher why he collects rocks and which are his favorites. You may find out that he's a very interesting person when not lecturing in front of the class. On the other hand,
some teachers really are boring and it's tough to get much out of the class. My daughter had the same problem
in her 8th grade science class. She was so bored that she got into trouble by talking and goofing off all the time (which was unusual for her). I had a talk with the principal, told him that my daughter was bored, and asked if she could do independent study for science. His answer was no, but he had a different idea that we implemented and it
worked. She was assigned to be the "tutor" for a student that was having difficulty in the class. They sat together and she was allowed to talk with him as much as necessary. Her job was to make sure that his grade improved. He went from an F to a C+. My daughter had something to focus on and gained the experience of tutoring, which she continues to do as a job in high school. My advice to you is: 1) look into yourself and figure out why you are bored. Don't just blame it on the teacher. 2) talk with your parents and/or teacher and/or principal about the problem. 3) Keep a constructive attitude at all times. You may find some way to modify the situation that makes it more interesting, but you might just have to live with it. There will always be boring teachers, even in college. Learn
the material from the book, get a good grade, and think of the time you spend in science class as a rest period. Good luck.
A: FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS, PHD, DIRECTOR OR WOMEN IN ENGINEERING SCIENCE
PROGRAM AT KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Hi Alyssa! I remember having a boring science teacher in 8th grade. One of our exams was just a list of terms and we had to say which chapter each term came from. Boring! Not to mention I didn't learn much. Here's what I tried to do. I paid enough attention to figure out what I had to do in that class to get an A. Then I spent time reading my textbook for fun, including the parts we didn't get assigned to read. And when I wanted more information about something, I would look it up in the encyclopedia or try to find other sources of information. My boring teacher didn't do anything so interesting as collect rocks. Why do you think your teacher collects rocks? Maybe he wanted
to be a geologist at one point. Does he talk about the rocks in class? Or does he just display them? If he doesn't talk about them, maybe you could try asking him some questions: Why do you collect rocks? Why these particular rocks? What are the similarities and differences between the rocks? Where did you get these rocks? and so on. You can't change the way your teacher teaches, but while you are waiting for next year and hoping for a better teacher, try to explore other sources of learning about science. See what's in the library; if you have a local science museum, visit it. There are some good science exploration kits and projects on the market; maybe your parents would be willing to get you one or a few of them if you expressed an interest.

A: FROM MENTOR MARY CHINTALA, RESEARCH BIOLOGIST, U.S. E.P.A., ATLANTIC
ECOLOGY DIVISION IN NARRAGANSETT, RI
Alyssa, Whenever I thought a teacher or class was boring, I always tried to find something in it that interested me, and focus on that. If that failed, then I tried to turn it into a game where I would compete with myself to keep doing better. I, too, didn't like a science teacher that I had in 7th grade- she loved rocks as well, and always wanted us to
memorize all these dumb rocks and be able to recognize them. It was hard for me to do since I was bored and didn't care about them. But what got me through it was I would focus on something other than her boring teaching. I would try to find something about the rocks that interested me, particularly the color or the texture and what could they be useful for. Then I didn't have to remember the rocks by rote, but by the characteristic that I associated with them- and it gave me something that I wanted to focus on and associated what she wanted me to focus on. Good luck, there's nothing harder for me than focusing on something I'm bored with!
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Q: FROM MENTEE STEPHANIE H. IN CT
For any mentors in the field of medicine, at which point in your lives did you first become interested in your career option and also when did you decide for sure that you would be pursuing that career? (middle school, high
school, college?) I'd be interested to know, because I'm a sophomore in high school and I'm pretty sure medicine is a field I would like to get into.

A: FROM MENTOR MARGO AUXTER, RADIATION THERAPIST,ST. JOHN HOSPITAL IN
TULSA, OK
I decided pretty early, in my sophomore year of high school. I knew I wanted to be in the medical field, and it just took a little research to find Radiation Therapy. Radiography sounded interesting, but as I researched, it sounded less and less like the career for me. I thought about what part of medicine I liked and didn't like. Radiation therapy fit all my criteria. I had never known a therapist, or even seen a treatment facility. I had to do a lot of footwork on my own, but it was worth it. I visited hospitals, and called several schools to find the answers to my questions. I wanted to know about schooling, pay, working conditions, and everyday responsibilities. Radiation therapy is a bit of an obscure career, so your school advisor will more than likely be able to help you research most careers.
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NEW QUESTIONS
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Q: FROM MENTEE ANNE MARIE IN IN
I am really interested in Phorensic science. I think it's pretty cool, but I'd like to know how much of it is made up by tv shows like CSI?
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Q: FROM MENTEE CHRISTINE B. IN CT
Are there any programs or interships that high school students can get and not be seniors?
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Q: FROM MENTEE AMANDA W. IN KY
I want to do a double major, but don't know how that works. The major's I want have some of the same classes. Would I have to take those classes again?
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END
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for January 8, 2002
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Note: NEW QUESTIONS ARE LOCATED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DAILY DIGEST.
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Q: FROM MENTEE ANNE MARIE IN IN
I am really interested in Phorensic science. I think it's pretty cool, but I'd like to know how much of it is made up by tv shows like CSI?

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY IN
PROVIDENCE, RI
I think it's pretty real. Some years ago I heard a fascinating talk by a real forensic scientist, full of gruesome details like telling the time of death from the maggots in the corpse and the place of death from which species of maggot, and I know that was for real. What impresses me most is the open-ended, interdisciplinary nature of the work. Absolutely everything about a crime scene is able to tell tales about who was there and when events happened. You're right, it's pretty cool! There is an American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
<http://www.aafs.org/>http://www.aafs.org links to a lot of information, including a list of undergraduate (and graduate programs in the US and abroad. http://www.aafs.org/schools1.htm#UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS. Both doctors and non-medical scientists can contribute.
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Q: FROM MENTEE CHRISTINE B. IN CT
Are there any programs or internships that high school students can get and not be seniors?

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
I'm not sure how all high schools work their internship programs. My high school did not have one. But, if I wanted to do an internship on my own as a Junior or Senior, I could take the initiative and go to businesses and find
oneon my own. Most businesses would be glad to have volunteer help as long as you show maturity in your interview.

A: FROM MENTOR ELYSSA MARGOLIS, PHD CANDIDATE AT UCSF/UCBERKELEY IN BERKELEY,
CA
There are many programs out there available to students at different educational stages. When I was in high school, I participated in a different program each summer, including programs at Lehigh U., Northwestern U., Clarkson U., and Brookhaven National Labs. One thing to keep in mind is that many of the programs that say they prefer Juniors
becoming Seniors will admit some younger students as well. The program at Northwestern (we were cherubs, in case you come across the literature for the program) was supposed to be for the summer before your senior year,
but I went the summer before my junior year. I had just finished my freshman year when I went to Lehigh, and although there were many students there who were older than me and I had not yet taken all of my science classes, I was still able to keep up. I know of at least 2 more programs (UCSF, NIH) that accept high school students at different levels. Another thing to keep in mind if you don't go to a formal internship/program is that local college/university labs often will be interested in setting up an internship-like position for you. A number of
people in my high school did this at one of our local Universities, (both during the summer and during the school year) and they wound up doing some really interesting research. You can see if any of your teachers have connections with local Universities, or you can go directly to the department(s) you are interested in and talk to them. You could probably even find out about research that different professors are doing through the web and call/email them directly about visiting their labs and possibly working their for the summer. I am currently working on my PhD in Bioengineering at Berkeley/UCSF, and my advisor has received a number of such emails while I have been in the lab. Sometimes companies will also have summer internship programs for high school and college students. I think GM usually runs a very extensive high school and college summer program. These may be listed in
the newspaper or through your guidance couselors' office.
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Q: FROM MENTEE AMANDA W. IN KY
I want to do a double major, but don't know how that works. The major's I want have some of the same classes. Would I have to take those classes again?
A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY IN
PROVIDENCE, RI
Each college will have its own rules about double majors. I think it's typical that a student is required to compete the degree requirements for each major separately - when it come to the total number of courses. If the same course is required for two majors, I doubt that you'd be required to take it twice; but if 10 courses are required for each you'd need 20 appropriate courses, filling up the total for each with electives. There should be written rules at each school, and very likely a dean in charge of advising students who want double majors. But consider majoring in just one subject and taking a lot of the second without formally declaring it as a second major. That frees you from a lot of requirements, allowing you to study more broadly outside the single major. I handle admission to graduate school, and I know that we look at an applicant's total record and that often students go to graduate school in a subject other than their official undergraduate major, if they are well prepared to go on with that subject. Employers too should have the sense to look at a whole transcript, not just at the title of the major. I majored in chemistry myself, but went to graduate school in biochemistry with hardly any background in biology - and that worked out fine. My PhD is officially in "medical sciences" but in reality not medical at all, just from a basic science graduate program based
in a medical school. I post-doc'd in a biology department and my first real job was as Assistant Professor of Chemistry. So I don't believe that titles are very important. The content of what you know is what's important.
(What's really bizarre is that I ended up an Associate Dean, doing accounting and social work with no formal education in either field!)

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
If you double major and those majors have the same classes in their curriculum,you will be able to count the same class toward both majors. That is how I was able to minor in Math and major in Computer Science which had an emphasis on Math. All the math classes went toward my minor, too.

A: FROM MENTOR MOLLY WILLIAMS, PHD, PE, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH AND
GRADUATE PROGRAMS AT THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES, WESTERN
MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY IN KALAMAZOO, MI
You'll have to check with the policies for the college you select. Generally there are clear rules for getting a double major or even two bachelor's degrees. You don't have to take any class twice. You just have to fill the requirements of each of the programs, even though there may be a lot of overlap of the requirements. For example a double major in chemistry and physics would have very similar requirements in introductory sciences, mathematics and general education, but would have different advanced course requirements. You would have to take both sets of advanced courses to get the double major. The additional time needed would probably be a year to take the extra courses. In some cases, you can get two separate degrees, for example a bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline and a bachelor of science in mathematics. The mathematics needed in an engineering program goes along way toward fulfilling the requirements of a mathematics major. My institution (Western Michigan University) will award two
bachelor's degrees if the student takes at least 30 credits (8 to 10 courses, or two semesters) beyond the first degree's requirements. This works well for students who want degrees in both mechanical and aeronautical engineering, or in electrical and computer engineering, or in chemical and paper engineering, because each of these program pairs are quite similar in requirements. Incidentally, a safe option is to graduate as soon as you complete one program's requirements, and then to take the extra courses to complete the second program. That way, you have one diploma in hand as soon as possible, so if you don't quite complete the second program, you still have a degree. If all goes well, you can attend two commencement ceremonies, and you get two nice certificates to hang on the wall.
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Q: FROM MENTEE STEPHANIE H. IN CT
For any mentors in the field of medicine, at which point in your lives did you first become interested in your career option and also when did you decide for sure that you would be pursuing that career? (middle school, high school, college?) I'd be interested to know, because I'm a sophomore in high school and I'm pretty sure medicine is a field I would like to get into.

A: FROM MENTOR DESIREE BUTTER, MD FROM PA
I became interested in medicine in grade school. I was always fascinated by our family physician's ability to figure out what was wrong and be able to fix it. I am definitely a problem solver. However, people go into medicine for a wide variety of reasons and make those decisions at a variety of diffeent times.
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NEW QUESTIONS
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Q: FROM MENTEE MELANIE T. IN KY
How hard was it to find the job that you were looking for? Did you have to start small and then get promoted to achieve the job you had in mind?
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Q: FROM MENTEE ALICIA R. in REGION VII
For anyone who majored in Broadcasting or Journalism, what can I do now as a senior to prepare myself for
college courses?
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Q: FROM MENTEE MAGGIE O. FROM REGION V
How much science is involved in a major for hearing impaired communications?
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END
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for January 9, 2002
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Q: FROM MENTEE MELANIE T. IN KY
How hard was it to find the job that you were looking for? Did you have to start small and then get promoted to achieve the job you had in mind?

A: FROM MENTOR WANDA RITCHIE, SENIOR OPERATIONS MANAGER AT EASTMAN GELATINE
CORPORATION IN PEABODY, MA
Melanie, during my college education, I decided that I was most interested in working as an engineer supporting chemical manufacturing operations. I was able to find the position I wanted right after graduating with a Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering. As I gained more work experience, I realized that I was also interested in leading and supervising manufacturing and technical personnel. During the past several years, I've enjoyed broadening my leadership skills, and my business and finance skills through a wide variety of leadership positions. These experiences prepared me well for my current responsibilities as site manager. The answer to the question for you will depend greatly on your personal vision and how much flexibility you wish to maintain as you learn more
about the options provided by your education and your chosen profession.

A: FROM MENTOR SHARON ROSH, DVM
You don't necessarily need to start small and work your way in a job, it truly depends on the type of job and the position you want. As a veterinarian, I work as an associate which means that I do not own the company or business, but am an employee. I would not say that I have started small and had to work my way up,but if I want to own my own business then I would have to change my focus to achieve that goal. My advice is to concentrate on the work needed to achieve each goal as you go along and if you need to change your focus to arrive at a goal then do so.

A: FROM MENTOR DANELL OLIVER-COLLINS
Knowing what kind of a job I would enjoy was harder than actually finding the job. I spent alot of time working for different companies doing different jobs until I found the type of job I liked. Which is why I am a big promoter of internships. They give you valuable experience and let you explore the different jobs out there. Once you know what you are looking for it becomes easy to find. I went into these jobs with the attitude that whatever job I did at the company it was important otherwise they wouldn't pay me for it. And while I was working I looked around at what I could aspire to. If I didn't like what I saw I knew it wasn't for me and went on to something else. When you first get out of college or technical school you will start in what is called an "entry-level position". This is a great place to start. You get a good view of the company you are working for and get valuable experience and respect from coworkers. Respect in a workplace is very important. If you look at the people in higher level positions at a company they have earned respect from their coworkers and more than likely started out in "entry-level positions" and worked their way up. In short, don't look forward without looking at and enjoying the present it'll be worth your while.

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOGTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN
NAPERVILLE, IL
When I was looking for a job in the mid 80s, the job market was not very good. At that time, I did have to start at a lower level. In my home town of Moline, IL, there were no jobs for entry level programmers or software engineers. At best, computer operator jobs were available. I began looking in the Chicago area and found that entry level programming was hard to achieve. I was sort of shy and not very good at interviewing and my grades in college had been average. So, I took a job in Quality Assurance (I tested the programs written by my colleagues.). This actually is a good place to start - understanding the system is usually where most people start their training in any programming job. Within a year, I asked to be moved to programming and they needed people so I was able to move to my requested position. I knew a person in the company who hadn't gotten a degree, started as a computer operator and moved up the ladder and learned by work experience. He worked as operator, tester, customer support, code maintenance, programmer and more. By the time I was programming, he was as well. But he was more rounded and understood the whole picture because he had learned so many aspects of the company. You can always make the most of the situation in which you find yourself. A couple years ago, the job market was GREAT for new college grads. Companies were having a hard time finding qualified candidates. Signing bonuses were abundant. Most graduates were able to land multiple job offers. Right now, the market is slow again and graduates may have to settle for less sometimes. The job market will rebound though. Odds are, by the time you graduate in 4-8 years, it will be booming again!

A: FROM NANCY VANDLING, P.E., ASSISTANT PROGRAM MANAGER, ENGINEERING AND
CONSTRUCTION DIVISION, PORT AUTHORITY IN PITTSBURGH, PA
Everyone should set their own personal goals and objectives and then adjust them as you get older to meet your needs and to do the things you love. If you set very specific goals or standards, it may be hard to find exactly what you want and then you will become frustrated. As an example, you may need to be flexible and set initial goals that are broad and very basic. When I graduated from college, my goal was to find a job in the civil engineering field, preferably dealing with transportation, and located within a reasonable distance from my home. I found a job that met these goals since they were broad and not very specific. I kept that job for a couple of years and then took another position that was different from the first job; however, it met my initial goals. As I acquired work experience, my goals changed and became more specific. I was promoted along the way based on my experience and by changing companies. Some people are content to be in the same job position doing similar work for 20 or 30 years, which truly amazes me because I like to expand my knowledge of my field and to try performing different types of related work or management of the work. Each person is different. You may decide that you want to own a company or be president of a company. That is a good goal and may require that you work in several job positions and acquire the knowledge and expertise to run a company.

A: FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS, PHD, DIRECTOR OF WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND
SCIENCE PROGRAM AT KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN MANHATTAN, KS
Hi, Melanie! The hardest thing for me was to actually figure out what job, or what kind of job, I wanted. When I finished my doctoral degree, I knew I wanted a research job, but I didn't know what kind or where I wanted to live. At that time, I was married, and I let my husband decide where we were going to go (I would not do that now!
It would have to be a discussion and compromise!) Fortunately for me, he wanted to go to Europe, and I found a job in a good research lab and got to live and work in Europe for 2.5 years. The next job was much easier to find because then I had a large network of contacts and friends throughout the research world who could help me find
available positions. But then, I decided I wanted to leave university research and go into industry. It was very, very hard to get that first job in industry, because this was a change of career path, and I didn't really know anyone in industry to help me find a job. What helped was my two friends, who also wanted to go to industry; we met every week and worked on our resumes and cover letters and practiced interview skills with each other. Within a year, we had all found a job in industry. My current job actually found me! A friend contacted me and urged me to apply for the job I have now. So - it can be hard to figure out exactly what kind of job you want, and then it can be a bit difficult to get that first job or the first one in a career change - but if you just have perseverance, if you develop
a large circle of friends and contacts, and stay in touch with them, it will eventually pay off. As your career develops over time, people begin to recruit YOU for jobs!
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Q: FROM MENTEE ALICIA R. in REGION VII
For anyone who majored in Broadcasting or Journalism, what can I do now as a senior to prepare myself for
college courses?

A:FROM MENTOR TERESA ESSER, WRITER IN CAMBRIDGE, MA
There are lots of things you can do to prepare yourself for a career in print or broadcast journalism. You can start by exploiting the opportunities that are available at your high school. Does your high school have a student newspaper? Does your high school have a yearbook? Some high schools have more elaborate offerings as well, such as radio or video opportunities. Buy yourself a copy of The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law. It's bright orange. You might be able to check it out of a library. Learn to do interviews. It's easy if you have a reward structure in place, like a gig with the school newspaper. Learn to network your way to interesting interview subjects. Learn to
take notes while people are talking. Learn to use a tape recorder or minidisc recorder. (This sounds straightforward, but you have to remember to bring extra tapes and extra batteries, and to get all the settings right before the interview starts.) Spend some time writing reviews of sporting events, restaurant meals, plays, and movies. You can specialize in whatever area interests you the most. Is there someone in high school that you'd like to have an excuse to spend some more time with? Maybe you should practice interviewing him/her. Don't just choose the obvious choices. It's fun to interview artists about their art, and musicians about their music. When I was in high school skateboarding was big. If I was looking for an interesting student newspaper article now, I'd interview the skateboarders. In any sub-group there is an unspoken hierarchy. As a journalist it is your job to surf that hierarchy, collecting quotes all the way along. Look for the alpha-person. The alpha-football player, the alpha-artist, the alpha-debater, the alpha-chess player, the alpha-skater. Interview the coach. Interview the band director. You should prepare some for the interviews, but if you're in a pinch, you can always start with "Tell me a little bit about yourself." If you are interested in television journalism you should pay attention to what you look like. Make sure that your clothes are neat and clean, that your face is washed, that your hair is combed, and that you generally look presentable. If you can afford it, buy a professional-looking outfit to wear when you interview people on camera.
If you can afford it, go to the make-up counter in the mall and learn about what make-up is appropriate for your skin type. Note: I am not recommending heavy mascara and eyeliner. I am recommending that you learn how to cover any blotchy red spots that would distract the viewer's eye. Wear shirts with collars or turtlenecks rather
than collarless tee-shirts. Do not wear scoop-neck shirts that show your chest. You might be able to get an internship at the local newspaper, or at the local television station. Try to get such an internship. It's worth your time. Finally, Read the newspaper! These newspapers are free online:
<http://www.sfgate.com/>www.sfgate.com <http://www.nytimes.com/>www.nytimes.com
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/>www.washingtonpost.com <http://www.boston.com/>www.boston.com
<http://www.cnn.com/>www.cnn.com
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NEW QUESTIONS
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Q: FROM MENTEE MAGGIE O. FROM REGION V
How much science is involved in a major for hearing impaired communications?
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Q: FROM MENTEE ALEX M. IN IL
I am very interested in biology but I hate chemistry. Is it really absolutely true that you need one to have the other?
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END
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for January 10, 2002
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Q: FROM MENTEE MELANIE T. IN KY
How hard was it to find the job that you were looking for? Did you have to start small and then get promoted to achieve the job you had in mind?

A: FROM MENTOR ANNE GERRIETTS, EAGLE POINT SOFTWARE, DUBUQUE, IA
When I first started to look for a job it was first a matter of what exactly I wanted to do. As a civil engineer there are many different types of jobs that could be considered an civil engineering job. Once I decided that it was not too dificult to find a job it what I thought I wanted to do. For me, getting promoted was not a way to get to the job I wanted, but more of a way to continue in that same path.
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Q: FROM MENTEE MAGGIE O. FROM REGION V
How much science is involved in a major for hearing impaired communications?

A: FROM MENTOR MOLLY WILLIAMS, PHD, PE, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH AND
GRADUATE PROGRAMS AT THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES, WESTERN
MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY, KALAMAZOO, MI
If you want full competence in speech and audiology, you will have to learn some basic biology, anatomy, and physiology to understand the human speech and hearing system. Also, you will need some physics to understand the mechanics of sound. Here's a link to the speech pathology and audiology programs at Western Michigan University.
<http://www.wmich.edu/hhs/sppa/index.html>http://www.wmich.edu/hhs/sppa/index.html
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Q: FROM MENTEE ALEX M. IN IL
I am very interested in biology but I hate chemistry. Is it really absolutely true that you need one to have the other?

A: FROM MENTOR MARTY WOELFEL, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY, KENTUCKY STATE
UNIVERSITY IN FRANKFORT, KY
Ahhhhhh, Alex. So many people in biology feel just as you do! I hated chemistry when I was in high school and college, too. (I made C's in organic chemistry, by far the toughest courses I EVER took!) You need to know that a whole lot of successful biologists "hated" chemistry but nonetheless are good biologists. So don't let your dislike of chemistry keep you from pursuing your interest in biology! It really is absolutely true that to major in biology, you will have to take (and pass) chemistry courses, too. And yes, there is a real "need" to know some chemistry as well--because a whole lot of biology study involves chemistry. Fundamentally, life is a bunch of carefully coordinated chemical reactions, so you just can't escape needing some chemistry knowledge if you want to be a good biologist. A lot of lab work also involves chemistry and using chemicals, and in this day and age, environmental biologists and other field biologists deal a lot with the effects of various chemicals on ecosystems and so forth. The good news is that, although you need to take and pass chemistry courses AND get so you understand a good deal of it, you kinda get to like chemistry after a while. Some of it has to do with learning stages humans go through--chemistry deals with abstractions a lot, and for people who need to see and feel what they are working with, that makes chemistry a tough area to study. The best teachers of chemistry know this and find ways to use models, computer simulations, and other techniques that help make the chemistry of atoms, molecules, and chemical reactions seem more "real" and concrete as students learn. And, as you grow older and more experienced in tackling tough subjects, you get better at dealing with the abstractions. After you have your degree in biology, you will find that a couple of things are true: first, if you still hate chemistry you can work in some sub-fields of biology where you won't use chemistry a whole lot, and second, if you've learned to like biochemistry, all sorts of subfields in biology allow you to merge your love of biology with your new-found liking of chemistry.

A: FROM MENTOR HALEY MURPHY, DVM, DIRECTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AT ZOO NEW
ENGLAND IN BOSTON, MA
I also like biology but hate chemistry. I am a veterinarian and certainly needed both to get through my undergrad classes. As far as veterinary school went- biochemistry is very important and some organic chemistry is also but
for the most part- you need an understanding of how biology and chemistry work together, especially when dealing with pharmaceuticals. So- the long and short of it is they are both important but don't let your dislike of one prevent you from excelling when you realize they are intertwined.

A: FROM MENTOR DANELL OLIVER-COLLINS, RETAIL INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER AT HALLMARK
CARDS INC. IN KANSAS CITY, MO
Chemicals are the basic elements of biological entities. When you study animals and humans you break them down into species, appearances, skin, organs, and then chemicals in the organs. The only way to completely understand something is to break it down to the smallest part. You may have heard humans referred to as "carbon based units". Carbon is the basic chemical element of humans. So to answer your question, yes your going to have to study chemistry when you study biology. But let me make a suggestion, take the chemistry information you learn and try to apply it to biology which you are interested in. You can do things like analyze hair to see the chemical content in an animal or human which can tell you if certain organs are operating correctly. Have you seen the movie "Medicine Man", in it they discovered that certain ants contained a chemical in their bodies that could cure cancer. Yes it is just a movie, but those kinds of investigations do occur.

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY
IN PROVIDENCE, RI
The way one of my colleagues put it, "The language of biology is chemistry." That is, living creatures are made of molecules, and the chemistry of those molecules determines how they live - how they metabolize food and grow, whate they look like, what they can do (are they able to move around or not?), their heredity, even how our brains work. To extend the metaphor of language, studying biology without knowing chemistry is like reading foreign literature only in translation. It can be done, but the deeper beauty may be lost, and you might end up with fundamental misunderstandings, like the horns Renaissance sculptors put on Moses' forehead. BUT there are biologists who focus more on whole organisms and their behavior, ecology, taxonomy (though that boils down to DNA, that all-important molecule) and in their day-to-day work don't think that much about the chemistry that underlies the biology they are really interested in. Everyone finds his or her own comfort level; another
colleague of mine had started out headed for medicine, switched to chemistry because he saw that to really understand life processes he needed to know what the molecules were doing, and ended up studying the structure of water because he wasn't satisfied with the explanations of how biological molecules behaved when those explanations didn't include a thorough understanding of how they behaved _in water_ - which, after all, accounts for ~90% of biomass! You may be one of those biologists who learn only the minimum chemistry necessary and then focus on levels of organization on much a larger scale than the molecular. You might think about what it is about chemistry that makes you hate it. Is it the teacher? Is it that the algebra is hard for you (that's the most common trouble for college freshmen)? Are you taking a course that doesn't address the chemistry that's of most interest to biologists? Unfortunately, a lot of the simplest molecules aren't the most biologically interesting (though my
colleague the water specialist would disagree!) and the most biologically interesting can have very complicated structures. But those complicated structures are made up of simpler parts, so the basic chemistry is, to a first approximation, the sum of the parts, and what you learn about those dull, non-bio-seeming molecules is relevant to biology after all. A good teacher can help you see those connections. You might ask what connections the topics you are studying have to biology. The gas laws, for example, are relevant to scuba divers and respiratory physiology and anesthesiology, though they seem very abstract at first. Acid/base chemistry is important to the blood and respiration. And on and on. I hope you can get past your initial dislike of chemistry and find your own "comfort level."
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Q: FROM MENTEE STEPHANIE H. IN CT
For any mentors in the field of medicine, at which point in your lives did you first become interested in your career option and also when did you decide for sure that you would be pursuing that career? (middle school, high school, college?) I'd be interested to know, because I'm a sophomore in high school and I'm pretty sure medicine is a field I would like to get into.

A: FROM MENTOR DESIREE BUTTER, MD IN PA
I had decided on medicine at a very early age. I was always fascinated by my Pediatrician's ability to "figure out what was wrong" and "fix it". I am definitely a problem solver. However, people go into medical fields for a variety of reasons. Medical fields also require an array of skills, which I had to adapt to as well. For instance, although I
thoroughly enjoy the challenges of diagnosis, most of what I do on a daily basis centers around psychosocial issues that patients have. For instance, headaches that are due to constant stress in their lives, not taking medicines because they can not afford them, not getting recommended test and blood work because they don't want to, trying to get parents of young children to stop smoking, drinking alcohol to excess and taking drugs, and so much more. However, the rewards are also great. Being able to help your patients is one of the mast rewarding experiences that you can have.
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NEW QUESTIONS
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Q: FOR ALL MENTEES FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS
Since the start of the school year last fall, what has been the most interesting or unusual thing that you did or learned in a science or math class? Why did it interest you, or what was unusual about it?
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Q: FROM MENTEE ALISSA F. in IN
Where could I look into a job in the field of astronomy? I would like to work at NASA, but I'm not sure what kind of astronomers and scientists work there.
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Q: FROM MENTEE ABBY Y. IN CT
I am a high school sophomore interested in learning more about professions in medicine and chemistry. For medicine, I have begun volunteering at a hospital, but as to chemistry, I am unsure where to search. Do you have any suggestions? Would any local universities run any internship programs?
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Q: FROM MENTEE CARA O. IN CAPE COD, MA
I am interested in becoming a paramedic but i really like making electrical wires in my computer class is there a way i could get away with doing both in one job?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for January 11, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: SAVE THE DATE! SATURDAY MAY 4, 2002, GEM-SET VIDEO CONFERENCE
WILL TAKE PLACE 12 NOON-2:30 CENTRAL TIME, 1:00PM-3:30 EASTERN TIME. LOCATION
IN YOUR REGION TO BE ANNOUNCED.
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MENTEES: LOOK FOR QUESTIONS FOR YOU FROM MENTORS AT THE BOTTOM OF TODAY'S
DAILY DIGEST.
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Q: FROM MENTEE ALEX M. IN IL
I am very interested in biology but I hate chemistry. Is it really absolutely true that you need one to have the other?

A: FROM MENTEE AIMEE M. IN WI
There are a lot of responses, and I feel the same way. I took biology last year, and am in chemistry this year. I also loved bology and dislike chemistry, but you definitely need chemistry for biology! I know that in AP Biology next year, my chemistry will really help me. Last year in biology we even learned chemistry. So many biological functions are completed because of chemical reactions. Maybe you could try to connect the two clases, and find out how they correspond. Ask your teachers questions about how the two are related. I think you will find chemistry a lot more interesting once you see how chemistry is in biology.
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Q: FROM MENTEE ALISSA F. in IN
Where could I look into a job in the field of astronomy? I would like to work at NASA, but I'm not sure what kind of astronomers and scientists work there.

A: FROM MENTOR JULIA HOCHBERG, MECHANICAL ENGINEER AT MOTOROLA
Start off by finding some astronomers to talk to. If you don't have a planetarium near by, try a local college or university, email or phone the astronomers, and ask them to set up a time for an interview or an afternoon for a tour of their facilities (even better if you have a school project to apply this to). Don't be shy, professionals are often flattered by this type of inquiry by students and more than happy to talk about their chosen field. Not only will they be able to inform you about their jobs, but other opportunities in research, industry, and NASA. Also, the NASA
website is a great place to start. From the home page at <http://www.nasa.gov/>www.nasa.gov, select Space Science to learn more about their missions and I think there is a link to Space Kids which will have even more information geared towards you. I spent an internship working at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland during college. Though we are mechanical engineers, my mentor and I assisted scientists (doctorates in astronomy, astrophysics, and others) to design a satellite named HESSI that will image solar flares (it has yet to be launched). Many of NASA's Space Science missions are originated and designed at Goddard and they employ many scientists there studying all kinds of space science. Go to their website at <http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/>www.gsfc.nasa.gov. Also, as I recall, NASA has summer programs for high school students and I am sure there is information on the website. NASA is an inspiring place to work and I highly recommend the experience! Good luck with the astrnomy!

A: FROM MENTOR CASSIE FENOSEFF, DESIGN RELEASE ENGINEER AT GM NORTH AMERICA
NASA has several research centers located around the country. I applied and wasaccepted to the Langley Research Center while I was a senior in college. The internet will give you a listing of all of the locations as well as the
federalapplication forms. I also received a job offer from Boeing in Florida, which can also give you the opportunity to work on shuttles and other space-related projects. I would encourage you to pursue this interesting field.
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Q: FROM MENTEE ABBY Y. IN CT
I am a high school sophmore interested in learning more about professions in medicine and chemistry. For medicine, I have begun volunteering at a hospital, but as to chemistry, I am unsure where to search. Do you have any suggestions? Would any local universities run any internship programs?

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY IN
PROVIDENCE, RI
I searched on "summer chemistry research high school students" on Google and got some good-looking hits, but all over the country. Probably the most effective way for you to proceed is to contact local colleges - call the Chemistry Departments and ask if there are summer opportunities. Wilton High School in Connecticut has a site,
<http://www.chemistrycoach.com/home.htm>www.chemistrycoach.com/home.htm, mentioning summer advanced placement chemistry. NIH has a summer internship program for high school students, if you can got to Bethesda, MD - see <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/funding/training/redbook/hsnihbio.htm>www.nhlbi.nih.gov/funding/training/redbook/hsnihbio.htm
I'm not trying to mention them all! There may be opportunities too in industry. If you are near Pfizer in Groton, CT, or other chemical/pharmaceutical companies, for example, it's possible they have summer jobs. In general, both colleges and industry are interested in increasing the number of Americans going into science, and summer programs are one of the ways they try to do that. Some are more organized as programs, but some are more individual placements in a research lab, where you would do whatever you're prepared to do at your early stage, and learn by doing. And see what the scientists farther along that you are actually doing - it's a good way to learn what real science is like. Good luck finding something inspirational! and congratulations on beginning to look in January rather than waiting until May.
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Q: FROM MENTEE CARA O. IN CAPE COD, MA
I am interested in becoming a paramedic but I really like making electrical wires in my computer class. Is there a way I could get away with doing both in one job?

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY IN
PROVIDENCE, RI
Think about bioengineering as a career. You could become the inventor of new diagnostic equipment, or artificial organs. Medical technicians deal with sophisticated electronic equipment and may get to interact with patients, too. Somebody has to design all that equipment - so there's a broad range of skills needed to suit every taste in science, from the basic theory to design to applications in a medical practice. It's very likely you can satisfy both your interests.

A: FROM MENTOR DR. ESTHER PEARSON IN MASSACHUSETTS:
I think it is wonderful you have an interest in medicine and technology. There are a number of companies that have 'Medical Solutions and Technology Groups". These companies hire engineers (electrical, mechanical, and computer science) who have academic training in both engineering and medicine. College will allow you to develop a course schedule that can provide academic and experiential skills in both. Also, a possibility is to become an engineer and then puruse an advocation as a volunteer paramedic. This would give you exposures to both of your interests.

A: FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS, DIRECTOR WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
PROGRAM, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, MANHATTAN, KS
Cara, it is great that you are enjoying your projects in your computer class! You might want to consider a career in
computer engineering or electrical engineering. You could apply your skills in these fields to medical and biomedical research areas. There are many computer and electrical engineers working in those fields. You could volunteer as a paramedic as well, and your engineering skills might come in quite handy in that as well. I encourage you to keep exploring your interests in computers and wiring, and to try to learn more about what paramedics do. Perhaps you could contact a paramedic in your community and ask them questions about their job.
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NEW QUESTIONS FOR MENTEES
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Q: FROM MARTY WOELFEL, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY, KENTUCKY STTE
UNIVERSITY IN FRANKFORT, KY
For all mentees: Some of us are spending a lot of our time thinking and writing in response to your questions. I enjoy thinking about the questions you ask, and I've enjoyed writing responses. But, as a teacher of students
I usually actually see and talk with several times a week, I'm used to getting feedback on how I'm doing. I see my students' faces and body language and can tell how interested they are in the topic I'm teaching. I give assignments, lab work, and, yes, even tests--and from the way the students perform, I get some notion of whether what I'm teaching is getting through to my students. But in this format so far, I'm not getting feedback from you. So--please give us some feedback! Is this program helping you? Has it made a difference for you so far? If so, how? Can we do things differently to help more? Thanks!
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Q: FOR ALL MENTEES FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS, DIRECTOR WOMEN IN ENGINEERING
AND SCIENCE PROGRAM, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, MANHATTAN, KS
Since the start of the school year last fall, what has been the most interesting or unusual thing that you did
or learned in a science or math class? Why did it interest you, or what was unusual about it?
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=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for January 14, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: SAVE THE DATE! SATURDAY MAY 4, 2002, GEM-SET SATELLITE
BROADCAST CONFERENCE WILL TAKE PLACE 12 NOON-2:30 CENTRAL TIME, 1:00PM-3:30 EASTERN
TIME. LOCATION IN YOUR REGION TO BE ANNOUNCED.
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Q: FROM MENTEE ABBY Y. IN CT
I am a high school sophmore interested in learning more about professions in medicine and chemistry. For medicine, I have begun volunteering at a hospital, but as to chemistry, I am unsure where to search. Do you have any
suggestions? Would any local universities run any internship programs?

A: FROM MENTOR MARSHA SEGEBARTH, PHD, UNIVERISTY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA, BIOLOGY
DEPARTMENT
Abby, It sounds as though you have a fairly clear idea already of what you want to do! You realize that medicine is a long haul and you won't be 'specialized' as an undergraduate. Have you considered majoring in chemistry in college with the intention of applying to medical school? Many med students come in as chemistry - or biology, or biotechnology - majors rather than straight pre-med. As a chemistry undergraduate you will likely have many opportunities to do research with professors both during the academic year as well as additional summer opportunities. I expect that during those four undergraduate years you will clarify your direction. I would also encourage you to continue your volunteer work in the hospital - perhaps even shadowing physicians - in order to get a feel for their vocation.
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NEW QUESTIONS FOR MENTEES
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Q: FROM MARTY WOELFEL, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY, KENTUCKY STTE
UNIVERSITY IN FRANKFORT, KY
For all mentees: Some of us are spending a lot of our time thinking and writing in response to your questions. I enjoy thinking about the questions you ask, and I've enjoyed writing responses. But, as a teacher of students I usually actually see and talk with several times a week, I'm used to getting feedback on how I'm doing. I see my students' faces and body language and can tell how interested they are in the topic I'm teaching. I give assignments, lab work, and, yes, even tests--and from the way the students perform, I get some notion of whether what I'm teaching is getting through to my students. But in this format so far, I'm not getting feedback from you. So--please give us some feedback! Is this program helping you? Has it made a difference for you so far? If so, how? Can we do things differently to help more? Thanks!
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Q: FOR ALL MENTEES FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS, DIRECTOR WOMEN IN ENGINEERING
AND SCIENCE PROGRAM, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, MANHATTAN, KS
Since the start of the school year last fall, what has been the most interesting or unusual thing that you did
or learned in a science or math class? Why did it interest you, or what was unusual about it?

A: FROM MENTEE AURORA D.
Well, nothing, really. Math is boring. I like the subject but my teacher isnt a very good one. Science class moves too slow.
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NEW QUESTIONS FOR MENTORS
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Q: FROM MENTEE REBECCA H. IN WI
What are the benefits of pursuing a masters or doctoral degree? I know that sometimes you can move up the job ladder quicker.

Q: FROM MENTEE LAURA IN KY
Do you have to have a certain grade point average to get into Medical School? When you finish Medical School, what is the next step to becoming a Pediatrician?

Q: FROM MENTEE ANNA IN INDIANAPOLIS
How much math do you need for science?...I like science and hate math...

Q: FROM MENTEE TANYA H. IN MN
I am interested in astronomy and meteorology, how will my education need to be different if I choose one over the other?

Q:FROM MENTEE AMANDA F. IN WI
What kinds of jobs can women do that involve wood but is not home building?
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=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for January 15, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: SAVE THE DATE! SATURDAY MAY 4, 2002, GEM-SET SATELLITE
BROADCAST CONFERENCE WILL TAKE PLACE 12 NOON-2:30 CENTRAL TIME, 1:00PM-3:30 EASTERN
TIME. LOCATION IN YOUR REGION TO BE ANNOUNCED.
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Q: FOR ALL MENTEES FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS, DIRECTOR WOMEN IN ENGINEERING
AND SCIENCE PROGRAM, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY, MANHATTAN, KS
Since the start of the school year last fall, what has been the most interesting or unusual thing that you did
or learned in a science or math class? Why did it interest you, or what was unusual about it?

A: FROM MENTOR ERIN R. IN KY
One of the things I have learned in Biology is that there is a formula for Photosynthesis. I never knew
there was a formula. I thought that was very strange.

A: FROM MENTEE ANNE MARIE G. IN REGION VII
We have had three different math teachers and have gone over the beginning of the book three times. My aunt actually had to tutor me for my high school placement test.

RESPONSE FOR MENTEE AURORA D. WHO THINKS MATH IS BORING AND SCIENCE CLASS IS
TOO SLOW, FROM JOAN LUSK
You might ask your science teacher to recommend a book that could take you farther, faster, or ask if you could do a special project instead of some of the slow boring stuff. You remind me of two experiences from high school: my algebra teacher saw that I found the class slow and boring and started me on some puzzles that involved making pictures by graphing conic sections. I found that fun and it must have made graphs in general more intuitively
meaningful to me. (And it kept me quiet during class, which was probably her immediate goal.) The second memory is that biology was boring because it seemed that all we did was learn the names of things, and that didn't strike me
as worth the effort - names are just labels and don't help you understand much (though perhaps they do more than I thought at the time!) So I never took a biology course again - until graduate school while I was turning into a biochemist. That wasn't a very constructive response on my part - to turn my back on biology in the exciting times right after the structure of DNA had been deciphered. See if you can't find a topic related to your science class that will keep you interested and engaged, moving as fast as you can. Good luck!
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Q: FROM MENTEE REBECCA H. IN WI
What are the benefits of pursuing a masters or doctoral degree? I know that sometimes you can move up the job ladder quicker.

A: FROM MENTOR MINI VARUGHESE, PHD, ACCOUNT REP. AT STEMCELL TECHNOLOGIES IN
GERMANTOWN, MD
Quite a lot of universities will sign you up for a Masters degree but once you have met the minimum requirements, like passage of the oral exam, you get streamlined into a doctoral degree without ever receiving a Masters degree. A Masters can be somewhat valuable in industry, to garner more pay. My honest gut experience has been a Master's in science is useless. Unless you get an MBA or law degree in addition to a Masters. That is a nice
combination. Otherwise, get the Ph.D. but be aware that a Ph.D. is rarely enough these days to ensure a position in the job market either. You will more than likely need postdoctoral training afterwards.

A: FROM MENTOR DR. ESTHER PEARSON IN MASSACHUSETTS
There a numerous benefits obtained from obtaining a masters or doctoral degree. In terms of job opportunities and their salaries, masters and doctoral degree employees are paid an average of 15 -20% more than a bachelor degree employee. In terms of job mobility and promotability, graduate degree employees have demonstrated academic discipline and the ability to perform in-depth research and analysis in a subject area and thus they are awarded higher level jobs, responsibilities and assignments. But remember that having a masters or doctorate will open-doors for you and give you additional opportunities, but you still must do the work to provide evidence of the value you bring to a job.
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Q: FROM MENTEE ANNA IN INDIANAPOLIS
How much math do you need for science? I like science and hate math...

A: FROM MENTOR MEG WILLIAMS, TECHNICAL MANAGER AT COMPAQ COMPUTER CORP. IN
NASHUA, NH
Anna, math is the fundamental for all science. I know of no programs where the higher level math's (algebra, geometry and calculus) are not a prerequisite for a science program. The question I have for you why do you
hate math? Personally, math was one of my favorite subjects. It was like solving puzzles for me. However, having recently helped a couple of my friends 6th and 7th grade daughters with their math homework I can see why people today would hate math. One of the biggest issues I had was they had no text book explaining to them the how's and whys of what they were doing. It seemed the expectation was that they could figure out these problems without some practical guidance on how to solve the problems. I told them I could give them an answer for the problem and tell the process I used to solve the problem, but I was not sure it was the process they were intended to learn. Math in the early stages is about process and procedures and if you don't get the basics from the onset it can be very frustrating!

A: FROM MENTOR DANELL OLIVER-COLLINS, RETAIL INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER AT HALLMARK
CARDS, INC., IN KANSAS CITY, MO
Science and math go hand in hand. I like to say that physics is just fancy math story problems. I loved science when I was in high school and only did math because it explained the science and then I began not to mind the math so much because I was doing more than math problems over and over I was using math to solve the science problems which was very interesting. It is amazing how much math sneaks into our lives. Think of the movie "Contact". In it Jodie Foster's character uses math as a way to communicate with aliens. And how about the space shuttle, NASA uses math to plot the path the space shuttle will take when it is in space. When you go to college if you pursue any science degree plan on taking math classes all the way up to calculus. If you go into the Physics, Astronomy
or Engineering side of science you will have to take 3 calculus classes and a differential equations class. Don't be scared it isn't that bad. Once you get past the basics it really is quite fun because you start applying it to real life.

A: FROM MENTOR MOLLY WILLIAMS PHD, PE, ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH AND
GRADUATE PROGRAMS, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCES AT WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY IN KALAMAZOO, MI
Anna, you need a lot of mathematics for most science programs. You will need at least two semesters of calculus, and perhaps two additional semesters beyond that for linear algebra, differential equations, and statistics. Pretty intimidating, huh? Actually, developments in science have driven the development of mathematics. Calculus was "invented" by Isaac Newton in order to describe and predict the motion of stars and planets. I suspect that your
dislike of mathematics may result from your not understanding what it's good for. While there are some mathematicians who just like the abstract beauty of mathematics, there are scientists and engineers who depend on mathematics as a tool to analyze their data and to design solutions to problems. Stay with the mathematics. You can't do science without mathematics. And mathematics will become more enjoyable when you see more examples of what it's good for.

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN
UNIVERSITY, IN PROVIDENCE RI
There's a big range, from the very highly mathematical theories of physics and engineering to subjects in biology and chemistry that involve rather little. In nearly all branches you need to use some algebra - you need to be able to set up equations and solve them in order to use the answers in the interesting part of the work. You may need enough statistics to design experiments so that the results have a chance of being significant. To be honest, I can remember only once needing calculus to derive a model for my experimental situation - but that once was vital to avoiding going down the wrong path. After they're out of school, scientists tend to work in groups, and if math is impo