May 2002

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GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 1, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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HOLD SATURDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 4TH FOR THE GEM-SET SATELLITE CONFERENCE! DO YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE? CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL CONTACT TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU.
REGIONAL CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE
GEM-SET WEB SITE AT http://www.gem-set.org
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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Quiz-of-the-week:
Florence Bascom is known as "the first woman geologist in this country." She paved the way with many "firsts." Bascom was the first woman hired by the U.S. Geological Survey (1896), the first woman to present a paper before the Geological Society of Washington (1901), the first woman elected to the Council of the Geological Society of America (elected in 1924; no other woman was elected until after 1945), and the first woman officer of the GSA (vice president in 1930). She earned a doctorate in geology, becoming the first woman to receive a degree from Hopkins. She was an associate editor of the American Geologist (1896-1905) and a four-starred geologist in the first edition of American Men and Women of Science (1906), which meant that her colleagues regarded her as among the
country's hundred leading geologists. What nickname was she given by her colleagues? Send your answer to
GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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Q: FROM MENTEE KARA T. IN MN
I have a question about light bulbs. It is: why do light bulbs burn out if they run on electricity?? thanx

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN. GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY IN
PROVIDENCE, RI
That's a good question! It turns out I sort of guessed half the answer, but for once I looked up an answer before shooting off my fingertips. Searching with google.com for "light bulb" "burn out" turned up a great site:
http://invsee.asu.edu/nmodules/lightbulbmod/burnout.html http://invsee.asu.edu/nmodules/lightbulbmod/burnout.html
It has scanning electron micrographs of filaments before and after burn-out, a fun movie of one in the act of burning out, and good explanations. Do have a look. You probably know that light bulbs are filled with an inert gas (a mixture of nitrogen and argon, according to this site.) That's so the filament doesn't literally burn, react with oxygen in the air. But a little oxygen is left in the bulb or leaks in, and the tungsten reacts with it to form an oxide which drift away as smoke, no longer a metal with the strength of the original filament, and ...poof! That was the half of the answer that I sort of knew. The other half is that tungsten atoms actually vaporize off the hot filament, slowly, but when enough have departed there goes the filament. This site explores a number of interesting topics including "what is that in your dog dish?" !!! Look at
http://invsee.asu.edu/Invsee/middle.htm http://invsee.asu.edu/Invsee/middle.htm
I'm sure we can trust it - it's sponsored by NSF.

A: FROM MENTOR MOLLY WILLIAMS, PROFESSOR OF MECHANICAL AND AERONAUTICAL
ENGINEERING AND ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR RESEARCH IN THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND
APPLIED SCIENCES AT WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
The light (and heat) from incandescent bulbs comes from a filament made of tungsten metal that is heated by the electric current running through it. The filament becomes so hot that it glows and emits light. When metals are very hot, they can undergo some chemical and physical changes that affect their strength. The gas that fills a light bulb is mostly argon (a non-reactive gas), but there are always tiny amounts of oxygen and nitrogen that can react with the metal, forming oxides or other compounds that are more brittle than the original metal was. Also, metals can change their solid crystal structure. The atoms can actually move around a bit within the solid, and they can evaporate and re-condense on the surface. All of these processes cause the filament to lose strength over time, and eventually it breaks. When a light bulb is burned out, you can often see the broken filament and you can hear the loose piece of filament rattle inside the bulb when you shake it. Of course, when the filament is broken, it can't carry the electric current any more, so the bulb won't light. Other kinds of light bulbs, like florescent and halogen bulbs, also use electricity, but when they fail (burn out) it's a result of more complicated chemical processes that occur because of the heat and electricity inside the glass that lets the atoms move away from their original locations.
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Q: FROM MENTEE AIMEE M. IN REGION V
I am in the process of selecting my classes for next year, when I will be in 11th grade. I plan on taking very advanced courses, all AP classes (advanced placement, for college credit) at school. I plan to be a zoologist or some other area where I will be studying animals and collecting data. I have AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP English, advanced Spanish, and AP European History. I also was signed up for Pre-Calculus. Here is my question: I think this may be too much of a load for me, especially since I hope to participate in drama club and I have a busy
schedule. I am afraid that I'll start all these classes next year and find it's too much for me. So I am hoping to put off Pre-Calculus to my senior year. I was going to take AP Calculus my senior year, but I think pre-calc would be good. This would also give me a chance to take electives of things I enjoy instead of having all work. Is having AP
Calculus in high school extremely important to my college and career in the future?

A: FROM MENTOR CASSIE FENOSEFF, DESIGN RELEASE ENGINEER AT GENERAL MOTORS
NORTH AMERICAN IN REGION V
My recommendation would be to take some AP classes, but not all AP classes. This is what I did in high school, leaving me time to participate in many extra-curricular activities. I think that the activities helped me more than the AP classes did in the end. I also took AP Pre-Calculus but decided to drop it, and that didn't cause me any problems once I got to college. You definitely don't need to have AP Calculus (or even Pre-Calc) to do fine in college. It helps, but it's not necessary. I would recommend enjoying your time in high school more and participating in
extra-curricular activities, which can be as much of a benefit as the AP classes.

A: FROM MENTOR MEG WILLIAMS, TECHNICAL MANAGER, TRU64 UNIX & INTERNET SECURITY
AT CAMPAQ COMPUTER CORPORATION IN NASHUA, NH
Aimee, Personally, I would forgo other AP courses to concentrate on Math especially since you have stated that you want to pursue a college degree in zoology/animal science. Here is why: Math provides the underlying basis for all advanced science programs, especially the physical sciences. Calculus in particular is a prerequisite to understand physics, although few high schools seem to treat it that way. Calculus is a requirement for any engineering study,
e.g. genetics, bio, chemical, mechanical, etc. You may not think of yourself as an engineer today, but the field of biology is changing more toward engineering. You may find that rather the studying straight zoology, that biotechnology or genetic engineering may offer more flexibility in terms of career/research opportunities.
A couple other factors to consider: The more Math you have in high school the better you will do on your SATs, which while not a predictor of how you will do in college is used for acceptance into college. Skipping a year of Math may put you behind when you do take it as a Senior as the stuff won't be fresh. Pre-calc tends to be learning formulas and when to apply them. It is possibly the most straight forward math course you will have in high school. So I would encourage you to stick with your Math program.

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
Hi, Aimee, I believe you are making a wise decision to put off one of the toughest classes until Senior year. You also have to enjoy high school and not be stressed out. Taking too many tough classes would probably make you do less well in all of them. I'm not sure that taking Calculus in high school is all that important. My opinion is that it is not. BUT, if you are worried that it is, is it possible to switch out one of the other classes to senior year? For example, could you take AP Biology senior year and take pre-calculus Junior year? This way, you could take AP Calc your Senior year, if you are worried about that. Inmy opinion, I think that Calculus in college is better anyway. I think you willbe more ready for the complicated concepts then.

A: FROM MENTOR AMY MCMILLAN, NRC POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
US EPA IN CINCINNATI, OH
Aimee- As a zoologist, my personal bias would be to trade pre-calculus for AP European History (although EH is important and interesting....) however, I think AP Biology, AP Statistics and Pre-Calculus all at once plus other courses and some activities is a big load. It won't hurt you that much to take pre-calc your senior year and take calculus in college. What is more important, I think, right now is to enjoy the courses you take and do well in them while enjoying the rest of your life too! Good luck!!

A. FROM MENTOR CHARLENE CASSIDY, P.E., PARSONS, BRINCKERHOFF QUADE & DOUGLAS,
INC. IN COLUMBIA, SC
Aimee, it sounds like you are going to have a full load next year. I don't think putting calculus off until senior year will be a problem. While academics are very important and taking AP courses in high school will certainly benefit you in college, it is also important for you to participate in extra-curricular activities. The AP courses will each
require a significant amount of your time, so you don't want to overload your schedule. With regard to taking pre-calculus or AP calculus before college - I don't think taking one is better than taking the other, unless it is important for you to earn as much college credit in high school as you can. I think it is more important to have some exposure to calculus prior to entering college -- in order to be better prepared. Best of luck to you, work hard, but have some fun too!
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Q: FROM MENTEE SAM B. IN NH
Is there a place where you can find high schools in your area that would be best for you? or even colleges that have the things you are most interested in like...... being a lawyer, dancer, soccer, football (sports in general), good schooling reputation, things like that.

A: FROM MENTEE AMY N. IN MN
In careers class we used a site that you could type in the majors or things that you wanted and it would show you colleges that offered these things. it was http://www.collegenet.com/www.collegenet.com it works really well. Just click on the college search button and then click on the custom search button and search away! hope it works
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 2, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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HOLD SATURDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 4TH FOR THE GEM-SET SATELLITE CONFERENCE! DO YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE? CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL CONTACT TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU.
REGIONAL CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE
GEM-SET WEB SITE AT http://www.gem-set.org
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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Quiz-of-the-week:
Florence Bascom is known as "the first woman geologist in this country." She paved the way with many "firsts." Bascom was the first woman hired by the U.S. Geological Survey (1896), the first woman to present a paper before the Geological Society of Washington (1901), the first woman elected to the Council of the Geological Society of America (elected in 1924; no other woman was elected until after 1945), and the first woman officer of the GSA (vice president in 1930). She earned a doctorate in geology, becoming the first woman to receive a degree from Hopkins. She was an associate editor of the American Geologist (1896-1905) and a four-starred geologist in the first edition of American Men and Women of Science (1906), which meant that her colleagues regarded her as among the
country's hundred leading geologists. What nickname was she given by her colleagues? Send your answer to
GEM-SET@uic.edu.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE RUTH O. IN NH
Do a lot of raw lemons have any effect on human body?
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Q: FROM MENTEE SAM B. IN NH
I am doing a clean up at a park for earth day. What do you think the most important thing to do is…like clean up trash? What would the main priority be? The park is a small playground in a neighborhood! It is in my town and
it has a bball court, a swing and it doesn't have much grass from what I remember. So what do you think is the best thing to do to help clean up a park like this one?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 3, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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HOLD SATURDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 4TH FOR THE GEM-SET SATELLITE CONFERENCE! DO YOU
WANT TO PARTICIPATE? CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL CONTACT TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU.
REGIONAL CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS AND E-MAIL ADDRESSES ARE AVAILABLE ON THE
GEM-SET WEB SITE AT http://www.gem-set.org
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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Quiz-of-the-week:
Florence Bascom is known as the first woman geologist in this country.
Q: What was her nickname?
A: "Rock Star"
Check next week for the new question.
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Q: FROM MENTEE RUTH O. IN NH
Do a lot of raw lemons have any effect on human body?

A: FROM MENTOR WANDA RITCHIE, SENIOR OPERATIONS MANAGER, EASTMAN GELATINE
CORP., IN PEABODY, MA
Ruth, lemon juice contains citric acid which is very low in pH. Our digestive system uses acids to break down the food we eat. So, in general, by eating lemons, we would be adding additional acid to a system which is already acidic. Our bodies are very tolerant of almost anything in moderation. However, over an extended period of time, excess acid in the digestive system might cause ulcers or other damage to the delicate tissue of the mouth and esophagus.
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Q: FROM MENTEE SAM B. IN NH
I am doing a clean up at a park for earth day. What do you think the most important thing to do is…like clean up trash? What would the main priority be? The park is a small playground in a neighborhood! It is in my town and
it has a bball court, a swing and it doesn't have much grass from what I remember. So what do you think is the best thing to do to help clean up a park like this one?

A: A: FROM CHANDRA L INGLIS, ARCHAEOLOGIST FOR WEST VIRGINIA DIVISION OF
HIGHWAYS IN CHARLESTON, WV
My first suggestion would be to stop by the park a few days ahead of the scheduled cleaning to see what needs to be done. This way you can come prepared with the proper supplies. For example does the park have a garbage
can? If not maybe you can convince a local store to donate one. Of course that could turn into a full time clean-up day, because someone would have to be responsible to remove the trash when it was full! Check for areas that
may need to be re-seeded with grass, or could be planted with flowers. Are there any trees? Perhaps one could be planted. All of these things could be obtained through donations if you are persistent enough. Talk with whomever set up this particular activity, unless it was you, and see what ideas they have. Also, see if you can find out who is responsible for the park, i.e. city, county, etc. You might have to obtain their permission before doing certain things. Above all be safe! Wear gloves when picking up trash, and if you see anything you know is harmful or dangerous tell an authority figure.

A: FROM MENTOR NANCY VANDLING, ASSISTANT PROGRAM MANAGER, ENGINEERING AND
CONSTRUCTION DIVISION OF PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY IN PITTSBURGH, PA
I commend you for getting involved with the clean up and being concerned. I participate in a roadside clean-up program here in Pennsylvania where we are designated certain portions of a roadway to keep clean of litter. I am
truly amazed at the amount of trash the people carelessly discard without consideration of others who may be utilizing the same facilities. From a trash perspective pick up what ever you can; come prepared with trash bags and gloves, if they are not being provided for you. The biggest problem along a road is what to do with any tires that are discarded - You probably will not have this problem by working in a park. Some things to consider on a long term basis to help people be responsible in keeping the park clean: Are there sufficient trash containers for the Park? Are the trash containers placed in the correct location near where people can use them? Are the trash containers manufactured to prohibit access by animals - raccoons, dogs, cats, etc., so that the garbage is not scattered by their activities or by the wind? Is there an adequate program in place to properly dispose of the garbage - are the garbage cans emptied regularly? The garbage that you will be picking up - is someone going to properly dispose of it? If the park has a place where food items are sold, are there better paper or food container supplies they can use that are environmentally friendly or that disintegrate faster? What type of garbage to you see more of in the Park? Is there a way of limiting it or using something different in order to decrease the amount of garbage? If there are vending machines, are there garbage receptacles nearby? Chewing gum is the enemy of all transit agencies everywhere - it is hard to clean-up off of most surfaces and especially if it gets on your clothes. Here in Pittsburgh, we prefer that chewing gum not be sold in any businesses in the transit stations. People tend to keep a park clean if it is a nice park and has a nice appearance - planting grass and flowers would be great. Large birds such as ducks and geese have been injured from the plastic rings that hold a six pack of soda together. Please make sure these are disposed of properly. Good luck and continue to think of the outdoors as your home and keep it clean.

A:FROM MENTOR JACQUI JURGA, MECHANICAL DESIGN/BURNER FABRICATION MANAGER,
GLOBAL ENGINEERING DIVISION AT CABOT CORP. IN MA
Hi Sam B. in N.H.- I have done projects like the one are describing. If I had to chose one best thing I lean toward saying to look for things that might cause harm to a child or pet. Such as, broken glass and nails sticking out of wood etc. Sweeping walkways, and possibly planting some flowers would not only clean it up but will beautify the park also. Some nurseries and florists donated to our girl scout troop the plants for the park we worked on. If you have that type of store or business in the area - you might have a good chance of getting some if you ask. We planted some perennials along a wall and they come back every summer. They need water, and it would be important to bring some for the planting. Hopefully, the park has a water source close by. We brought used milk containers filled with water to use. Good luck - it is a great service to your community that you are contributing to. It is fun and rewarding at the same time.

A:FROM MENTOR WANDA RITCHIE, SENIOR OPERATIONS MANAGER, EASTMAN GELATINE
CORP., IN PEABODY, MA
Sam, thanks for your efforts in cleaning up the park. I'm sure that the neighbors will be very appreciative of your efforts. Just picking up the litter that can accumulate over the winter will be a big improvement. As you described the park, I found myself imagining some areas that use nice, fresh mulch (maybe around the swing) rather than struggling to try to keep grass growing. The mulch provides a softer area in case small children fall and it looks and smells nice. Also, wildflower seed mix might be hardier than grass in areas where people don't walk and you wouldn't have to mow the grass.

A: FROM MENTOR STACY WOOD, PROJECT DESIGNER, PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY
COUNTY IN PITTSBURGH, PA
Hi Sam, I think that it is great to do a clean up at your neighborhood park. Are you doing it by yourself? I would say that the most important thing to do would be to clean up the trash. You may also want to think about planting a tree. If you talked with a local nursery and told them about your plan to clean up the park they just may donate a tree to be planted in the park. This would require some maintenance on your part such as watering. Grass would be very difficult to grow in a playground area as kids will always be running through while they play. If you have other
people helping you out you may want to think about weeding any planting areas and planting some plants or painting the poles of the swing or the trash cans and benches. Good luck to you. I am sure that people of your
neighborhood will appreciate your efforts.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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ANY NEW QUESTIONS FROM THE NEW MENTEES WHO JUST JOINED OUR PROGRAM IN THE
MONTH OF APRIL? SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TODAY!
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 6, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Thank you to all the GEM-SET participants who took part in the Video Conference on May 4th. Soon a link to the video conference will be available for your viewing. Watch the daily digest for the link announcement.
Please send in your comments about the conference.
Here's one from Erin R. in KY: I would just like to say that the conference was a lot of fun. I got to meet some new people in my region. I even got some answers to some questions I was wondering about Thanks so much!
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE NATALIE F. IN REGION V
My sister is going to college in a year (has one year left at high school) and so far is not sure what course she is going to major in. She just won first place in a statewide keyboarding competition. Is there any job out there she can do with fast keyboarding skills?

Q: FROM MODERATOR SARAH SHIRK AT UIC
Did you participate in the satellite video teleconference? What do you think about this use of technology to bring people together?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 7, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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May is Asian-American History Month. GEM-SET will highlight Asian American women in science, engineering and technology.
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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QUIZ QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Chien-Shiung Wu is quoted as saying "There is only one thing worse than coming home from the lab to a sink full of dirty dishes, and that is not going to the lab at all." What did she study in her lab that gained her respect from
physicists throughout the world? For a bonus point, what is the English translation of her Chinese name?
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Q: FROM MENTEE NATALIE F. IN REGION V
My sister is going to college in a year (has one year left at high school) and so far is not sure what course she is going to major in. She just won first place in a statewide keyboarding competition. Is there any job out there she can do with fast keyboarding skills?

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL AT BROWN UNIVERSITY
IN PROVIDENCE, RI
The fastest typist in my high school was a pianist - I wonder if your sister developed her reflexes through piano lessons? Office work still needs staff who type well, even though more and more professionals do their own typing now that we have computers. She should be able to find flexible work with an agency that hires out temporary office help, and that could be a good way to earn some money while going to college. With a college education, though, she should look forward to a career that allows her to think for herself more than transcribe what other people think. Being able to write her own thoughts quickly and accurately will always be an advantage (say I as I go for that backspace/delete key again and again!)

A: FROM MENTOR WANDA RITCHIE, SENIOR OPERATION MANAGER, EASTMAN GELATINE CORP.
IN PEABODY, MA
Natalie, virtually any professional position these days would make use of keyboarding skills. In particular, though, I would think that anyone doing computer programming, computer based design, maintenance of documentation using CAD (computer-aided design) software in addition to court stenographers, paralegals, attorneys would benefit tremendously by fast keyboarding capability.

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
Fast keyboarding skills are useful for so many jobs. (I'm assuming that keyboarding is the same as typing?) It can be used in the courtroom as a stenographer (altho, the machine you use is very different than a typewriter orcomputer keyboard) to secretary to use in any job that uses a computer. As an engineer, you will have to create reports, create design documents and architecture documents. Having good typing skills helps you there. Also, as a computer programmer, you have to type in code, test plans, etc. Having good typing skills is important if you are to complete this portion of your job quickly. You want typing to be second nature to you. This will come with practice.

A: FROM MENTOR MARTY WOELFEL, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY, KENTUCKY STATE
UNIVERSITY IN FRANKFORT, KY
Oh my! I wouldn't be basing what job I looked for only on my fast keyboarding skills. The excellent news, though, is that your sister's fast keyboarding skills will serve her well in almost any job she chooses! As a college prof, I write a lot, and need to write FAST at the computer. Having worked as a college administrator, I can tell you that not being dependent on a secretary to do keyboarding has been absolutely essential to my success. Our college president, and every other one of our top administrators, all are good keyboarders. I find the same among my friends--both male and female--who are lawyers, research scientists, human resource directors, computer technicians, sales people, etc. On some major projects, I've been blessed with very fine administrative assistants. And, I have several wonderful friends who are executive assistants to important people--a "chief" federal judge, a set of lawyers at a law firm, the administrative assistant to a school superintendent, the executive assistant to the CEO of my Girl Scout council, etc. And none of that even counts all the good support staff who work at my institution. In some ways I think a good "executive assistant" is the most key member of any successful team. So, if that's what your sister decides she wants, she can become a very important team member. Regardless of career choice, the more computer programs a person can operate, the more opportunities (whether new jobs or just ways to do other jobs more effectively) open up. Your sister (and you) should learn to use common word processing software (for instance, Word and WordPerfect), spreadsheets (such as Excel), data bases, and so forth so her keyboarding skills can be put to best use. And everyone out there ought to be able to "knock around" in Windows operating systems. So, cheers for my ma, who made me take typing back in the dark ages (mechanical typewriters!) when I was in 7th grade. I despised it and didn't learn how important it would be until I got to college and had to type papers. And cheers for all of you who decide keyboarding is a skill that will enable you to do what you want to do, and do it better, than those who refuse to learn to keyboard well. You'll "out compete" them in any job you choose.
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Q: FROM MODERATOR SARAH SHIRK AT UIC
Did you participate in the satellite video teleconference? What do you think about this use of technology to bring people together?

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
I was not able to participate in the teleconference, but I have used a form of teleconference in my job. Global business (business that spans countries) creates a need for satellite teleconferencing. With this technology, we are able to communicate "face-to-face" without having to travel all over the world.It's more cost-effective than actually being there. I don't think it can totally replace actual face-to-face meetings. Sometimes, the human touch (a handshake, a smile, casual conversation) is needed to enhance the business relationship. But, the technology enhances communication because now you can always see the person rather than conversing just over the phone or in person.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE JOSIE IN PENNSYLVANIA
I want to know how the picture on the tv is made?
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Q: FROM MENTEE QUAYLA IN PENNSYLVANIA
How does the computer transfer information from city to city and or state to state?
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Q: FROM MENTEE KARISTAN W. IN PENNSYLVANIA
I was thinking about my future job. I want to be a lawyer when I grow up and I'm not sure if I'll have enough
time to spend with my family. Do you think I'll have enough time to spend with my family? Please write me back. Thanks, I appreciate your time and kindness!
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 8, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
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May is Asian-American History Month. GEM-SET will highlight Asian American women in science, engineering and technology.
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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QUIZ QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Chien-Shiung Wu is quoted as saying "There is only one thing worse than coming home from the lab to a sink full of dirty dishes, and that is not going to the lab at all." What did she study in her lab that gained her respect from physicists throughout the world? For a bonus point, what is the English translation of her Chinese name?
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Q: FROM MENTEE KARISTAN W. IN PENNSYLVANIA
I was thinking about my future job. I want to be a lawyer when I grow up and I'm not sure if I'll have enough time to spend with my family. Do you think I'll have enough time to spend with my family? Please write me back. Thanks, I appreciate your time and kindness!

A: FROM MENTOR CHRISTINE KUTA, PATENT ATTORNEY WITH PERKINS, SMITH, & COHEN,
LLP IN BOSTON, MA
Yes, it is possible to be a lawyer and to have time for family and community. Lawyers work in many different types of places doing many different types of things. Lawyers work in law firms, as everyone knows, but lawyers also work in corporations, in the government, and for non-profit organizations. Law firms tend to require very long hours and lawyers in law firms also generally have to spend a lot of time doing marketing activities in order to generate
business for the firm. It is possible, however, to find firms, usually small firms, that will allow you to work reduced hours. You make less money than you would if you worked the killer hours, but the pay is still pretty good, the work is just as good, and you have time for your life. Corporate jobs are reputed to be fewer hours than the large law firm jobs, but it depends on the corporation. The same goes for government jobs and for non-profit jobs. If hours are important to you, you have to make it part of the job negotiation process. There are also, amazingly enough, part-time jobs for lawyers as well as lawyers, called contract lawyers, who work only on specific projects. Like you, I want time for a life as well as my law job and I have managed to do that for a number of years now. I worked in a corporation for a while earlier in my career. For the past several years, I have worked at law firms. The hours at the corporation were pretty good. I prefer the independence that I get in private practice (that is, working in a law firm)
and I actually enjoy marketing activities so law firm life is the life for me. I now work at a small firm where I negotiated reduced hours when I interviewed. I am very happy with my job and I have time to do community activites and to spend with my friends. I assure you it is possible to be a lawyer and to have a life.

A: FROM MENTOR AMY MCMILLAN, NRC POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE AT US EPA IN
CINCINNATI, OH
I think you can be a lawyer in many different ways, just like I can be a scientist in many different ways. I have a close friend who has a 4 year old daughter - she is an appellate lawyer - she works on appeals of cases that have
been tried and convicted. She works for a government office rather than a private office, and she works out of her home office most of the time. She doesn't get paid the big bucks you might hear about from private firms and she
works very very hard - often on the weekend and in the evenings, after her daughter is in bed. She also, most importantly, is the most organized, efficient person I know. By being organized and very good at what she does, she is able to pick her daughter up from preschool every day and spend the afternoon with her, cook a great meal for her family every night, and enjoy her family. She had to work hard to have the privileges she does (like working at
home and setting her own hours) but she had a goal and was able to do it! If being a lawyer is what you want to do, just do it - but be aware of the choices you can make to build what you want for your life outside your career!!
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Q: FROM MENTEE QUAYLA IN PENNSYLVANIA
How does the computer transfer information from city to city and or state to state?

A: FROM MENTOR MEG WILLIAMS, TECHNICAL MANAGER, TRU64 UNIX & INTERNET SECURITY, COMPAQ COMPUTER CORPORATION, NASHUA, NH
Quayla, The mechanism that allows computers to transfer data between any two disjoint systems whether they be in 2 different rooms, cities, states, or countries is the computer network. What is a Computer Network? The network is comprised of a set of computer systems; hardware that connects the computer to the network; sets of communications lines, cables, routers, and switches over which data travels; and software that allows the systems to communicate in a defined fashion. What is the hardware that connects the system to the network? A modem card that allows you to use a regular phone connection to dial into the network only when you want to be on the network. A Network Integrated Card (NIC) which allows you to connect into an "always on" network connection using a cable connection or a DSL connection. Cable connections basically use the same wires into your house as a cable TV hook-up would use. The DSL connection uses the phone line connections into your house. The primary difference between the 2 cards is the speed of access that you can get to the network. If you are on a dial-up card then typically this is a slow line. Down load of web pages or audio files can take a long time. e.g. minutes. Versus cable or DSL connections where these dame down loads take seconds. However, there are major security concerns for the always on connections which is less of a concern in dial-up connections. What are lines and cables? Lines and cables are the physical wiring that connects computer systems (also called nodes) in the network together. These can be basic phone lines, coax cables as is used for cable TV, or these days it can also be satellite connections, as is used in cell phones. In addition there are also specialized lines, e.g. fiber optics and high band-width phone lines, that are used for connections where lots of data will be send. High band-width means that the line can carry lots of data at the same time. A way to think about it like the check-out at the grocery store. The more check-outs that
are open the faster you can get out with your groceries. What is a router or switch? To make this work all data that travels over a network has two addresses: The source, who is sending the data, and the destination, who is to receive the data. Routers and switches are specialized computer systems that know how to get your data to its intended destination. They have an internal map of the layout of the network so they know how to get the data to the right place. Switches are used to limit what data can travel over specific connections in the network. Therefore ensuring
(or at least helping to ensure) that critical connections are not overburden with data. Network Topology: The lines, cables, routers, and switches all comprise what we call the network topology or the network configuration. The easiest way to think of the topology is as a set of streets, roads, and highways that connect the computer systems together. So a piece of data that initiates from your house to get to your friend in the same city will travel over lines that are local within the city, like you would travel city streets to get to her house. Likewise if you send an email to a friend in another state that data will travel over the network equivalent of streets, roads and possibly interstate highways to get to her house. The decisions about which roads/paths to take is the made by the routers/switches in the network, using the destination address. A couple important thing about network topology: 1) The topology (unlike roads) is constantly changing. As routers and new lines are booted or connected the topology can change. The routers themselves can determine that one path has two much data (or is congested) and look for alternative paths to destinations. So the path packets take through the network is dynamic. 2) The topology is so large that no one system can track it. Therefore each router tends to know about their specific areas and it knows how to direct packets into the general area of another area. It would be like if you asked directions to a Street address in a specific city, and the person could get you to the city but didn't know how to get you to the exact street (or house). 3) It is the back bone of the WWW, without this technology we would not have the WEB. What is the software? ALL of this stuff is controlled by a complex set of computer software called Networking Software. Underlying the software is a set of protocols (or rules) governing how systems communicate, how to forward packets, how to route packets, what happens in failure cases, etc... So what happens when you send an email? You send an email to friend in another state. That email has you as the sender and your friends email address as the destination. The email goes out from the network connection in your computer over a phone or cable line to your local Internet service provider (ISP). The ISP has a set routers that will plan the first leg of the path over which the email will travel to its destination.
Based on the knowledge that it has the router can either send the data directly or it can send it to an (or a set of intermediate router(s) that will eventually get the mail it to your friends ISP/mail server. Your friend gets the email, then answers it and the process is reversed to get back to you. If both you and your friend both use the same ISP and mail service like AOL, it is likely that this process is all done within AOL. This would mean that emails that you send to friends on AOL could get delivered quicker then emails to friends on say MSN. Hope this helps! Meg
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE JOSIE IN PENNSYLVANIA
I want to know how the picture on the tv is made?
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Q: FROM MENTEE GRACE IN PENNSYLVANIA
Hi how are you? I hope fine. I have a question for you. It is about math. Do they have to use decimals?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 9, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
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May is Asian-American History Month. GEM-SET will highlight Asian American women in science, engineering and technology.
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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QUIZ QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Chien-Shiung Wu is quoted as saying "There is only one thing worse than coming home from the lab to a sink full of dirty dishes, and that is not going to the lab at all." What did she study in her lab that gained her respect from physicists throughout the world? For a bonus point, what is the English translation of her Chinese name?
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Correction from May 8th daily digest. Mentor Christine Kuta is affiliated with Chapin & Huang, LLC in Westborough, MA NOT Perkins, Smith, & Cohen, LLP in Boston, MA. GEM-SET staff apologizes for the error.
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Q: FROM MENTEE KARISTAN W. IN PENNSYLVANIA
I was thinking about my future job. I want to be a lawyer when I grow up and I'm not sure if I'll have enough time to spend with my family. Do you think I'll have enough time to spend with my family? Please write me back. Thanks, I
appreciate your time and kindness!

A: FROM MENTOR MARGO AUXTER, RADIATION THERAPIST IN OK
That all depends on what you do with your career. Some lawyers I know work only 20 hours a week, and some work 80 or more. What type of law interests you? I think you will have to decide what type of career you want to have-a partnership in a large firm, or a small private practice, or anything in between. There are a lot of questions to be answered and decisions to be made. Good luck
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Q: FROM MENTEE GRACE IN PENNSYLVANIA
Hi how are you? I hope fine. I have a question for you. It is about math. Do they have to use decimals?

A: FROM JACQUI JURGA, MECHANICAL ENGINEER, DESIGN/FAB. MANAGER AT CABOT CORP. IN MA
Hi Grace in PA. To answer your question...."Do they have to use decimals?" I am going to assume when you say 'they', you mean people like me... mechanical engineers? If that is the case.... from my perspective and job objective's... YES they do! A decimal is more accurate than a whole number. It illustrates a part of a whole number, defines a segment a whole. It is a fraction written in multiples of the power 10 negative. You may ask.... why don't we just use fractions??? Well, think of it this way -- the fractions become very large to get the accuracy a short decimal gives. For example 0.1 = 1/10, 0.01= 1/100, 0.001 = 1/1000. See how big the fraction gets when you add more accuracy? The dot (decimal point) indicates where the value of the number changes from positive to negative. I know that sounds confusing, especially if you do not use it every day. But rest be assured... there are many of us who use decimals everyday at work. In the mechanical fabrication field when you look at a blueprint you will see decimals. If the decimal has three numbers such as .005 that is 5 thousandths of an inch. In industry that kind of accuracy is standard. Let me try to explain it in terms easier to understand. I might not be good at this - please bear with my stab at an example. Let's say Grace has an apple pie. She asks her friends how many want a piece. 8 of them say yes. That means Grace has to cut that pie into 8 pieces or 1/8 of pie for each friend. The accuracy of those slices of pie probably won't be EXACTLY equal. Some pieces will be ever so slightly bigger than 1/8 and some a
little smaller than 1/8. If that pie were cut by using a 3 place decimal to measure the slices - they would be much closer to equal in size. In manufacturing we need to make sure all our products are equal. Nobody should buy a product that is not accurate. If you went and bought a simple package of bobby pins for your hair. Every bobby pin would be within .005 (5/1000) accuracy of the next one. I can assure you the company that makes them uses decimals every day. Does that help????? I hope so. And.... don't let decimals scare you. Practice - practice - practice and you will be fine (and accurate!). Good Luck.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE JOSIE IN PENNSYLVANIA
I want to know how the picture on the tv is made?
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Q: FROM MENTEE JUSTINE IN IL
I was wondering if anyone has an environmental issue that affects your job directly. If so, what is it, how is it affecting your work and do you have any knowledge of how it is being solved?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 10, 2002
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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
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NOW IS THE TIME TO OFFER FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE GEM-SET PROGRAM! TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation>http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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QUIZ QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
Chien-Shiung Wu is quoted as saying "There is only one thing worse than coming home from the lab to a sink full of dirty dishes, and that is not going to the lab at all." What did she study in her lab that gained her respect from physicists throughout the world? For a bonus point, what is the English translation of her Chinese name?

ANSWER: She disproved the law of conservation of parity-which had been one of the basic assumptions of physics.
BONUS POINT: Chien-Shiung means "strong hero."
Congratulations to Alexis in VA, Margaret in CT, and Natalie in IL for getting the correct answer and the bonus point!
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Q: FROM MENTEE JUSTINE IN IL
I was wondering if anyone has an environmental issue that affects your job directly. If so, what is it, how is it affecting your work and do you have any knowledge of how it is being solved?

A: FROM MINI VARUGHESE, PHD, AT STEMCELL TECHNOLOGIES IN MD
I used to work for PerkinElmer-NEN. We sold among other things, radioactive compounds to the scientific community for research purposes. Radioactive waste is a huge issue. No one wants it in their back yard but
you have to get rid of it somehow. Tritium (3H)and 14C lasts forever so it is usually buried somewhere for ever. Most companies are trying to find alternatives for the radioactive compounds but some isotopes, like 123I, have no substitute as of yet.

A: FROM MARY JO MULLEN, CIVIL ENGINEER AT PATRICK ENGINEERING IN IL
Justine, civil engineering, and the related field of environmental engineering, have many environmental issues associated with them. In my job, the issue I deal with most is the quality of the water that runs off our land after a storm. Stormwater picks up dirt and pollutants (fertilizers, oils...) as it runs over bare land, farms and pavements.
These pollutants end up in our rivers. I see you are from Illinois, and if you are from the Chicagoland-6 county area, you may know that our rivers, creeks and streams are rather polluted and often not considered safe for even swimming. Fish and mussels that used to flourish in our rivers are sparse and difficult to find. What we do to try and improve this water quality are several different things generally referred to as Best Management Practices (BMPs). BMPs in Illinois include using ponds to detain stormwater and allow sediment to settle out of the water before it continues on to a nearby stream; allowing stormwater to flow over a long length of prairie grasses (called a filter
strip) helps improve water quality since those plants and grasses absorb some of the impurities in water; creating wetlands also provide as similar water quality improvement as the filter strips. Engineers and developers have to work together to try and use these BMPs to improve the quality of our rivers and streams. And in the next couple of years, we will be required by national law to use BMPs to reach some standard level of water quality.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE JOSIE IN PENNSYLVANIA
I want to know how the picture on the tv is made?
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END
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 13, 2002
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Short daily digest today.
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We need your input! Could you take 5-10 minutes to complete an on-line evaluation survey? The survey deadline is May 24th. If you have not already submitted a survey, please complete the survey on or before that date. ALL
PARTICIPANTS (mentees, mentors, partner organization staff, etc. are invited to fill out a survey.) TO COMPLETE A GEM-SET PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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END
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 14, 2002
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We need your input! Could you take 5-10 minutes to complete an on-line evaluation survey? The survey deadline is May 24th. If you have not already submitted a survey, please complete the survey on or before that date. ALL
PARTICIPANTS (mentees, mentors, partner organization staff, etc. are invited to fill out a survey.) TO COMPLETE A GEM-SET PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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QUIZ-OF-THE-WEEK CONTEST:
Kalpana Chawla is a NASA astronaut. In her first mission, how many miles did she travel and how many times did she orbit the Earth?
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM MENTEE MOLLY IN MN
Hi, I was wondering how important you think it would be to get a minor in a SET field? Do you think that taking lots of generals in SET fields would be a good idea in college?
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Q: FROM LAUREN H. IN KY
What exactly is a forensic psychologist, and I heard they are in high demand right now, is this true?
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Q: FROM MENTEE IRAM S. IN IL
How can you score High on your ACT?
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 15, 2002
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We need your input! Could you take 5-10 minutes to complete an on-line evaluation survey? The survey deadline is May 24th. If you have not already submitted a survey, please complete the survey on or before that date. ALL
PARTICIPANTS (mentees, mentors, partner organization staff, etc. are invited to fill out a survey.) TO COMPLETE A GEM-SET PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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QUIZ-OF-THE-WEEK CONTEST:
Kalpana Chawla is a NASA astronaut. In her first mission, how many miles did she travel and how many times did she orbit the Earth?
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Q: FROM MENTEE MOLLY IN MN
Hi, I was wondering how important you think it would be to get a minor in a SET field? Do you think that taking lots of generals in SET fields would be a good idea in college?

A: FROM MENTOR MARTY CHINTALA, RESEARCH BIOLOGIST, US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY, ATLANTIC ECOLOGY DIVISION IN NARRAGANSETT,RI
Molly, I think that all depends on what kind of career you are thinking about. What is your major going to be? But I definitely think that it would be a benefit for you to take SET courses, whether you actually get a minor or not. There are many times that it is useful to know the background information on things. Even some artists can find it helpful to actually take an anatomy class is they are drawing human forms, for example. I also think that knowing some SET fields helps you to be an informed citizen, particularly when it is time to vote on local or national issues. It is also depends on how interested you are in learning different fields that you might not be working in on a daily basis. When I was an undergraduate as a Biological Sciences major, all my electives were very different things from science, like folklore and mythology because that interested me and it was a diversion from all the science stuff that I had to do.

A: FROM MENTOR CHARLENE CASSIDY, P.E., PARSONS, BRINCKERHOFF QUADE & DOUGLAS,
INC. IN COLUMBIA, SC
Molly, it can certainly be useful to get a minor in an SET field, and would not hurt your career opportunities. What you should try to do is focus the course work in your minor area of study to complement your major area of study, rather than take a bunch of SET courses randomly. For example if your major was pre-law and you knew that you were interested in practicing in the medical arena, you might want to minor in biology or some field related to medicine.
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NEW QUESTIONS:
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Q: FROM LAUREN H. IN KY
What exactly is a forensic psychologist, and I heard they are in high demand right now, is this true?
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Q: FROM MENTEE IRAM S. IN IL
How can you score High on your ACT?
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Q: FROM MENTEE WENDY B. IN REGION V
Mentors, first of all I want to thank you all for your time and input on our questions. It is great to know that there are people who will help us in these uncertain times of our lives. Okay, now for the question. If you had the opportunity to get a really good job, but might have to give up a sport that you love (on your senior year) what would help you decide what to do, and what would you have done? Any input on this would be very appreciated. Thanks!

Q: #2 FROM MENTEE WENDY B. IN REGION V
I was wondering if anyone knew why freckles shown up more after a person has been in the sun? I know this is a foolish question, but I am curious. Wendy
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 16, 2002
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We need your input! Could you take 5-10 minutes to complete an on-line evaluation survey? The survey deadline is May 24th. If you have not already submitted a survey, please complete the survey on or before that date. ALL
PARTICIPANTS (mentees, mentors, partner organization staff, etc. are invited to fill out a survey.) TO COMPLETE A GEM-SET PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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QUIZ-OF-THE-WEEK CONTEST:
Kalpana Chawla is a NASA astronaut. In her first mission, how many miles did she travel and how many times did she orbit the Earth?
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Q: FROM LAUREN H. IN KY
What exactly is a forensic psychologist, and I heard they are in high demand right now, is this true?

A: FROM MENTOR DR. ESTHER PEARSON IN MASSACHUSETTS
Lauren, the definition of Forensic Psychology is listed below. The definition is taken from the Ontario Psychology Association: "Forensic psychology is concerned with emotional and behavioral questions and issues that relate to law and legal systems" Forensic psychologists, "provide advice to legislators, judges, correctional officers, lawyers and the police ... is called upon, for example, to serve as an expert witness...diagnose and treat incarcerated and probationed offenders; and screen and evaluate personnel in the law enforcement and judicial systems" Forensic Psychologist have specific job titles. Some of them include: Criminal psychologists Correctional Psychologists Police Psychologists Social-legal Psychologists As you can imagine with the discovery of new technologies for criminal investigations, the need for Forensic Psychologists have increased.
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Q: FROM MENTEE IRAM S. IN IL
How can you score High on your ACT?

A: FROM MENTOR DR. SUZANNE FRANKS, DIRECTOR, WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
PROGRAM, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN MANHATTAN, KS
Hi Iram! Work hard in your classes, do a lot of reading and writing - these things will help you not only with the ACT but with anything you want to do in life. To specifically prepare for the ACT, there are a number of sources of prep courses and coaching materials which you can easily find by an internet search or by talking to a guidance
counselor at school. ACT scores can be important in some cases in determining whether and how much scholarship money you may be awarded. But remember that for women and for men of color, ACT scores are not a good predictor of how well you will do in college. They are relatively good predictors for white men, but not perfectly. Mainly they show how good you are at taking standardized tests like the ACT! So if scholarship money is important,
and you can afford it, invest in a prep course. But don't let your ACT score affect your thinking about how well you can do in college or what challenges you can take on or what you will be able to contribute to society!

A: FROM MENTOR VICKIE OWENS-RINN, TECHNICAL MANAGER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN
IL
IRAM: My advice is to practice practice answering these types of questions in advance. My stepdaughter will be a junior in the fall and we are enrolling her in an ACT prep class. We are enrolling her in a course at a local college over the summer. (I'm not sure where in IL you are, but we're doing this at College of DuPage ) Because of her work schedule, she's actually going to take an on-line version of the course. I don't know if this will be a disadvantage vs.
an instructor led class - I think it depends on how you learn. She will have access to instructors to answer questions via email. Some high schools offer instructor led prep classes ( for a fee :) ) on the weekends in the fall. These prep classes are also offered for the SAT as well. There are also many books you can buy at book stores that have
practice questions. Good luck!
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Q: FROM MENTEE WENDY B. IN REGION V
Mentors, first of all I want to thank you all for your time and input on our questions. It is great to know that there are people who will help us in these uncertain times of our lives. Okay, now for the question. If you had the
opportunity to get a really good job, but might have to give up a sport that you love (on your senior year) what would help you decide what to do, and what would you have done? Any input on this would be very appreciated. Thanks!

A: FROM MENTOR CASSIE FENOSEFF, DESIGN RELEASE ENGINEER AT GM NORTH AMERICA IN
REGION V
Which would you like to do more- work at the job or play the sport? If you
are taking the job for money or experience, I would play the sport instead if you can afford to. You will have plenty of time ahead of you to work and make money, and gain the experience that you need for your career. If you can, do whichever would be more fun for you so that you can enjoy your last year in high school.

A: FROM MENTOR SHARON ROSH, DVM, EDGEBROOK ANIMAL HOSPITAL IN EAST BRUNSWICK,
NJ
I must say, you guys have really great questions which are hard as heck to answer!!! Your question about whether or not to give up a chance to play sports or take a good job is a tough one. Knowing what I know now about free time
and work time. I would continue to play the sport. If you need the job to make money, then that is a different story, but if you are doing it for fun or to get some experience, then I would consider playing the sport. My reasoning is this,when you are young you have the energy and the physical ability to play sports well and enjoy them. When you get older, I am sure there will be lots of opportunities to get good jobs. Play while you are young because before you know it, the rigors of daily life will be upon you. Enjoy it while you can. Best of luck!!

A: FROM MENTOR MARSHA SEGEBARTH, PHD, BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
SOUTHERN INDIANA
Wendy, your question is one I feel sure many other young women have dealt with. I think the two most important questions to ask yourself as you make the decision are: 1) Is this job in an area which I can see myself continuing in
and 2) What is my motivation for considering this job? Is it financial? For exposure to the area? It sounds as though sports have been a big part of your life. Your high school senior year is a 'big deal'. If there is any way to continue your sport during your senior year I would suggest going for that. This sport may be your ticket to a college scholarship! At the very least, it will no doubt provide you with many wonderful hours with your teammates, needed
exercise, and memories to draw from later when you are stuck in a study carrel somewhere preparing for college classes or exams. I know it sounds like a cliche, but you truly are only a high school senior once. If the motivation for taking the job is to earn some extra spending money, I would suggest weighing that heavily in your decision. Do you REALLY need that extra money? On the other hand, if this job is one that might provide a stepping stone to
your future goals, that weighs differently in the decision. Generally I encourage young people to try as many different things as possible - only through 'sampling' will you know what is truly right for you. I just hate to think of you giving up something you truly love. Good luck with your decision!
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NO NEW QUESTIONS TODAY
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GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 17, 2002
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We need your input! Could you take 5-10 minutes to complete an on-line evaluation survey? The survey deadline is May 24th. If you have not already submitted a survey, please complete the survey on or before that date. ALL
PARTICIPANTS (mentees, mentors, partner organization staff, etc. are invited to fill out a survey.) TO COMPLETE A GEM-SET PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
***********
QUIZ-OF-THE-WEEK CONTEST:
Kalpana Chawla is a NASA astronaut. In her first mission, how many miles did she travel and how many times did she orbit the Earth?

ANSWER: In her first mission, Kalpana Chawla traveled 6.5 million miles in 252 orbits of the Earth. Congratulations to Maggie K. in CT and Samantha B. in VT for getting the correct answer!
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Q: FROM MENTEE IRAM S. IN IL
How can you score High on your ACT?

A: FROM MENTEE NATALIE F. IN WI
My sister took the ACT review course. At the first session, they took a practice exam, and she scored 26. After about two months of reviews, strategies and exercises, she scored a 32 on the exam. We would suggest taking the review course, which guarantees a six point increase over what you would score without the preparation.

Q: FROM MENTEE WENDY B. IN REGION V
I was wondering if anyone knew why freckles shown up more after a person has been in the sun? I know this is a foolish question, but I am curious.

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY
IN PROVIDENCE, RI
I looked around on the web without finding a _reason_, just general agreement that freckles get darker with sun exposure, and seem to be made of the same melanin that makes a tan. So a slightly different question is, why do we react to UV light by tanning, whether tanning smoothly or in little freckly patches? Ultraviolet light causes more
melanin to be produced, but I didn't find out exactly how. What _senses_ the UV light - what molecules absorb it and how do they respond? the tanning response is slow, so quite likely more melanin-producing enzymes might be made (rather than an immediate reaction when light shines on a precursor of melanin. If we blocked protein synthesis, would we tan? What are the dangers of trying that experiment? Do animals tan? Mammals have too much fur, mostly, to let light through to the skin... do pigs tan? I've never heard of that - maybe some of you budding scientist live on farms and know the answer. I'd bet that animals would get _sunburned_ even if they can't tan.
Teleologically we tan in order to protect ourselves from further damage by UV - but that doesn't explain _how_ we tan.

A: FROM MENTOR DR. SUZANNE FRANKS, DIRECTOR, WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
PROGRAM, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN MANHATTAN, KS
Hi Wendy! There's no such thing as a foolish question, especially on this listserv! Questioning is the way to learn, questioning keeps the brain humming, questioning lets people exchange ideas and information with each other. I did a search on Google on the phrase "freckles and sun" and found some information. Freckles become darker with exposure to sun because the sunlight stimulates cells in the skin called melanocytes. Melanocytes produce melanin, which is the pigment that gives skin its color. The more melanin, the darker the color. Sunlight stimulates the cells to produce more melanin. Freckles are parts of the skin that have a higher number of melanocytes than the skin around them, and so there are more cells to produce more melanin in response to sun exposure, and so they get darker. It's actually the ultraviolet rays in sunlight that cause the cells to produce melanin. If you freckle and burn easily with exposure to the sun, you need to be especially careful to use sunblock with an SPF of 15 or higher, and to limit your exposure to sun, as you are at a higher risk for skin cancer. I could tell you more about melanocytes, and other cells in the skin, and about the skin itself and what it does - did you know that the skin is the largest organ of the body? and that hair and fingernails are produced by the skin? Or you could go look it up in a library or search on line or check an encyclopedia to learn more about how skin does its many different jobs. First, it is your protector, it acts as a shield to protect your insides from all kinds of things like diseases, infection, the sun, wind, and rain. And it contains specialized end organs that produce the whole variety of sensations that we experience as touch. Finally, the skin helps to regulate your body temperature, through the vast network of blood vessels and sweat glands it contains. And it contains those melanocytes, that give us our skin color and tans and freckles and so on. If you are
interested in skin, there are a couple of careers you might want to explore. The obvious first one is dermatology. A dermatologist is a physician who specializes in care of the skin. They work to help patients keep their skin healthy, and to take care of and treat skin problems that patients have. You have to get an undergraduate degree and go to medical school to be a dermatologist. Or, you might be interested in a career as a tissue engineer. Tissue engineering is the science, study, and practice of (1) cell behavior, including how to produce living human and animal cells in large quantities in the lab, and have them function as they do in humans or animals; (2) designing and building (or growing!) structures that cells can grow upon and within in a three-dimensional arrangement, as they do within the body, and (3) developing technologies to integrate engineered cells and cell structures into the body successfully. For example, if you wanted to grow a new liver for someone with liver disease, you would need to know: how to get liver cells, grow them in large quantities, in a three-dimensional structure that replicates the structure of the liver, in a manner that preserves their specialized functions, and in a format suitable for transplant into a human (sterile and infection free), without provoking an immune system response that would destroy the newly grown liver. Biomedical engineering is a career where you could work in tissue engineering. You would need to get an undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering, or an undergraduate degree in an engineering discipline like mechanical or electrical engineering and then go on to graduate school in biomedical engineering for a master's degree or a PhD. You could work in research at a university or you could go work for a company. Some companies are already at work growing large amounts of real humanskin to use to treat burn patients and diabetic patients who often get painful foot ulcers that won't heal.That's probably enough skin talk for one email!
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NEW QUESTIONS
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Q: FROM MENTEE AMY N. IN MN
First of all I would like to thank Anna Liese Bratcher, INFO TECH TRAINER, U. KENTUCKY for telling me about music therapy, and second of all, I was wondering if you could tell me anymore information on music therapy, ie, good music therapy program colleges and good places in the MN area to work at. If any other mentors know anything about this I would gladly enjoy your input too! Thank you!
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Q: FROM MENTEE NATALIE F. IN WI
What is the probability of 100% attendance for one day (no one is sick or leaves for any appointments, is tardy, or leaves early) at a school with 600 students? Is there any record of this happening in history? If so, when was the latest occurrence?
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Note: If you do not see your question on today's digest, look for it next week! Our evaluation forms are suggesting that it would be better to keep the daily digest short. So we are trying to keep it to 2 questions/day. Your question
will still appear, but it may take a few days. Also, mentors please try to keep responses to less than 200 words in an effort to shorten the daily digest. THANKS from the GEM-SET moderators!
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END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 20, 2002
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We need your input! Could you take 5-10 minutes to complete an on-line evaluation survey? The survey deadline is May 24th. If you have not already submitted a survey, please complete the survey on or before that date. ALL PARTICIPANTS (mentees, mentors, partner organization staff, etc. are invited to fill out a survey.) TO COMPLETE A GEM-SET PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
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QUIZ-OF-THE-WEEK CONTEST:
Over a million people each year make a pilgrimage to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The creator won the commission for this sculpture as an undergraduate student of architecture. Who was the artist/architect? Bonus point: Have you ever visited this memorial? If yes, what was your experience like?
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Note: If you do not see your question on today's digest, look for it later in the week! Your comments on the evaluation forms suggest that it would be better to keep the daily digest short. In response, we are trying to keep the digest to 2-3 questions/day. Your question will still appear, but it may take a few days. Also, mentors please try to keep responses to less than 200 words in an effort to shorten the daily digest. THANKS from the GEM-SET moderators!
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Q: FROM MENTEE NATALIE F. IN WI
What is the probability of 100% attendance for one day (no one is sick or leaves for any appointments, is tardy, or leaves early) at a school with 600 students? Is there any record of this happening in history? If so, when was the latest occurrence?

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY
IN PROVIDENCE, RI
You could calculate that if you knew the average probability that a student was sick, or late, or left early - if each student had a 95% chance of attending for the whole day (lumping together the opposite of the three alternatives), then the probability that everyone would be there all day would be 0.95 to the 600th power (0.95 times itself
600 times)! My spreadsheet say that is 4.30688E-14, or, in lay terms, "don't bet on it." If each student is 99% sure to have full attendance, the probability that all 600 will be there becomes 0.24%. At 99.9% each, all 600 is an even bet: 54.9% In the old days we'd have used logarithms to calculate the answer. We could work backwards - if we knew how often a school had perfect attendance, we could find the (average) individual probability that a student had
full attendance. Or, how small a school would have to be to have an even chance that all the 95%-likely students would be there for the same day. Try it - you may be surprised.
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Q: FROM MENTEE WENDY B. IN REGION V
Mentors, first of all I want to thank you all for your time and input on our questions. It is great to know that there are people who will help us in these uncertain times of our lives. Okay, now for the question. If you had the opportunity to get a really good job, but might have to give up a sport that you love (on your senior year) what would help you decide what to do, and what would you have done? Any input on this would be very appreciated. Thanks!

A: FROM MENTOR JACQUELYN JURGA, MANAGER DESIGN/FABRICATION, CABOT CORP., MA
Hi Wendy- #1 - The decision should be yours - not anyone elses. What I am about to say are only suggestions on ways to determine your decision. I would sit down and write a list of pros and cons for each decision. I would ask myself if this job would help me with my future intentions or just put money in my pocket and give me a sense of independance. If in fact it would help you in future endeavors it would weigh higher on your decision. Is the sport important to you? Why give it up? Sports also give you skills in dicipline, becoming a team player, a sense of belonging to a group (success or not). Sometimes doing something you just plain want to do helps your stress level, reminds you to be yourself and to keep yourself healthy. The one thing I would say is you will be working the rest of your life. High School sports come along only once. Good luck with your tough decision -- I know it isn't easy.
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NEW QUESTIONS
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Q: FROM MENTEE LAUREN S. IN CT
I love science and would like to become a scientist, but I have some problems with math. I am in the advanced group, but I find geography especially difficult and math is a chore. Does this mean that my dream of becoming a scientist is ruined?I am volunteering at a hospital. I like helping people, but I don't like to see blood or cuts and things of that nature. Are there many scientist's fields that deal with helping people that don't liketo see gruesome injuries or find math a chore?

Q: FROM STEPHANY E. IN PA
I was wondering there are two times in a day A.M. and P.M. what do they mean?
I was also wondering how on the radio there is A.M. and F.M. what do they stand for?
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Q: FROM MENTEE AMY N. IN MN
First of all I would like to thank Anna Liese Bratcher, INFO TECH TRAINER, U. KENTUCKY for telling me about music therapy, and second of all, I was wondering if you could tell me anymore information on music therapy, ie, good music therapy program colleges and good places in the MN area to work at. If any other mentors know anything about this I would gladly enjoy your input too! Thank you!
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END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 21, 2002
*********
We need your input! Could you take 5-10 minutes to complete an on-line evaluation survey? The survey deadline is May 24th. If you have not already submitted a survey, please complete the survey on or before that date. ALL PARTICIPANTS (mentees, mentors, partner organization staff, etc. are invited to fill out a survey.) TO COMPLETE A GEM-SET PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
***********
QUIZ-OF-THE-WEEK CONTEST
Over a million people each year make a pilgrimage to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The creator won the commission for this sculpture as an undergraduate student of architecture. Who was the artist/architect? Bonus point: Have you ever visited this memorial? If yes, what was your experience like?
*********
Note: If you do not see your question on today's digest, look for it later in the week! Your comments on the evaluation forms suggest that it would be better to keep the daily digest short. In response, we are trying to keep the digest to 2-3 questions/day. Your question will still appear, but it may take a few days. Also, mentors please try to keep responses to less than 200 words in an effort to shorten the daily digest. THANKS from the GEM-SET moderators!
**********
Q: FROM MENTEE LAUREN S. IN CT
I love science and would like to become a scientist, but I have some problems with math. I am in the advanced group, but I find geography especially difficult and math is a chore. Does this mean that my dream of becoming a scientist is ruined? I am volunteering at a hospital. I like helping people, but I don't like to see blood or cuts and things of that nature. Are there many scientist's fields that deal with helping people that don't liketo see gruesome injuries or find math a chore?

A: FROM MENTOR JULIA HOCHBERG, MECHANICAL ENGINEER AT MOTOROLA IN ARLINGTON
HEIGHTS, IL
Math and science classes were never my best performers in high school. I enjoyed the technical subject matter but also found the homeworks and the mental struggles a chore. I was good in regular classes but just didn't seem to pick it up as quick in the honor's classes. That's probably why my college counselor looked at me so funny when I told her that I wanted to apply to colleges with mechanical engineering programs. Lauren, I don't think any of your dreams are ruined. Stick with your "technical" classes if it takes you to your dreams. Scientists do all kinds of things, and though they generally have a strong background in technical classes, your struggles now won't matter in the least. Geography, can sometimes be all about memorization. And not everyone is good at plain memorization- maybe try creative tricks or pictures to help. Or put the information you need to remember on note cards and go through the note cards morning, noon, and night until it sticks. And understanding math can depend so much on the teacher and the way the material is presented. Stick with it!

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY IN
PROVIDENCE, RI
Psychologists probably don't have to deal with much blood or math... but more importantly, what kinds of science do you love? If you can define what you like best and then think about how it can be used to help people, you'll be half way to your answer. Teaching helps people, and every science field needs to be taught.

A: FROM MENTOR AMY MCMILLAN, NRC Postdoctoral Research Associate US EPA, IN CINCINNATI, OH
Lauren, to answer the first part of your question: Don't fear! I struggle with math every day and I never did well in high school or college in math. However, I wanted more than anything to be a scientist and so I am! I have to use math every single day - but, I find people who can help me, I write down very explicitly all the math I use frequently so I can easily recreate what I need to do again, and I just do the best I can. There are times it is very frustrating but I
absolutely believe you should do what you want with your life, despite your shortcomings. By the way, everyone has something they aren't good at. For example, I know some scientists who can't communicate well with other people, some who can't spell worth a darn, some who can't write well, some who can't teach at all.... all of those things are skills scientists are "supposed to have" so who says struggling with math is any worse!! Good luck pursuing your dream!

A: FROM MENTOR DANELL OLIVER-COLLINS RETAIL INDUSTRIAL DESIGNER HALLMARK CARDS KANSAS CITY, MO
I love science also and did become a scientist. Math is important in science but not a road block. Keep pursuing science and take the math as it comes, little by little. You will eventually get the hang of it. Have you looked at environmental sciences? It deals with water, soil, and air no blood at all and it is helping the environment.

A: FROM MENTOR SUZANNE FRANKS, DIRECTOR, WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
PROGRAM, KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY IN MANHATTAN, KS
Hi Lauren! Just because you find math difficult or not your most favorite thing, does not mean you cannot be a scientist! Let me tell you about my own story. As an undergraduate engineering student I had to take two years of math and one year of engineering math. Most of my engineering courses had a fair amount of math in them
at both the undergraduate and graduate level. However, when I really got into doing my research, on MRI (a method of making pictures of structures inside the body, like the brain) and later on cancer research, using cultured cells and working in the laboratory, I rarely used any "advanced" mathematics at all. I relied a lot on basic math, some algebra, and statistics. So, in my case, math was something I had to get through to do the work I liked (though I liked math, too). Some people really love math and like to work on it just for the pleasure of it. Others need to see what it's for or how it can be used to be motivated. Still others may see what it's for but still not like it much. There are many science careers that are not heavily math oriented, especially when you are actually out doing it as opposed to still studying in college. In some cases you will need the math to help you understand certain theories and concepts in the sciences, but unless you go into a heavily math oriented science or field of engineering, you won't use the advanced math as much as you might think. One way to think of it is by using an analogy to playing soccer. Playing in a soccer game is fun. Practicing for a soccer game may or may not be fun - running sprints, weight lifting, practicing footwork, learning plays, etc. Sometimes you might enjoy doing those things as much as playing the game, sometimes you might just do them because you know you need to in order to play the game and play well. You don't lift weights during a soccer game - but if you have built up muscle strength by weightlifting, it will help you in the game. Running sprints is not the same as the quick and frequent running you do all over the place in a game - but running sprints will help you do better when you have to run in the game. Math can be like lifting weights and running sprints. Some people just like it for itself, others do it because they know it will build and strengthen their mental muscles for other challenges and applications. If you like things connected to the medical world but feel queasy around blood and guts (as I do!) then consider a career like biomedical engineering, or perhaps a career as a research biologist or biochemist or molecular biologist working on cancer research or trying to cure or develop treatments for other diseases. With time, you may find as you get more into a chosen field, that math is less troublesome to you because you see a reason for the work it puts you through! But don't give up on a science career. It isn't necessary to love math or be a math whiz to be a good scientist. It's just necessary to be willing to work hard at math to get through it and do what you want to do.
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Q: FROM STEPHANY E. IN PA
I was wondering there are two times in a day A.M. and P.M. what do they mean?

A: FROM MENTOR NATALIE GIVANS, SYSTEM SECURITY ENGINEER/MANAGER AT BOOZ ALLEN
HAMILTON IN VA
Hi Stephany, a.m. is the acronym for the Latin ante meridiem, meaning before middle of the day (ante = before, meri - middle, diem = day); likewise, p.m. is post meridiem, or after middle of the day. I found the study of Latin to be very helpful in science and engineering because so many of our romance languages (e.g., french, Spanish, Italian) and portions of English are based heavily on Latin. If you're ever looking for definitions, you can check out Merriam Webster's dictionary on-line at www.m-w.com.

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY IN
PROVIDENCE, RI
From Latin: ante meridian and post meridian, before and after noon. "Noon" is the oldest definition of meridian, now obsolete, in the Oxford English Dictionary. Now meridians on the earth are lines of longitude, with the "prime meridian" through Greenwich, England, marking the zero line of longitude.

A: FROM MENTOR LORETTA MCHUGH, DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER IN REGION I
am - ante meridiem - being before noon
pm - post meridiem - being after noon

A: FROM MENTOR CAROL TOMAN, DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF TECHNICAL STAFF AT LUCENT
TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
The M in AM and PM refer to the "meridian" or the line of longitude where you are located. AM stands for "ante-meridian" or "before the meridian" meaning that the sun has not yet reached being overhead at the meridian. PM is "post-meridian" or after the sun has reached the meridian. I do not know why there are 24 time zones (corresponding to the 24 hours in a day) but it would be interesting to learn from another mentor that might have the answer. Get out a globe and a flashlight and be sure to turn your earth the correct direction (counter-clockwise as viewed from the north pole) and watch your sun rise and set at some point on your earth. Some interesting facts about times and time zones are that noon is 12:00 AM but one minute after noon is 12:01 PM (many people make mistakes with this) and that the time zone in India is off by 1/2 hour rather than the hour that separates all the other time zones of the world.
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I was also wondering how on the radio there is A.M. and F.M. what do they stand for?

A: FROM MENTOR LORETTA MCHUGH, DEVELOPMENT ENGINEER IN REGION I
AM - amplitude modulation
FM - frequency modulation
Learn more at Merriam-Webster's website:
http://www.m-w.com/>www.m-w.com
They also have an option of receiving a Word of the Day which I highly recommend!
http://www.m-w.com/service/subinst.htm>http://www.m-w.com/service/subinst.htm

A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK, ASSOCIATE DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL, BROWN UNIVERSITY IN
PROVIDENCE, RI
Amplitude modulation and frequency modulation. The signal is carried as variations in the amplitude or frequency of the radio waves. Here's an interesting site on how radio works:
http://www.radiodesign.com/radwrks.htm>http://www.radiodesign.com/radwrks.htm
It has pictures of both AM and FM radio waves.

A: FROM MENTOR CAROL TOMAN, DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF TECHNICAL STAFF AT LUCENT
TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
AM and FM are completely unrelated to AM and PM. The M in AM and FM refer to "modulation" which just means the method by which information (voice or music) is encoded onto the radio signal. AM stands for amplitude modulation which means that they vary the strength of the signal to encode the information. With FM they vary the frequency to encode the information, hence frequency modulation. AM was invented first but suffers from lower fidelity and higher vulnerability to interference than FM. But AM signals travel farther than FM signals, particularly at night. The frequencies that you tune to dial in an AM or FM broadcast do not overlap. The AM broadcast band is measured in kilohertz (thousands of cycles per second) while the FM broadcast band is measured in megahertz (millions of cycles per second). There are other methods of encoding information on a radio signal such as CW (continuous wave meaning that there is no modulation but rather the signal itself is turned on and off to encode the information usually using Morse code) and side-band which is a variation of AM. If this discussion piques your interest, look into the hobby of Amateur Radio. "Hams" are licensed to operate radios on frequencies reserved just for them and routinely talk to people in other countries using the tendency of AM to travel long distances. Some amateur radio operators get involved in setting up their own television stations, using microwaves to communicate (yes the same frequencies that heat your food -- bet you didn't know they use radio waves for that!), and connecting remote radios over the internet. I'm a ham (my call is WD9CNW) and I could get on my radio right now and talk to an amateur radio station in Antarctica (if anyone had free time to answer me). There are radio clubs all over the country and they'd love to introduce you to the hobby. Ask around, or let me know where you live and I could probably find a contact for you.

A: FROM MENTOR KRISTIN TAGHON, SOFTWARE ENGINEER AT LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES IN IL
Stephany, Your question made me realize that sometimes I often do not question everyday things. That's a great question. I use those abbreviations everyday and didn't know what they stand for. I looked up in the dictionary and only found the A.M.for radio. A.M., when referring to radio stands for Amplitude Modulation. The following starting paragraph is taken fromhttp://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid7_gci212586,00.html http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid7_gci212586,00.html
I think it was one of the more understandable web sites I found on Amplification Modulation. Modulation is the addition of information to an electronic or optical signal carrier. Modulation can be applied to direct current (mainly by turning it on and off), to alternating current, and to optical signals. One can think of blanket waving as a form of modulation used in smoke signal transmission (the carrier being a steady stream of smoke). Morse code, invented for telegraphy and still used in amateur radio, uses a binary (two-state) digital code similar to the code used by modern computers. For most of radio and telecommunication today, the carrier is alternating current (AC) in a given range of frequencies.Common modulation methods include: Amplitude modulation (AM), in which the voltage applied to the signal is varied over time Frequency modulation (FM), in which the frequency of the carrier signal is
transmitted is varied in small but meaningful amounts Phase modulation (PM), in which the natural flow of the alternating current waveform is delayed temporarily I found a really GREAT website that allows you to look up terminology and information on many technical topics!! http://whatis.techtarget.com/>http://whatis.techtarget.com/
Topics include: Software, Internet, Computing Fundamentals, Hardware, PCs, Networking and Telecom. They have a word of the day. Today's word is Fizt. It's very interesting because it was used in the production of the movie Monsters, Inc. I include thetext of this word to entice you to check out the site. Fizt (pronounced FIZZ-tee, and short for physics tool) is an animation program that can speed up the production of special effects -- in some cases by a factor of more than 150 to 1 -- and can also make the effects appear more life-like than has been possible with less sophisticated programs. Developed by David Baraff and Andy Witkin of Pixar Animation Studios, Fizt is said to incorporate the natural laws of physics to control the behavior of virtual objects in computer animation. Until the development of Fizt, realistic animation of certain effects, such as hair blowing in the wind or the wrinkles in a shirt moving with its wearer, was practically impossible to achieve. However, in the animated movie, Monsters, Inc., such effects were accomplished, including a virtual creature with more than two million movable hairs. Instead of animating each hair individually, the whole array of hairs was programmed to move according to real-world physical laws. In addition to simulating the movements of fur, clothing, and other materials, Fizt makes it possible to portray a wide variety of emotions in animated characters by enhancing facial expressions and the realismof body language. Because Pixar believes that effective animation starts with a good script, their technical animation people
now take a screenwriting workshop so that they can learn when to best insert, for example, an imbecilic grin or a dejected sag of the shoulders.
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Q: FROM MENTEE AMY N. IN MN
First of all I would like to thank Anna Liese Bratcher, INFO TECH TRAINER, U. KENTUCKY for telling me about music therapy, and second of all, I was wondering if you could tell me anymore information on music therapy, ie, good music therapy program colleges and good places in the MN area to work at. If any other mentors know anything about this I would gladly enjoy your input too! Thank you!
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NEW QUESTIONS
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Q: QUESTION FROM MENTEE MEIRA M. FROM MASSACHUSETTS
What do you do when a computer hacker or computer virus attacks your computer, and what kind of problems do
they cause?
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Q: QUESTION FROM MENTEE CHARLIVIA J. FROM MASSACHUSETTS
I'm really having a hard time with Math and I really try hard. What are some things you have found helpful to do
when you have a difficult subject?
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END
=========================================================================
GEM-SET Daily Digest for May 22, 2002
*********
We need your input! Could you take 5-10 minutes to complete an on-line evaluation survey? The survey deadline is May 24th. If you have not already submitted a survey, please complete the survey on or before that date. ALL
PARTICIPANTS (mentees, mentors, partner organization staff, etc. are invited to fill out a survey.) TO COMPLETE A GEM-SET PROGRAM EVALUATION SURVEY, CLICK ON:
http://www.uic.edu/orgs/gem-set/evaluation
***********
QUIZ-OF-THE-WEEK CONTEST:
Over a million people each year make a pilgrimage to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The creator won the commission for this sculpture as an undergraduate student of architecture. Who was the artist/architect? Bonus point: Have you ever visited this memorial? If yes, what was your experience like?
*********
Note: If you do not see your question on today's digest, look for it late