Biomedical/Genetic Engineer - Dr. Steven Christensen
- BYU-Idaho
DNA contains the biological
instructions that determine many of the physical,
biochemical, and even behavioral traits of plants,
humans, and other animals. Genetic engineers work to
decipher the instructions encoded within the DNA and
then try to manipulate those instructions to improve or
deliver new traits to an organism. As an example
scientists have discovered a unique protein in a Pacific
jellyfish that glows green when exposed to ultraviolet
light. The DNA that encodes this protein can be
transferred by genetic engineers can be transferred to
other organisms causing them to glow green as well. The
resulting organism is called a recombinant or
Genetically Modified Organism (GMO). Most insulin used
to treat Diabetes today is made by a strain of Yeast
that was genetically modified to produce human
insulin. This virtually eliminated the dangerous and
costly practice of treating diabetes with beef and pork
derived insulin from slaughterhouses.
To become a genetic engineer you
will need to attend college and graduate with a degree
in biology or biochemistry. You will then need to spend
another 5-6 years obtaining a PhD in molecular Biology,
Genetics, or Biochemistry.
1. Why did you decide to become a biomedical engineer?
In high school I started to learn about the cell and all
the processes that happened in it like replication,
transcription, and translation. I was always curious
how those actually worked.
2. Where type of places could you work at?
Genetic engineers are can be employed at Universities
where they conduct research and teach courses. Some
universities emphasize the research aspect while others
like BYU-Idaho emphasize the teaching aspect. Other
engineers are employed by pharmaceutical or agriculture
companies. Their research is usually toward develop a
marketable product for the company like corn that is
resistant to weed killers, cotton that is naturally dyed
blue, or bacteria that produce human growth hormone.
3. At your job what exactly do you do (design tools, build
tools, etc)?
A typical genetic engineer spends a lot of time reading
scientific articles about different research methods and
projects. They then use that information to design and
plan their own experiments and creations. After that
they move from the desk to the lab bench. At the bench
they use a variety of molecular tools and instruments to
isolate DNA from one organism, modify it, and then
transfer it to a new organism.
4. What are the typical hours a biomedical engineer
works?
40-60 hours week sometimes more sometimes less.
5. What do you most enjoy about your career?
I have always enjoyed the thinking elements of designing
experiments and analyzing the data. One of the greatest
moments is when you see your results and conclusions for
the first time and you know that you are the only person
on earth who knows that piece of the puzzle.
6. If you could go back in time and pick another career
path would you still be a biomedical engineer.
Yes, I really like what I do but it would not
necessarily be for everyone.
7. What do you least enjoy about your job?
It is never fun when your experiments don’t work the way
you wanted them to.
8. What was the most challenging college class for you in
obtaining your degree?
I think this will change for everyone. I have taken
courses in cell biology, molecular biology, and
biochemistry. Many people might think those were hard
but I like the material so I actually enjoyed them and I
went into biology because I had a natural understanding
of these topics so they weren’t all that difficult. My
most challenging courses were some of the introductory
physics courses that I had to take as an undergraduate.
9.
How is biomedical Engineering relevant to today?
Genetic engineering is becoming increasingly
relevant in our society. Common issues like genetically
modified organisms, human cloning, DNA fingerprinting,
and curing genetic diseases are all under the umbrella
of genetic engineering. Diabetes is treated with
recombinant human insulin made and harvested from Yeast
cells. Trials are underway to introduce healthy copies
of mutated DNA that produces genetic diseases like
Cystic Fibrosis. Genetic engineering is being used to
produce more productive dairy cows, bigger faster
growing salmon, and corn crops with natural resistance
to insects and herbicides.
10.How often do products of biomedical Engineering
get used by the public? I don’t have any hard numbers but you
might be surprised. I would estimate that everyone is
either directly impacted or knows someone directly
impacted by genetic engineering and related fields of
study.
11.How exciting is Biomedical Engineering for you? It is amazing reading through some of the
successes and failures of genetic engineering. Here at
BYU-Idaho we teach an entire course on DNA and
Biotechnology
12.What is a task that Biomedical Engineers do daily? Write.
13.What are some things that someone going into
Biomedical Engineering should do outside of college
classes? Develop a curiosity for the natural
world. Develop critical thinking skills. There are
also a lot of books written for general audiences that
could be read. One of the best I have seen is called
The Hope Hype, and Reality of Genetic Engineering by
John Avise (2004). It is already a little outdates but
a really good introduction.
14.
Do biomedical engineers primarily work in hospitals or
within research and development?
Research and development at universities, private
companies, and charitable foundations.
15.What
educational areas have you found most beneficial within
your area of work? Obviously all of my Biology
courses were applicable. Chemistry has also been
essential. I have also found that the writing skills I
developed in the arts and literature have been very
beneficial. I am a very firm believer in a well rounded
education.
16.How
do you (biomedical engineers) develop potential projects
or experiments to work on? I think
they start by finding a problem or observing a process
and wondering how it works. Then they read a lot of
scientific papers to see how that problem or observation
is being explained or solved. In short they familiarize
themselves with the field. Then they just start asking
their own questions.
17 .Do
biomedical engineers need to travel often for their
occupations? Some do and some
don’t. Really successful scientists generate ideas and
funding and then have junior scientists (graduate
students and post docs) actually perform the experiments
and collect the results. The scientists then spends a
lot of time traveling and communicating those results to
others.
18.Do
biomedical engineers need to work within groups? Is it
primarily solitary work? Or is that aspect
dependent upon the current task? Almost all science is a group effort. The most
successful labs have many people working together on
different pieces of the puzzle. Results always have to
be reported to the scientific community for validation
and often new ideas and collaborations are developed as
scientists bounce ideas off each other.
19.Is there a creative aspect to your job? If so, how do you
apply ingenuity into your work? I would say there is
a lot of creativity and ingenuity required in developing
solutions to problems and then trying to figure out ways
to test those solutions to see if they will really
work. Science is a very creative endeavor.
Aerospace Engineer -
Jacob Cook - University of Texas
1. How much time to you spend actively designing
spacecrafts/aircrafts?
It depends on your actual job, but all of your time will
be spent helping achieve a successful mission or
product. Different engineers are in charge of rocket
engines, space suits, trajectories, science experiments.
Those engineers who specifically design spacecrafts and
aircrafts do that full time, but other engineers help
achieve a successful mission.
2. Do you find the work rewarding on a day to day
business?
Absolutely. Everything you do affects other peoples’
lives. Whether it’s building a reliable airplane that
can fly across oceans, designing rockets to help with
national defense, or designing and planning missions to
space, everyday work is just a small part of improving
society and the lives of others sometimes depend on your
work. I find that very rewarding and work with that
always in my mind.
3.What other organizations, besides NASA, actively
use aerospace engineers?
There are dozens of aerospace engineering companies or
companies that use aerospace engineers. Boeing, Lockheed
Martin, United Space Alliance and Jacobs Engineering are
just a few of the companies that have built parts of the
International Space Station or Space Shuttle. Other
companies such as General Motors, General Electric,
Schlumberger (an oil company), car companies,
construction companies, and the US government use
aerospace engineers because their experience can be used
for a variety of purposes.
4. Do you work mostly by yourself or in a team of
others?
Both. Even though you may have your own individual work,
it will probably be used by others or with others to
design something on a larger scale. As an example, you
might write a computer program or build a solar panel,
but you’ll work with others to make sure your work is
used to its full capacity.
5. Do you feel that this career will be in demand in
the future?
Yes. There are so many aerospace engineering companies,
and companies that use aerospace engineers. Aerospace
engineers specialize in airplanes and space, but they’re
also able to work in other industries that use motors,
engines, and other components that are used by aerospace
engineers.
6.Do you feel that the future of this profession lies
in government based endeavors or privately funded ones?
Specifically in traveling to outer space?
Personally, I believe it will eventually become
privatized. Early managers of the Space Shuttle program
wanted to privatize the Shuttle program because it would
increase competition and development, while lowering
cost. The airplane industry used to be completely run by
the military and the US government, but is now pretty
successful as a privately ran industry. It’ll take some
time, but I think it’ll happen.
7. What colleges outside Idaho are well known for
their aerospace programs?
At NASA specifically, many of the employees are alumni
of Purdue, Georgia Tech, The University of Texas at
Austin, and Penn State.
8. Do you enjoy your job, work space, and peers? Why?
I enjoy them all. Working with people who have the same
interest and commitment to a program is extremely
productive. We all love what we do, or we wouldn’t be
there. Even though there is sometimes an age gap,
everyone does their share, helps others, and gets along
well. In my department, we always have a small
after-lunch party with cake or desserts for birthdays.
It’s small, but helps with team strength and
relationships.
9. What do you consider the best and worst things
about your job?
The best thing is getting to work in Mission Control
during a Shuttle mission. Seeing your work come to
fruition and seeing the astronauts use your work is very
rewarding. The worst thing is sometimes the paperwork.
Because we are sending people into the dangerous space
environment, there are a lot of requirements and safety
procedures that have to be followed, which can sometimes
slow down work; however, it’s always for a good cause.
10. Where did you go to study for getting your degree
and how long did it take, so you could obtain this
profession?
I went to the University of Texas at Austin for 4.5
years, because I took one semester off to intern at
NASA. Engineering degrees usually take longer than four
years because of the number of courses and possible
internships. However, it’s entirely possible to graduate
in four years if you want.
11. What skills do you find are the most important
for this type of profession?
The most important skills are a knowledge of science and
math and good skills working in a team. You are just as
likely to be turned down for a job if you are a genius
but extremely arrogant and disagreeable, as you are if
you get along well with others but can’t answer basic
physics questions. That balance is probably the most
important.
12. Is there anything you think someone should know
before committing to this profession? Becoming
an aerospace engineer is a lot of work and it is hard.
My freshman year in college, there were about 100 of us,
but after the first semester, about 40 changed their
major. I talked to some of them about why they changed
and heard stuff like, “It was too hard,” or “I don’t
enjoy it as much as I thought.” There are many
challenging projects and classes, but I think it’s
because your career will be just as equally challenging.
However, I enjoy it.
13. Do you ever regret choosing this profession over
another?
I’ve had an interest in NASA since I was a child. I
never knew exactly how much work it would take or what I
would need to do to get here, but I am glad I am here
now.
14. As time goes on, are more machines replacing
human engineers?
Technology has become extremely useful, but it’s only as
smart as its user. Engineers are still needed to create
designs and do testing, but technology definitely helps
with these processes. Rovers and robots were the first
to explore Mars, but they were controlled by humans on
Earth who used the information for research and further
work.
15. Where is the occupation of aerospace engineering
headed? (What can we look forward to seeing in the near
future?) Modern work has been aimed toward returning
to the Moon, Mars, and further, as well as completing
successful mission with the Space Shuttle and Space
Station. Aerospace engineers are also working to build
airplanes with better fuel mileage and greater speeds.
16 Is NASA the only main agency that needs aerospace
engineers?
There are dozens of aerospace engineering companies or
companies that use aerospace engineers. Boeing, Lockheed
Martin, United Space Alliance and Jacobs Engineering are
just a few of the companies that have built parts of the
International Space Station or Space Shuttle. Other
companies such as General Motors, General Electric,
Schlumberger (an oil company), car companies,
construction companies, and the US government use
aerospace engineers because their experience can be used
for a variety of purposes.
17. How will NASA be affected by current economic
problems? That is a complex question. NASA does a
lot of work with contractors, which are private
companies that provide either workers or technology that
NASA uses. At Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, 4,000
employees work for the government, while 16,000 work for
contractors. Government employees have higher job
stability than contractors, because contracts are
renewed on a yearly or periodic basis. For example,
since the Space Shuttle is near retirement, contracts
working with that system may not be renewed and those
employees may lose their jobs. However, many companies
have started looking into privatization and building
their own space vehicles, which would enable them to
keep their employees working. There’s no absolute
answer.
18. Is NASA coming up with an alternate fuel source
for rockets? Since I don’t work with propulsion, I’m
not positive. However, I know there is an ongoing
project called VASIMR, which is a plasma rocket that
engineers hope will help shorten the time it takes to
reach Mars. In the past, NASA has used nuclear,
electric, and chemical fuels, and I’m sure other types
as well.
19. Upon graduating college, how hard is it to get an
occupation dealing with aerospace engineering?
Because of the current economic conditions and
uncertainty about the next step for the space program,
it’s taking some students longer than others to find
jobs. However, aerospace engineers are not limited to
NASA and airplane companies. Their skills can be applied
to other job fields.
20.If I plan on living in Idaho, which branch of
engineering would you suggest I major in? Because I
have never lived in Idaho, I can’t answer this question
with certainty. However, at our college career fair,
there were always about 400 companies recruiting
engineers for employment. Engineering is always in
demand because of the wide range of careers that use it.
21. What is your favorite thing about your job?
Everything you do affects other peoples’ lives. Whether
it’s building a reliable airplane that can fly across
oceans, designing rockets to help with national defense,
or designing and planning missions to space, everyday
work is just a small part of improving society, and the
lives of others sometimes depend on your work. I find
that very rewarding and work with that always in my
mind.
22. What is your least favorite? The worst thing
is sometimes the paperwork. Because we are sending
people into the dangerous space environment, there are a
lot of requirements and safety procedures that have to
be followed, which can sometimes slow down work;
however, it’s always for a good cause.
23. What in your background prepared you for this
job?
My background consists of college, internships, and
clubs. I learned the fundamentals of engineering from
school, and then applied them to NASA specifically. I
helped design a student satellite project that provided
real-world technical experience. However, I believe
academics are more important because they help you stand
out when searching for jobs and internships.
24. What do you consider a normal workday? A
normal workday usually consists of working on projects
and planning for future missions. This involves
meetings, training, reading, and testing equipment. Most
of my work consists of learning about the next mission’s
objectives and timeline so that I will be able to
successfully work in Mission Control.
25. Why did you choose to pursue this career?
I attended the Texas Aerospace Scholars program, similar
to the Idaho Science and Aerospace Scholars, which
helped me decide to pursue aerospace engineering in
college and as a career. I have always been interested
in space, but the program definitely was the biggest
factor because I was able to see some of the actual work
aerospace engineers do.
26.. How long does it take to find a project to work
on?
Doing the work I do and being in the position that I am,
most of my work is usually assigned from my boss.
Naturally, we work mostly with Shuttle or Space Station
missions, which are ongoing and there is always
something to work on.
27. What are your projects focused on achieving
usually? I focus mainly on Space Station missions. I
work with the Cargo Integration and Operations Branch,
which is in charge of transporting new pieces and cargo
to the Space Station successfully. We work with
astronauts to teach them how to install new components
and transfer cargo back and forth between the Shuttle
and Space Station.
28. What tools do you use? Aerospace
engineers use programs to design trajectories, analyze
stresses on components, design new equipment, and
communicate with astronauts. Computers are by far the
most important tool engineers use.
29. Do you enjoy working as an engineer? Why? I
enjoy working as an engineer or I wouldn’t be doing it.
It’s extremely challenging work, but also very
interesting. I work with cutting-edge technology and
work with some of the smartest people in the world to
help put people in the space. It’s extremely rewarding.
30. What your least favorite thing about your
occupation? What’s your favorite thing? The worst
thing is sometimes the paperwork. Because we are sending
people into the dangerous space environment, there are a
lot of requirements and safety procedures that have to
be followed, which can sometimes slow down work;
however, it’s always for a good cause.
Everything you do affects other peoples’ lives. Whether
it’s building a reliable airplane that can fly across
oceans, designing rockets to help with national defense,
or designing and planning missions to space, everyday
work is just a small part of improving society, and the
lives of others sometimes depend on your work. I find
that very rewarding and work with that always in my
mind.
31. Do you design to meet requirements, or to make
something better?
Both. There is a saying in engineering that states,
“Better is the enemy of good enough.” Technology will
always improve and we will always learn better ways to
do things, but in order to meet deadlines, sometimes we
have to settle with what we have at the moment, and hope
that next time we will be able to do more.
32. Why did you choose this field? I attended the
Texas Aerospace Scholars program, similar to the Idaho
Science and Aerospace Scholars, which helped me decide
to pursue aerospace engineering in college and as a
career. I have always been interested in space, but the
program definitely was the biggest factor because I was
able to see some of the actual work aerospace engineers
do.
33.What is a typical work week of an aerospace
engineer?
No two weeks are the same, much less two days. There are
always new missions going on with different goals and
objectives. However, typical work involves training
astronauts how to use new equipment, doing simulations
in Mission Control for practice, meetings to ensure
deadlines are met, and mission planning.
34.Do you work in an office, or at home?
I typically work at my office. However, NASA employees
are also able to travel internationally or to other NASA
centers to work with partners on projects.
35.What are a few of the jobs that an aerospace
engineer does? I mean do they actually build things or
just design things?
It depends on your job. Engineers who work with rocket
engines are able to both design and then test their
designs. Engineers also do research on material
failures, design and test space suits, and train
astronauts to use new equipment. However, some engineers
are more design-oriented, like those who work in Mission
Control.
36.What college did you attend to get an aerospace
engineering degree?
I went to the University of Texas at Austin for 4.5
years, because I took one semester off to intern at
NASA. Engineering degrees usually take longer than four
years because of the number of courses and possible
internships. However, it’s entirely possible to graduate
in four years if you want.
37.What are some tips that you could give a student
interested in aerospace engineering? Would you recommend
it?
Becoming an aerospace engineer is a lot of work and it
is hard. My freshman year in college, there were about
100 of us, but after the first semester, about 40
changed their major. I talked to some of them about why
they changed and heard stuff like, “It was too hard,” or
“I don’t enjoy it as much as I thought.” There are many
challenging projects and classes, but I think it’s
because your career will be just as equally challenging.
However, I enjoy it.
38.Which companies typically hire aerospace
engineers?
There are dozens of aerospace engineering companies or
companies that use aerospace engineers. Boeing, Lockheed
Martin, United Space Alliance and Jacobs Engineering are
just a few of the companies that have built parts of the
International Space Station or Space Shuttle. Other
companies such as General Motors, General Electric,
Schlumberger (an oil company), car companies,
construction companies, and the US government use
aerospace engineers because their experience can be used
for a variety of purposes.
My background consists of college, internships, and
clubs. I learned the fundamentals of engineering from
school, and then applied them to NASA specifically. I
helped design a student satellite project that provided
real-world technical experience. However, I believe
academics are more important because they help you stand
out when searching for jobs and internships.
39. Do you work with federal agencies such as
Homeland Security and FEMA? I personally have never
worked with either, but I know engineers work with the
government to design new rockets and weapons for
national defense or to build new satellites that can map
weather patterns and predict storms. Engineers do a
wide-range of jobs in a wide-range of fields.
40.What is the average day-to-day routine of an
aerospace engineer?
No two days are the same. There are always new projects
to design and new technology to work on. For NASA
employees, we always work with the next Shuttle mission
in mind, but other engineers work with designing new
engines or more aerodynamic components. Research is
always changing as well, with engineers studying
different planets and characteristics of the Earth.
41. Where in the US are the best job opportunities
for someone in your field?
The best opportunities are definitely around NASA
centers, such as Houston, Cape Canaveral, Silicon
Valley, etc. Companies usually have branch offices near
NASA centers and the cities become mini-hubs for
aerospace engineering. If you wanted to work more with
airplanes, offices and plants are located around the US
and world.
42.If I wanted to be an aerospace engineer, what
would be the top 5 universities that I would want to
look at? At NASA specifically, many of the employees
are alumni of Purdue, Georgia Tech, The University of
Texas at Austin, and Penn State. However, Cal Tech and
MIT also have some of the best aerospace programs in
America.
43.What kind of organizations and unions do engineers
have?
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
is the most well-known aerospace society. Sigma Gamma
Tau is the national aerospace engineering society.
Unionization usually depends on the specific employer.
44. What types of job implications does employment
with the military or government have versus a job in the
private sector?
Civil servants (government employees) have much stricter
ethics codes. They cannot receive gifts from private
companies, other countries, or employees under them. A
NASA employee recently won the Nobel Prize in Physics
and had to refuse the prize and $1,000,000 reward.
However, government employees have greater job
stability, while private sector companies often pay
more.
Mechanical Engineering - John Foster, S. M. Stoller
Corp.
1.Do you work with other engineers on projects? If
so, what types of engineers?
I work with almost all types of engineering. The ones
that come to mind are Chemical, Electrical, Structural,
Geotechnical, Metallurgical, and Environmental…
Our work is often so integrated that I find myself
making decisions and/or performing calculations that
relate more to other engineering disciplines than my
own.
2.
What is the most exciting part of your job?
The most exciting part of my job is problem solving,
because problem solving challenges me personally. Even
when I wasn’t in engineering I loved to solve problems
but having knowledge of engineering (i.e. physics,
chemistry, mechanics, fluids, heat transfer etc.)
enables me to solve much more complex problems and see
solutions where I wouldn’t have before.
3.
Why did you choose the career you did?
I made a gut decision. I love to solve problems, I love
to figure out how things worked and I grew up working
with cars (mechanics). So in my simple way of looking at
things I though I would put those things together by
becoming a mechanical engineer. Looking back on that
decision, I really didn’t know much about mechanical
engineering when I made that decision. There is so much
more to mechanical engineering than mechanics. It would
take days to really discuss.
4.
Since technology is always changing, do find that your
job changes to? If so, in what ways?
When you talk of “technology” I assume that you mean the
collective knowledge of mankind. So the answer is no and
yes. What I mean by that is the fundamentals of physics
and engineering have not changed, nor do I expect them
to change any time in the future. On the other hand, I
am constantly trying to take advantage of technology
that would benefit me and those that I work for. But
admittedly, there are a lot of really intelligent people
in the world and the amount of information that they can
generate in a given day is staggering, so staying on top
of that is really hard.
5.
What is your work environment like?
Over my career my work environment has changed quite a
bit. As a graduate student I started out with an office
in the middle of lasers and lab equipment, but since
then I have moved up in the world to a cubicle... I just
got off of a project where I traveled to Atlanta and
Cincinnati quite a bit and on that project my laptop was
my work environment. Currently my office is very close
to a new nuclear steam reforming process building so the
work environment has the feel of a construction site.
6.
What is your favorite thing to do at work?
My favorite part of work is seeing problems that I have
worked on get solved and/or things that I have worked on
get built.
7.
Do you enjoy your career? Yes
8.
Did you consider other careers? If so, what were they?
If you are an engineer, did you consider other branches
of engineering (mechanical, electrical, etc.)?
I seriously considered being an architect and I enjoy
other braches of engineering but I think mechanical
engineering is a good fit for what I like to do.
9.
How are the employment opportunities in your career?
Good. With the need to have new sources of energy
that are independent of fossil fuels and corresponding
transportation issues, I see no shortage in the need for
good mechanical engineers.
10.
Can you describe to me a normal day in your career?
It’s hard to describe a normal day, because the
activities of my day can vary wildly. In addition, my
normal day can be and probably is quite different from
other mechanical engineers. I get up about 4:45 am, get
ready, and drive to work. I usually check my email to
see if any problems occurred on the night shift that
need my immediate attention, and then I figure out what
problem has the highest priority and I start work on
that. Sometimes I get phone calls in the middle of the
day that force me to direct my attention away from what
I am working on. The challenges I work on can sometimes
be resolved in a couple of hours and sometimes they take
several weeks. I work on my computer a lot, I review and
write a lot of documents, I read reference books and
product literature, I call companies, managers, other
employees, etc., I attend meetings more than I want to
and I work multiple issues all the time. I go home about
5:00 or 6:00pm. Currently I work four days a week.
11.
Do you expect opportunities in this field to grow in the
next 10-20 years?
Yes, everything that I have read indicates that
there will be a shortage of qualified engineers over the
next decade or two. But good engineers are like good
doctors or lawyers. Everybody wants the good ones…
12.
Are all of the jobs in your career in the government or
private sector? They are evenly distributed between
both. One thing that I didn’t know before I started this
career is that many mechanical engineering jobs in my
field are tied to large cities. That’s because many
mechanical engineering jobs are tied to manufacturing,
but there are always exceptions.
13.
What University did you attend? University of Idaho
14.
Who is your employer? Stoller, but we bid on
commercial and government projects, so really my
employer is my commercial or government project at the
time.
15.
Do you like your job? Yes
16.
What type of mechanical engineer are you? I work
some with Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning
(HVAC), but I also work with heat transfer, fluid flow,
controls, filters, pumps, piping, steam, pressure
vessels, and lab equipment.
17.
Do you have a chance for advancement? Yes. Many
engineers become proficient in engineering and become
senior engineers, managers, or both.
18.
I am interested in designing roller coasters. What are
the chances that, if I do become a mechanical engineer,
I will be able to design roller coasters?
Building roller coasters is very specialized and you may
have to supplement that work with some other type of
engineering if demand is low. Mechanical engineers are
not the only ones that design them. I know a structural
engineer that designed a large roller coaster back east
in Massachusetts.
19.
Roller coasters are obviously not the only thing
mechanical engineers design. What other objects do
mechanical engineers design? If you do a quick
search on the internet you will be able to find out
quite a bit about what mechanical engineers do. Some
companies look at engineering in any field as the right
to solve any of their technical problems. I suppose that
is why most accredited colleges have you take basic
classes in all engineering fields. In my career I have
done environmental, mechanical, chemical, electrical and
structural engineering. What you do in your career
(engineering or not) will depend on the demands of the
market at that time.
20.
How many job opportunities are available at the moment?
That depends. Junior engineers just graduating from
college are probably finding the market a little
challenging, but to some extent that is always the case.
Not may companies want to pay high salaries to train new
engineers. One the other hand, I have quite a few
opportunities currently. I was asked to apply to a job
last week and another a couple of months ago. Both of
which I respectfully turned down. The market changes all
the time, but I think over the next 20-30 years demand
for engineers should be strong.
21.
Does the job require a lot of traveling? My job does
require travel. Not always, because I don’t work for the
same client all the time. That is a good question to ask
when you are interviewing for a job because it varies a
lot from company to company.
22.
Are foreign languages an important skill for mechanical
engineers? Absolutely. I personally don’t have
foreign language skills and the company I work for does
not require it. But many companies do need those skills
and it gives you another way to market yourself.
23.
Are there any skills that are important to become a
mechanical engineer that might not be very obvious?
Understanding market demands, business, and
communication.
24.
Is it important to take classes such as drafting,
electronics, and blueprint reading in high school, or
would it be better to take them in college. How good are
these classes in high school and will you remember them
when you need them later? If they are equivalent in
content and you can remember them, then take them in
high school because it is cheaper, but sometimes you get
what you pay for…
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Chemical Engineer, Joy Wilson,, S.M. Stoller Corp.
1.
Do you enjoy your career?
I love it. I honestly can’t imagine doing anything else.
2.
Did you consider other careers? If so, what were they?
If you are an engineer, did you consider other branches
of engineering (mechanical, electrical, etc.)?
Yes, chemistry major. I gravitated to Chemical
Engineering because I enjoyed chemistry so much. I never
really considered the other engineering fields because
they didn’t hold the fascination for me that Chemical
Engineering did.
3.
How are the employment opportunities in your career?
I think they are pretty good. It’s difficult to say
right now. It kind of depends on your specialty.
4.
Can you describe to me a normal day in your career?
I normally work in an office environment. I generally
work on two to three projects during a day. Today I 1)
reviewed the requirements for a new proposal we’re
considering bidding on; which included evaluating a risk
review for the project, developing a preliminary work
scope (e.g. # and type of personnel, materials, flow of
work, durations, etc.), 2) continued developing a
chemical inventory and emissions tracking spreadsheet
for a semiconductor facility, and 3) reviewing existing
literature to determine if the data exists to calculate
pressure buildup in a 50 year old uranium hexafluoride
cylinder.
5.
Do you expect opportunities in this field to grow in the
next 10-20 years?
I don’t know if I can answer for over the next 10-20
years. Over the next 5 years, I think you’ll see growth,
especially for energy related fields. Chemical engineers
are diverse and work in pharmaceuticals, chemical
manufacturing, biotechnology, petroleum, pulp and paper,
environmental, many different types of process related
manufacturing, and service industries (like research and
testing). With such a wide range of opportunities, there
should be some new job growth.
6.
Why did you end up in the career that you did?
I put Chemical Engineering on my college entrance exam.
Between my love of math and chemistry, it was an easy
choice for me.
7.
Why did you choose your particular branch of engineering
over all of the others? Again, between my love of
math and chemistry, it was an easy choice for me. Other
engineering fields don’t seem to offer the background
that Chemical Engineering does. I’ve seen chemical
engineers doing jobs that would traditionally fall into
under other engineering disciplines
8.
Are all of the jobs in your career in the government or
private sector?
Both. Currently I’m working on a task for a
semiconductor facility (private) and multiple tasks for
the Department of Energy.
9.
What do you like best about your job and what is one
drawback?
I love the diversity of my job. I’m currently working on
four different projects; one for a semiconductor plant,
two different uranium hexafluoride treatment projects,
and one for a high level waste storage facility. Being
able to work on multiple types of projects allows me to
“stretch” my engineering acumen.
I can’t really think of a drawback.
10.
How long have you been working as an engineer?
16 years.
11.
What specific degree did you get?
BS in Chemical Engineering
12.
Could you summarize your job for me?
I specialize in waste management and have worked on
projects that have eliminated stockpiles of chemical
weapons, weapons of mass destruction, hazardous waste,
radioactive waste, and energetic materials. My expertise
ranges from the design, construction, startup, and
operation of complex waste treatment systems to
preparing environmental permits for those same systems.
13.
What path lead you to your current job?
I’ve spent the last sixteen years working for mostly
engineering consulting companies, which has allowed me
to work on a diverse array of projects. Because of my
varied background, I was able to get my current job with
a small environmental engineering firm.
14.
Where did you go to school? Do you think it prepared you
well?
University of Idaho. I think the U of I prepared me very
well. It has an excellent engineering curriculum and a
very good student to teacher ratio (at least when I was
there). You could get one-on-one time with your
professors almost daily, so if a concept was difficult
to grasp you could get more help.
15.Do
you work with other engineers on projects? If so, what
types of engineers?
Yes. I’ve worked with all sorts of engineers;
mechanical, electrical, civil, nuclear, computer,
environmental, etc. Being an engineer is often a
collaborative effort, usually no one skill set can
completely do a job.
16.
What is the most exciting part of your job?
I would say the most exiting part of my job is when I
get to take a project from beginning (design) to end
(operation). It doesn’t happen very often due to the
nature of the business but it is nice to see something
you’ve worked hard on actually operate and do what it is
supposed to do.
17.
Why did you choose the career you did?
I gravitated to Chemical Engineering because I enjoyed
chemistry and math so much. I never really considered
other engineering fields because they didn’t hold the
fascination for me that Chemical Engineering did.
18.Since
technology is always changing, do find that your job
changes to? If so, in what ways? I think the biggest
day-to-day changes are related to computer technology
developments. You need to keep current on the latest
software tools that allow you to do your job more
effectively and accurately. I don’t know that this
significantly changes my job, it usually just allows me
to work more efficiently.
I also like to read engineering journals related to my
field to keep up with new developments in treatment
technologies.
19.
What is your work environment like?
I mostly work in an office. I usually have to travel
quite a bit for my job; work conditions can range from
construction sites to operating facilities.
20.
What is your favorite thing to do at work?
I love design work. Developing operational concepts and
then designing a system that allows those concepts to be
implemented is very rewarding.
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Welding - Edward Kopp, Bonneville High School
1.
Is welding a good occupation to go into? Yes, out in
industry there are tons of demands for welders and
fabricators.
2.
Are there different types of welders? Yes, there are
wire welders, stick welders, and tig welders. There are
also many fields not classified as a welder that still
perform welding tasks such as an electrician when they
solder wires together or a plumber when they braze
copper piping.
3. I
know there are underwater welders and fabricators. Would
they be good fields to enter? Yes, it does takes a
lot of schooling and talent but that field pays very
well. The only down fall is the dangers in underwater
welding not so much as the welding part of it, but
because of the sharks, the pressures underwater, and the
storms that brew up suddenly out in the middle of the
oceans.
Meteorology - Jason Rich, Idaho Falls NOAA Office
1. What do operational meteorologist do, exactly?
Operational meteorologists make visual observations and
take readings from weather equipment. They analyze
current weather conditions; interpret weather maps,
models, satellite, and radar data to create short-term
and long-term weather forecasts. They monitor current
weather conditions for changing weather conditions. They
update forecasts when conditions change. When weather
conditions get severe they issue watches/warnings to
warn people of impeding weather conditions. They also do
research papers on unusual weather events.
2. How did you get to choose this career?
Personally, I grew up with an interest in science in
general. I took a variety of science classes in my first
year of college and found that weather was my favorite
class.
3.
What type of Science do you use in the career?
Meteorology falls under both atmospheric and physical
science. Knowledge of physics, chemistry, and computer
science is also important in a meteorology career.
4, Does it have portions of Mathematics? 'cause this
doesn't sound Mathematical.
Mathematics is very important in the field of
meteorology. Upper division mathematics courses are
needed in understanding the background of atmospheric
science. Complex math is used to interpret weather
information, such as the temperature, wind speed, and
humidity. In completing a meteorological degree the
requirements for a mathematics minor is sometimes
fulfilled.
5.
What kinds of equipment do you use?
There are many types of equipment that we use to collect
and send out weather information. A computer is what we
use the most to receive automated information and
analyze weather data. We continue to use instruments
from weather stations that include thermometers
(temperature), anemometers (winds), barometers
(pressure), rain gauges, and pyranometers (solar
radiation). Weather radios are used to put out watches
and warnings. Doppler radar is used to look at the
strength and direction of storms. At some national
weather service offices balloon radiosondes are released
twice a day.
5.
When is the work time? When to when? Weekends?
Work schedules depend on where you work. Research
meteorologists usually have a normal work schedule
Monday through Friday except when doing field projects.
Participating in field projects can occur at any time of
day or night, or any time of year. Operational
meteorologists in general do shift work 365 days a year.
National Weather Service and most private companies have
rotating, day and night shifts that include the
weekends.
6.
What are the colleges which offers me a way to become
meteorologist? Over 100 colleges offer a degree in
atmospheric or related science. Some of the notable
schools out west include the University of Utah,
Colorado State University, University of Washington,
Oregon State University, and the University of Oklahoma.
7.
Where do meteorologists work?
Meteorologists work in government agencies, private
consulting and research services, industrial
enterprises, utilities, radio and television stations,
and in education. According to Wikipedia, approximately
8800 people were employed as meteorologists nationwide
in 2006. The largest employer for meteorologists was the
National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Approximately 3200 people work for NOAA of which about
90% of them work for the National Weather Service.
8. Is there any advice for choosing a career? such as
consider working time, transportation... What do we have
to consider the most?
It definitely will help if you like science and are good
at both computers and math. Even though it is science,
you will need to like English classes to write research
papers and daily forecasts. You should also enjoy
working with numbers and analyzing data. You will need
to be able to work nights, weekends, and holidays. You
should like to work on your own. In addition, you should
like a career that is challenging but yet meaningful.
9.
What is your favorite part of your job? The best
part of my job is being able to observe the weather on a
daily basis. I get to predict the weather which in turn
has the potential to keep our clients safe in their
jobs.
10.
In general, do most meteorologists do independent or
group work?
In general, most operational meteorologists work
independently. There are daily briefings with other
meteorologists but most of the time the work is done
independently monitoring current conditions and creating
specific forecasts for clients. Research meteorologists
also predominantly work independently analyzing field
project data and writing research papers. Although
research meteorologists do work together in field
projects and have some collaborative group efforts.
11.
What is the main type of employer of meteorologists?
The largest employer for meteorologists is the National
Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Approximately
3200 people work for NOAA of which about 90% of them
work for the National Weather Service.
12. What are some specific tasks that you do on a
daily basis?
Operational meteorologists make visual observations and
take readings from weather equipment. They analyze
current weather conditions; interpret weather maps,
models, satellite, and radar data to create short-term
and long-term weather forecasts. They monitor current
weather conditions for changing weather conditions. They
update forecasts when conditions change. When weather
conditions get severe they issue watches/warnings to
warn people of impeding weather conditions. They also do
research papers on unusual weather events.
13. If I were to go into this field, do you know what
the employment outlook is? Government
economists expect average job growth through 2016 in
meteorology when compared with other careers.
Meteorologists may find jobs with new consulting
companies that provide forecasts for agriculture and
other industries that depend on the weather.
Broadcasting jobs are very hard to come by.
Government job growth will be especially slow. The
National Weather Service has no plans to further
increase its staff; however a lot of employees are
expected to retire over the next 10 years.
Meteorologists will be needed to meet the challenges of
cleaning up and protecting the environment with possible
opportunities in positions related to climate research,
depending on federal funding availability. Generally,
these research positions require a graduate degree.
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Physics - Dr. Dan Dale from
Idaho State University
1.
What made you consider a career in the physics
field of work? I grew up in the 1960’s and
1970’s. During this time, I saw huge changes in
technology. I remember eight track tapes being
replaced by magnetic tapes, and later on the arrival
of CD’s. I was the first kid in my neighborhood to
get a calculator, and I remember when microwave
ovens first became commercially available. At the
same time the Cold War was going on, and this made a
huge impression on me. Every once in a while, the
Chinese would test a nuclear weapon, and I remember
them announcing the location of the radioactive
cloud as it drifted across the US.For better or
worse, it seemed to me that people who could figure
out how nature works would have a significant
impact. It also seemed like a lot of fun.
2.
How far along in high school were you when you
considered this career, if at all? I
pretty much knew by my freshman year in high school
that I wanted to work in the sciences or
engineering. After my freshman year in college at
Stanford, I got a job at the Stanford Linear
Accelerator Facility, a particle physics laboratory,
and that clinched it for me. From college onward, I
had two career tracks in mind. Plan A was to become
an academic. Plan B was to work in the area of
nuclear arms control. My summer job at Stanford got
me interested in nuclear and particle physics. As a
graduate student, I took some classes in Russian
with the idea it might be useful in the area of arms
control. I didn’t ultimately go that route, but I
did end up marrying a Russian some years later.
3. What kind of academic discipline did you have
to have in your graduate studies? I got my
B.S., M.S.,and Ph.D. in physics.
4. How important, in your opinion, are physics
careers to the welfare of this nation and the world?
First let me answer a different question
–
“How important is physics to the welfare of this
nation and the world?” I think more than just career
scientists need to know something about science.
Check out, for instance Richard A. Muller’s book
“Physics for Future Presidents”. Knowledge of
physics, and the sciences in general, is required to
understand many of our big issues. Particularly in a
democracy, a few highly educated physicists in
society are simply not enough. Now, how important
are career physicists? First, physicists are problem
solvers. Our homes, businesses, schools, hospitals,
etc. are filled with things that are the direct
result of pure and/or applied physics research.
Second, we need career physicists to help identify
and understand key problems like global climate
change, the limitations of our energy supply, and
nuclear arms proliferation. For sure, physicists
alone will not solve these problems. Many of them
have large social and political components as well.
This brings me to my third reason I think physics is
important.
Career physicists are skeptical people who tend to be keenly aware of the
limitations of science and technology. If you are
deciding to build photovoltaic or nuclear power
plants, the numbers are extremely important. Blind
faith in science and technology, without an
understanding of the relevant numbers, is a
dangerous thing. Physicists play an important role
in evaluating what is and is not possible or
realistic, and they also understand that there are
many difficult problems which will require more than
science to address. For this reason, I believe that
despite the stereotype, physicists tend to have
rather broad interests outside of their specialties.
5.
What does the United States need to do to improve
science and engineering curriculums in American high
school academics? I think our biggest
problem (and yes I do think we have a problem) is
cultural. I can imagine that for thousands of years,
people looked up from their fires at night and
wondered what those stars could possibly be. Now we
have a pretty good idea of the answer. It’s readily
available in books and such, but most people don’t
bother to look into it. Flood American high schools
with curious students who want to learn physics, and
the high schools will respond.
Physicist, Steven Turner, AMWTP System Engineering
1. Why did you decide to pursue this career?
I decided to pursue a career in physics after a high
school teacher helped me see how applicable physics
in our everyday lives. I took a few classes my
freshman year in college and continued to enjoy it.
It hasn’t been easy, but its always been fun.
2. What do you enjoy most about it? I enjoy
the opportunity to problem solve. I also love how
applicable physics in our every day lives. Once you
start looking, you can find physics in everything
around us.
3. How does it differ from other activities that
you do? I think most people think of physicists
sitting at a desk all day, doing calculations and
working on problems. I have had the opposite
experience. My career has allowed me to get out in
the field, perform testing and troubleshooting, help
analyze results, and many other fun things. I enjoy
the outdoors and spend a lot of my free time
outside, whether it be camping, mountain biking,
rock climbing, or hiking. I guess the main
difference is that my work happens the same time
everyday, usually at the same location. That doesn’t
make it any more boring though. Its actually a lot
of fun!
4. Of all the qualities that you possess, which
do you find most helpful to do your job?
It’s important to have fun. You need to be able to
make the best of any situation.
5. How do you benefit from your career? Its
important to learn something everyday. My career has
given me that opportunity.
6. How does society benefit from your career?
Physics is the study of nature. If there is more we
can understand about nature, then lets do it! As we
increase our understanding of the earth and
everything around us, we have the potential to
discover great things, things that can benefit and
advance our society.
7. How would you suggest a student like me to
prepare for such a career?
Buckle down in your classes and learn! Physics takes
a lot of math. I think being mechanically minded is
a definite bonus. Go take apart your parents
toaster, and don’t worry if you can’t get it back
together! Learn to love to learn.
8. Do you wish you could have done something when
you were younger in order to be more successful as
an adult? I wish I would have worked harder in
High School. I wasn’t always interested in going to
class and doing my homework. It took a lot more
effort for me in college to buckle down and stick to
it.
9. If you could start over and choose a
completely different career, would you? Why? I
wouldn’t. I love my career and am glad I chose it!
10. Why, and in what way, is your job important?
My current job is in radioactive waste cleanup here
in our very own Idaho. My job is important because I
am helping making the environment better for future
generations.
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Pilot,
David Chandler, Pilot for SkyWest Airlines
1. What is the best route to take in order to get
a commercial pilots license?
There are a few ways to go about it. One route is
through the military. The military pays for your
training while you make a decent salary from day
one. It is however very competitive and you will
probably be deployed and move many times throughout
your 12 year commitment.
The most inexpensive way to get your licenses
without joining the military is going to your local
airport and talking to the FBO (fixed base
operator). Most small airports usually have flight
instructors that can help you get the necessary
licenses to become a commercial pilot.
You could also go to a University that has a flying
program such as a private school like Embry Riddle
or a state school such as Utah State University.
This is normally the most expensive approach.
For the better pilot jobs you need at least a four
year degree. However the airlines do not necessarily
favor a flight degree over any other type of degree.
It is usually smart to get a degree in something
unrelated to flying in case of health problems or
just for a backup.
2. What are the advantages of becoming a
pilot as opposed to other jobs?
You should only become a pilot if you truly love
flying and airplanes. The main advantage would be
that you enjoy going to and being at work. Another
advantage would be that every day is very different
and you will see many different places and work with
different people every week. Also you have a lot of
time off. I would say that the average pilot works
3-4 days a week. That can be an advantage as long as
you live in the base you fly out of.
3. How many hours a week on average do
pilots fly?
The government limits pilots to 30 hours per week of
flying time. But I would say that the average pilot
flies between 15-25 hours per week. We are usually
gone from home about 40-80 hours a week to get the
15-25 hours of flying done. As a new pilot you may
start on reserves. This means you are usually on
call for 12 hours a day, 5 days a week to take any
trips when the more senior pilots take vacation or
get sick.
4. What is the average yearly salary of a
pilot?
This varies greatly based on aircraft, airline,
position and seniority. A Junior First Officer
flying a small twin propeller airliner for a small
company might only start at $20,000 a year while a
senior captain flying a 747 or 777 at a major
airline or cargo company might get paid up to
$275,000 a year. It is a bad idea to be a pilot just
for the money because luck, connections and
seniority have a lot to do with it. Sometimes you
don’t have a lot of control over where you end up.
It is very difficult to switch jobs because you lose
all your seniority and start over with each new
airline or company that you fly for.
5. Do pilots get to choose what flights
they want to fly?
Yes and No. Every month the company creates groups
of flights that we call trips. These trips are each
1-4 days long. The pilots all look at the trips and
then pick the ones they want on the days they want
to work and place them in order of preference. The
company starts awarding the trips from senior pilot
to junior pilot. Many times the senior pilots get
the trips they want which are usually higher paying
with less time away from home. The junior pilots get
whatever is left depending how far down the
seniority list they are.
5. How much normally does it cost to get a
pilot’s license?
It usually takes many licenses to become a
commercial pilot. I have seven different licenses.
At a minimum you need a Private Pilot’s license, an
instrument pilot license, a commercial pilot’s
license and a commercial multi-engine rating. Many
pilots also have a few flight instructor licenses
since normally you must be a flight instructor to
get the 1000-1500 flight hours necessary to apply to
an airline. To get all the licenses that you would
need costs about $30,000-$120,000 depending on where
you go. Of course the military option would be free.
6. Is it worth the money spent to get a license
to become a pilot?
If you like flying, traveling, and don’t mind
spending time away from home than it is usually
worth it. It is important to start young and choose
good airlines where you are either paid well or will
advance in seniority quickly. However in the last
ten years the cost of learning to fly has doubled
while pilot pay has actually decreased across the
industry.
7. If a person does not want to go into the air
force or navy, what other options are there to pay
for a pilot’s license?
My parents and I saved money for me to go to college
since I was young; I also worked all through high
school and college to pay for my licenses. That is
the best way. Other than that you must get student
loans from the government or private loans from a
bank. But it can be very hard to pay off a large
loan as a new pilot so be careful not to get too far
into debt.
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Hydrogeologist, Flint Hall, Idaho Department of
Environmental Quality
1. What were the high school courses did you take
that you benefited the most from? In
addition to the required math and English I took
earth science, biology, chemistry and physics. Of
those, the earth science, chemistry and physics
classes were my favorites
2. Which college did you attend and for how long?
I attended Idaho State University for my Bachelors
of Science (BS) degree in Geology. I was fortunate
to complete my undergraduate degree in 4 years. I
was able to study local geology – Universities from
across the country come to my back yard - Central
and Eastern Idaho, Western Wyoming and the related
portion of Montana to study geology.
I attended University of Idaho for my Master of
Science (MS) degree for hydrogeology. I was able to
find funding to support my masters thesis project
and finished my degree in 3 years. Two and a half of
those were spent attending classes during the school
year and conducting my field and laboratory work
during the summers. I accepted a job and completed
my masters thesis using every spare minute during
that last six months.
3. What are the typical hours/days that you spend
on the job? As a professional person, like a
scientist, the number of hours I spend on the job is
determined by how long it takes to get my job done.
Unlike a factory worker or a sales clerk, someone
from the next shift won’t come in and finish my work
when I go home. While I’m typically at my job 8-5,
Monday – Friday, some days I’ll have to work later
or come in earlier to complete my responsibilities.
But most of the time I don’t have to work evenings
and weekends, unless a project requires it. This
also means I’m quite free to work as long as I need
to get my job done. My bosses and the nature of my
job allows me a flexible work schedule. If I need to
leave early one day, I can work at home or more
hours on other days.
4. What is your favorite and least favorite part
about your job? What I like most about my
job is accomplishing tasks and communicating to
others what I learned and why what I learned is
important to them. I enjoy preparing and giving
presentations, meeting with the public, collecting
and reviewing samples and results preparing
documents and being a part of teams that plan events
or direct decisions. I don’t particularly like
conference calls or doing the regular record keeping
(“filing paper work”).
5. Is it a high risk job? Not
particularly high risk, but sometimes samples may be
contaminated with hazardous materials, or there may
be hazards associated with the places we collect
samples from. The highest risk activity for my work
is likely driving, sometimes on slick or dangerous
roads
6. Could you give me an overview of what your job
consists of? As my 8 year old son
observed, I mostly type on the computer, talk on the
phone and talk to people in my office. Part of my
work is to ensure that the Idaho National Laboratory
operates in a way that protects our environment and
the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer. To accomplish
this I review what others are doing to monitor INL
environmental impacts, I help to collect ground
water samples to prove to our selves that we
understand INL impacts, and then with my coworkers
we to communicate to the people of Idaho what we’ve
learned. This means that we also need to teach other
about ground water and the environment, how to
identify and understand contamination, and help them
see when contamination is a risk to them. I also
work with others (cities, counties, and other
community groups) to understand and educate
concerning ground water contamination issues in
eastern Idaho, what they can do top protect or
improve their ground water. Other people with my
background and working for the Idaho Department of
Environmental Quality might be responsible for doing
“regulatory work”; working with private citizens,
companies or other governmental agencies to make
sure that environmental laws are being followed.
Hydrogeologists could also do work that focuses more
on research – designing and completing studies to
understand where existing contamination came from
and what might happen if either a contaminant was
spilled, or if people made changes in how they used
certain chemicals. They would be expected to write
reports to explain what they learned to others, and
perhaps suggest regulations to help reduce
environmental impacts.
7. Do the activities you perform vary from day to
day or are they the same?
My activities vary by the season. From January to
April or May, most of my time is spent working with
groups to plan for our spring educational events. In
the spring, summer and into the fall we spend time
out in the field collecting water samples. During
the spring and summer, when not sampling, more time
preparing reports and information to present our
previous years results to the public. Late fall
through early spring, most of our sample results
comes back from the laboratory and I spend more time
trying to understand the results and begin writing
reports. We tend to have more meetings with the
public in the fall and spring. There are almost
always sever things being planned for or worked on
at a time.
8. If you don't mind me asking, about how much is
your annual salary?
According to the all-knowing internet, salaries for
hydrogeologists can range from about $40K to more
than $120K. Hydrogeologists working for state or
federal government tend to earn about $50k – $100K
or more, and with my nearly 20 years of experience
and professional certification, $60K – $70K or more.
My salary sits at the low end of these ranges.
9. What state do you work in? Do they require you
to have a license? I work in Idaho, for the
State of Idaho Department of Environmental Quality.
I’m not required to have a license, but recently
chose to complete the testing to be a registered
professional geologist.
10. What physical/mental demands do you face on
the job?
My job doesn’t require a lot of physical work, but
sometime I have to lift heavy coolers full of water
samples. The mental demands include planning
educational events, writing reports, preparing and
making presentations to different groups, and
sometimes the groups don’t like what I have to say,
thus I need to be able to address difficult
questions and respond in a respectful and accurate
way. It can be very difficult to understand what
might be important to someone, and to understand how
to explain a difficult subject to them.
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Electrical Engineer,
Pat Zona, Lead Electrical Engineer, BBWI-AMWTP
Project
1 What level of college degree would you
recommend to someone interested in your line of
work? It depends on the type of work you
are interested in. A Bachelors degree in Electrical
Engineering from an accredited university will get
you a good job in the Electrical Engineering field.
If someone were more interested in research &
development or teaching, then it would be beneficial
to get a masters degree or PhD.
2. What sort of things could an Electrical
Engineer specialize in? There are many areas to
specialize in. Computer Science, Electronics,
Control Systems, Communications Systems, and Power
Distribution are a few examples.
3. Is it enjoyable being an Electrical Engineer?
I’ve enjoyed my career choice in Electrical
Engineering. I’ve been fortunate to have many
challenging job opportunities in my career. One of
the best things about the Electrical Engineering
field is there are always new and interesting
technologies to learn about.
4. Are there any moments that you regret your
career choice?
There are trying days with any job or career choice,
but I have never regretted it.
5. After college are there any other training or
specialized education courses that an Electrical
Engineer might need to take?
I recommend that you take the Fundamentals of
Engineering (FE) exam while still in college and all
the information is fresh in your mind. After some
years of experience you can choose to take the
Professional Engineer (PE) exam to receive your
Professional Engineering license. Many companies are
now starting to look for licensed engineers,
especially in the consulting world.
6. After high school, college, and any other
training, what's the best way to actually find and
start a career in Electrical Engineering?
After earning your degree, keep your eyes open for
any job openings though every avenue possible
including want ads, the internet, personal contacts,
etc. Many universities offer placement assistance
with large companies who will often recruit entry
level engineers. That is how I found my first
engineering job. Above all, be persistent and don’t
get discouraged.
7. What are some fun things to do while also
learning about Electrics and Engineering?
There are many clubs and hobby groups that you can
join, for example robotics clubs or computer
classes. It is also good to join and get involved
with engineering organizations like IEEE.
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Astronomy
Professor, Dr. Brian Tonks, BYU-Idaho
1. What exactly do you do in your job? I
teach physics and astronomy classes at Brigham Young
University-Idaho in Rexburg. I also advise students.
2. It seems like math would be very important,
do you have to solve complex equations? Yes. Physics
and astronomy are built on mathematics. We use the
relationships that exist between physical properties
(and are expressed through mathematics) to learn things
about the stars and planets that we could not know
otherwise. Some of these relationships are complex.
3. What is the importance of this job? Does it
actually accomplish important things? I believe that
education is essential to our society. We depend on
technology developed through scientific principles not
only for conveniences, but for our very lives. The only
way we will continue to have a technologically-based
society is for education to remain strong.
4. Do you enjoy this job? If so, what about it is
fun? Yes. I enjoy seeing students come to understand
new information. I especially enjoy seeing students come
to understand new things that make a difference on the
way they view the world and see their place in it.
5. What degrees or experience did you need to get
this job? I have a PhD degree in Planetary Science.
I also taught at Naval Nuclear Power School for 5 years
which gave me experience.
6. How did you decide you wanted to be an
astronomer? I was always interested in science. I
asked for (and received) a chemistry set and later a
microscope for Christmas and learned as much as I could
from them. When I was 12 I took the astronomy merit
badge at Scout Camp and fell in love with the stars.
That summer was also when astronauts first landed on the
Moon. I wanted to be an astronaut. However, my eyesight
would not have permitted that dream to become reality,
so becoming an astronomer was the next best thing.
7. Once you joined this field, is there a
different job you see that you think you would enjoy
more? I’d love to be an astronaut, but it was not to
be for me. I would also enjoy being more heavily
involved in research. Otherwise, no.
8. What are your normal work hours? I
typically work from 8-5:30 but often spend a 2-3 hours
at home grading papers, writing exams, etc.
9. Do you work for NASA or some private
company? I teach physics and astronomy classes at
Brigham Young University-Idaho in Rexburg.
10. Do you enjoy this job? Yes
11. What is your favorite part of this job?
Yes. I enjoy seeing students come to understand new
information. I especially enjoy seeing students come to
understand new things that make a difference on the way
they view the world and see their place in it.
12. What is your least favorite part of this job?
Grading papers
13. Why would you recommend this job to others?
It is very rewarding—see last question.
14. Have you been involved with a team that has
worked on important projects with the space program?
No
15. How is a typical day at work? I teach 2-3
classes and spend the rest of the day writing curriculum
materials, preparing for class, writing and grading
exams, papers, etc.
16. Do you only study planets and stars? I study
the history and philosophy of science and the
relationship between science and religion.
17. How long do you usually work per day? I
typically work from 8-5:30 but often spend a 2-3 hours
at home grading papers, writing exams, etc.
18. Would I have to know a lot of math to be an
Astronomer? Yes
19. Do you think your job is fun? Yes
20. What classes should I take in college to be
prepared to become an Astronomer? Most astronomers
these days have undergraduate degrees in physics (which
gives them the background needed to understand the
stars). Physics, math, and chemistry courses are very
helpful.
21. Do you get to work with people often? Yes
22. What advice would you recommend for me if I
wanted to become an Astronomer? Make the most of
your high school experience. Take all the science and
math your high school offers. Also, learn to become a
good writer. Astronomers spend a significant amount of
time writing. Be as well rounded as possible. You might
consider becoming involved with a local astronomy club.
Also, astronomy is really divided into two branches:
deep space/stellar astronomy and planetary science. My
degree is in planetary science (the goal is to study the
planets of the Solar System using physics, geology, and
chemistry) and I lean towards a field now called
“astrobiology”. Deep space/stellar astronomers study the
traditional astronomy subjects: stars, nebulae,
galaxies, and the structure of the universe.
23. As an astronomer, what do you spend most of you
work time doing? Personally, I teach physics and
astronomy classes at Brigham Young University-Idaho in
Rexburg. I also advise students. I spend a significant
amount of time writing exams, grading assignments,
preparing for classes, keeping current in the field,
etc.
24. What are classes that you would recommend to
prepare for this career? Take all the science and
math your high school offers. Also, learn to become a
good writer. Astronomers spend a significant amount of
time writing. Be as well rounded as possible.
25. What kind of research is used to help expand the
technological advancement in this field? Research is
continually being done about how to make telescopes
larger, lighter, and less costly. The electronics
revolution has had a huge impact on the field. Some
individuals spend a lot to time creating new detectors
and designing new spacecraft.
26. What equipment do you spend most of your time
using? Since I teach, I use a computer and
projection technology.
27. About how much of your time do you spend
informing the public of progress or writing reports?
Since I teach for a living, I’d say nearly all of my
time.
28. Are there any wide spread public views on
theories that are extremely invalid? In the US,
there is a deep-rooted distrust and misunderstanding of
what science is. A lot of people dismiss scientific
theories they don’t agree with by saying “Oh, it’s just
a theory”. They’re really saying “A scientific theory is
a mere guess”. This is not true. Scientific theories are
ideas that explain observations made in nature that have
been tested. This is not to say that scientific theories
are necessarily true—many (if not most) theories that
have been presented have been shown to be false.
However, theories help us explain nature in a way that
we can use, tie together a lot of observed data, and
guide future research. As a result, we learn more about
nature by the theory being in place.
Americans (generally) severely mistrust the theory of
evolution and the Big Bang theory. A lot of people
believe that these theories are completely incompatible
with their religious views. I disagree with this
assessment. We don’t know, for sure, how everything fits
together. Indeed, the theories may significant change
(as they’ve already done). However, we need to remain
open-minded.
29. What are you normal hours like? I
typically work from 8-5:30 but often spend a 2-3 hours
at home grading papers, writing exams, etc.
30. Do you travel to observatories to work with
other astronomers often? No
31. Are there any other career specialists that you
interact with frequently? No
32. Specifically, what is your job? I teach
physics and astronomy classes at Brigham Young
University-Idaho in Rexburg. I also advise students.
33. When you were growing up, did you have an
interest in astronomy? I was always interested in
science. I asked for (and received) a chemistry set and
later a microscope for Christmas and learned as much as
I could from them. When I was 12 I took the astronomy
merit badge at Scout Camp and fell in love with the
stars. That summer was also when astronauts first landed
on the Moon. I wanted to be an astronaut. However, my
eyesight would not have permitted that dream to become
reality, so becoming an astronomer was the next best
thing.
34. What is your favorite part of your job? Yes.
I enjoy seeing students come to understand new
information. I especially enjoy seeing students come to
understand new things that make a difference on the way
they view the world and see their place in it.
35. What is the least favorite part of your job?
Grading
36. What skills are required to do you job well?
Technical skills and knowledge (the knowledge gained in
graduate school and continuing education is essential).
In addition, people skills are critical.
37. How many people do you work with? My fellow
colleagues (up to 40) and students (up to 200 students
per semester)
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Wildlife
Biologist and Ecologist, Doug Halford, S. M. Stoller
Corp.
1.
What interested you in becoming a scientist? I
always liked observing, catching and studying wildlife
when I was a kid. I always had some animal in my
aquarium.
2.
What was the most important class you took in college
that helps you in your career today? Not a single
class was really that important but rather the maturity
gained by going to college. You are on your own, your
mistakes and rewards are yours, the outcomes are a
result of your input.
3.
How much math do you use in your career today, and in
what ways do you use it in? I use math everyday.
Sometimes budgeting (accounting), dose calculations
(algebra), etc.
4. What
is your career and how does it affect your life today?
I manage a scientific program. It takes up 12 hours
a day and pays my bills.
5.
What is your favorite part about being a scientist and
why? Research because you design the process that
may (or may not) answer a question
6.
How do you apply basic science, like the scientific
methods, with your career today? When I review
reports of other scientists and evaluate their findings
and data.
7.
What is the most interesting project that you ever did
in your life (high school, college, or career)? When
I raised deer fawns for a nutritional study.
8.
Besides school work and taking different science classes
what helped you to succeed through your quest for
science? Being active in student professional
societies, working and collaborating with classmates and
colleagues, working with professionals (for free)
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Biochemistry, Dr. Caryn Evilia, Department of
Chemistry, Idaho State University
1.
What would you recommend in University selection based
in biochemistry education?
Biochemistry is the application of chemistry and
chemistry techniques to the study of biological
phenomena. Undergraduate biochemistry programs are
usually among the most challenging undergraduate degrees
offered by a university, requiring advanced courses in
chemistry, biology and math. Determining which school
best meets your needs will depend on a variety of
factors including your grades, your financial situation,
and geography (whether you want to stay local, for
instance). However, I can offer some general advice for
picking a biochemistry program.
Look for a university/college that has an independent
biochemistry department or a joint
chemistry/biochemistry department. These
colleges/universities will tend to have more faculty
whose research interests are in biochemistry and will
offer a wide array of biochemistry classes for you to
choose from in your junior/senior year. This will
broaden your education in biochemistry and help you on
your way to determining what career path you will
follow. You should also look at the faculty research
interests at any college/university you are interested
in, as most biochemistry majors are encouraged or
required to do research in faculty laboratories.
Research is a critical part of biochemistry and
independent undergraduate research will give you a taste
of what real biochemist do. I would also recommend some
of the many college ranking sites available, like US
News and World Report's best colleges 2010 (colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com).
This site will also list all colleges/universities with
a biochemistry program/major and how the
college/university ranks in the nation.
Good luck!
Computer Science, Wendy Purrington, Database Manager
and IT Specialist, S. M. Stoller Corp.
Technology continues to evolve on a daily basis. Much of
the way we work today involves using a computer or some
other technological device. I feel fortunate to have
been involved with it for so many years and continue to
be excited about the future.
1. How much do you work with computers? I
will say that because my job involves working with data,
I spend the majority of my work day in front of a
computer. This is true for many jobs in technology.
2. What civil system do you mainly design or
work on? We use the Windows operating system
and develop our databases using Microsoft Access. The
databases include all types of sampling data taken from
both on and off the INL site.
3. What high school courses did you take that
helped you the most with your career? When I
was in high school, computers were not as plentiful or
sophisticated as they are today. We had one in our
science lab, but it was very simple, used punch cards
for storage, and did not even have a monitor. Later,
when I attended college, they did not have a technology
program. I became involved in technology while already
in the workforce, at a time when technology started to
thrive. I have worked with technology for over thirty
years and over that time have seen innovative
development in all areas. Even now it continues to
advance and requires continual study and exploration.
Much of my technical education came from hands on
experience. After earning a Microsoft Systems Engineer
Certification and as Director of Information Technology
for the Arizona State Bar Association, I was fortunate
to play a part in implementing and managing several
large networks, as well developing several large
databases. After coming to work for SM Stoller, I
redesigned the Environmental Surveillance Education and
Research (ESER) database, which is still in use today.
4. What's the best part of your job? Are there
any major projects that you have been a part of? I
enjoy many aspects of my job, including the interaction
and collaboration with co-workers, the challenge of
building good databases and the creativity involved in
database development. It is important to keep current
with new advancements in hardware and software and
always continue to learn. Technology remains involved in
a large part of our lives and I am excited to have been
and continue to be involved in it. There are so many
technology opportunities ranging from working with
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to developing new
video games. For those who share an interest in
technology, there should continue to be unlimited
opportunities in the years ahead.
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Ecology,
Dr. Roger Blew, Land Management Task Manager, S. M.
Stoller Corp.
1. What classes did you take as a student
in high school, and in college?
I went to a very small high school and did not have
a lot of options for science classes. I did take the
single biology and chemistry classes available. But,
that really didn’t matter a lot because in high
school, I never imagined I would end up in a career
as a scientist. Nevertheless, I did have some very
good English teachers in high school and the skills
they taught me are extremely valuable now. As a
scientist, I do a lot of writing.
In college as an undergraduate, I majored in biology
with an emphasis in botany. I took quite a few
classes in chemistry and physics to round out my
general science background, but I also included
classes in soil science, climatology, and physical
geography.
2. Explain how you and other employees in your
company are organized or what is the hierarchy of
your present position? I manage a staff of
four scientists. Each of them is responsible for
conducting several projects and/or tasks and each
may oversee several technicians and/or interns. We
also have a number of subcontractors that do
specialized work for us. They include universities,
non-profit research organizations and commercial
consultants. I report to a Program Manager who
oversees other groups in addition to the one I
manage.
3. What types of activities do scientists do?
Scientists in almost any of the disciplines
participate at a range of skill levels and toward a
range of goals. We think mostly of scientists as
researchers making new discoveries about how Nature
works. But there is a lot of work that has to happen
to collect the information necessary to do that. So,
a lot of our time is spent designing experiments or
monitoring protocols to make sure we are collecting
the data we need, in the form we need, and in the
most efficient manner. This is true for almost any
scientific discipline. The thing that may differ
across disciplines is the how and where that data
gets collected. My work is in understanding the
ecology of the sagebrush desert, so we do a lot of
that data collection out in the field. Others will
collect data by working in a laboratory setting and
some will find it necessary to conduct activities in
both the field and the lab to address their research
goals. And, as I mentioned earlier, writing to
describe your ideas, your research results and
conclusions becomes increasingly important as your
career advances.
4. Share with me three things that are very
rewarding about your career?
One would be the many opportunities I’ve had to work
in a wide variety of ecosystem types including
prairies, forests and deserts. Another is the wide
variety of things I get to do during any given day.
And finally, all of the interesting people I get to
interact with and learn from.
5. If one earns a degree in science, what kind of
opportunities and companies are available?
There are many opportunities available for
scientists. Although there may be some differences
depending on the actual scientific discipline you
choose, for the most part those opportunities
present themselves through universities, government
agencies, companies, and non-profit organizations.
In all of those, opportunities are available at all
education and experience levels. In the ecological
and natural resource sciences, perhaps the greatest
opportunities are with government agencies like
state fish and game departments, the U.S. Forest
Service, BLM, Fish and Wildlife Service and the
National Park Service to name a few. There are also
opportunities with private, non-profit organizations
including local land trusts, large national and
international research, conservation and advocacy
groups, as well as for-profit companies like the one
I work for.
6. Why did you choose to go into this
field? It was almost by accident. I
started college studying music and, to meet the
dreaded science requirement for the music major, I
took introductory biology. I liked it and I did well
in it! I took a chemistry class the next semester
and liked that too. At the same time, I was working
part-time as a golf course greenskeeper to pay for
school. So, with that little bit of biology and
chemistry knowledge, I became curious about the
fertilizer I was using on the golf course and what
it did to make plants grow. And that led to an
interest in botany, soil science and plant ecology.
7.Did you major in a science? If so, which
science? For my BS, I majored in biology
with an emphasis in botany. My MS is in plant
ecology and my PhD is in ecology.
8. What sorts of projects have you worked on or
supervised? I’ve been involved in several
projects on the role of nitrogen and other plant
nutrients in forests and rangelands, and in the
streams that drain them. I’ve also conducted
research on the role of fire in rangelands,
including fire in sagebrush steppe. The scientists
that I manage have been involved in a wide range of
projects including ecological engineering approaches
to landfill capping, fire ecology, wildlife habitat
characterization, plant community classification and
mapping, etc. Right now, we are working on
developing conservation strategies for species that
require sagebrush habitat including sage-grouse and
pygmy rabbits.
9. What would you suggest to an aspiring
student going into this field?
There are many scientific disciplines involved in
natural sciences. I recommend exploring as many as
you can either through coursework, internships, or
part-time jobs in high school and college. As you do
that, you will find some you like, some you don’t,
and hopefully one that really excites you.
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Russell
Jensen, Licensed Architect, CTA
1. What do you do as an architect? As
an architect, my primary responsibility is to ensure
the safety of all the people that will be using the
structures that my team and I design. This can be a
daunting task but it is far more important than the
aesthetics of the building. An architect protects
the safety of the public by becoming familiar with
local and national building codes, reviewing the
architectural and engineering drawings for
compliance with the building codes and by learning
how building materials are properly used and
connected to other materials.
2. How does the process work? The
architectural design process really starts with the
client. Early on, the architect and his design team
will meet with the client and discuss their needs,
wants and goals to be achieved with the construction
of their new building. This is called the
programming phase. The architectural team
familiarizes themselves with the project
requirements before any drawing is ever done.
The next step is to take the information gathered in
the programming phase and to create a conceptual
design. The design team, which is usually comprised
of architects, structural, civil, mechanical, and
electrical engineers, landscape architects and
interior designers, will meet and come up with a
concept for the building. This concept is presented
to the client and if the client likes what they see,
the building plans are further developed into design
documents and then finally construction documents
from which the building can be built. In addition to
drawings, the designers must put together a book of
specifications. This specification book will tell
the builders which materials they can use and how
they are to be used. This deals with everything from
methods of constructing the foundation walls to
painting the interior and hanging the light
fixtures. Every aspect of the building should be
addressed in the specification book.
When the construction documents are completed, the
project goes out to bid to a contractor. The
contractor will evaluate what he sees on the
drawings and give the owner a price and a time line
for the work. The architect then oversees the
construction, making sure that the work is performed
according to the drawings and specifications.
Occasionally problems will arise that can not be
solved by looking at the drawings or the
specifications. The architect will then have to work
with the contractor and owner to find an acceptable
solution.
3. How do you become an architect? Becoming
an architect can be a long process. I started taking
drafting classes in high school. Those classes
really set me ahead for college. I went to Boise
State University for my first year in college under
the pre-architecture program and then transferred to
the University of Idaho to finish up my degrees.
University of Idaho has the only accredited
architecture program in the state although there are
several options for an engineering degree. To become
an architect, you'll need to earn a 4-year Bachelors
in Science degree and a 2-year Masters of
Architecture degree or you can do a seamless 5-year
program earning a Bachelors in Science and a Masters
of Architecture in just five years. After school,
the National Council of Architectural Registration
Boards (NCARB) requires a minimum of three years of
experience and passing the Architectural
Registration Exams before you can become licensed.
This usually takes four to five years.
3. Could you enroll in an engineering program and
an architectural program at the same time?
I believe most engineering degrees are 4-year
degrees with the option to specialize in a field
with a Masters degree. By what I've heard, the
programs are difficult enough that few actually
graduate in four years so I'd plan for at least
five. Because of the difficulty of both the
engineering and architecture programs, you may not
want to minor in the other. Both programs are very
demanding and time intensive. That's probably a
better question for a college advisor from the
university you are planning on going to. However, I
would definitely try to do some construction work
during the summers. This will give you a good
understanding of how different building components
go together and how the different trades (framers,
HVAC contractors, plumbers, electricians) have to
work together to complete the job.
4. How did you plan to become an architect in
High School? I did work one summer with a
general contractor doing mostly framing and rough
carpentry. I found it a very valuable experience as
a supplement to my schooling and career. After
college I went to work for the US Army as a civilian
architect. Everything I did there was in CAD with
very little hand sketching. Definitely no hand
drafting though. I had to learn more about building
codes, cost estimating, and writing specifications.
I am currently working for an Architecture and
Engineering firm in Billings, Montana. I recently
received my license and am working as a project
architect (I lead the design team). I am gaining
experience and training to become a project manager.
A project manager manages the project architect and
design team, works closely with the client to create
contracts and ensure that their needs are being met
, and works with the contractor to ensure all work
is being done properly.
5. Do you enjoy being an architect? A
job in the construction field can be a really
rewarding career. My favorite part of the whole job
is seeing a project that you've worked on for months
or even years finally completed. There is something
tangible to show for your work that you can show you
friends and family and say "Hey, I designed that
building."
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