College of the Redwoods Presents
Women in Mathematics, Science, and Engineering

“Where I've ended up in life happened entirely by chance, but I wouldn't change any of it. I grew up on the east coast, patiently waiting for my time to get to ‘go away to college.’ After two different universities and plenty of major changes I ended up at Humboldt State.

“Coming to California, especially Humboldt County, opened my eyes to the great diversity there is in our environment. I quickly became an avid adventurer of my new surroundings: taking walks in the community forest, going to the beach, fishing. I even took up free diving. I was especially amazed with the local plant life and ended up with a major in botany.

“After graduation I tried to no avail to find a career in my field. After months of searching I ended up with a job at North Coast Labs. The idea of being a chemist had never occurred to me, but I found myself at home in the lab and still enjoy it.

“I believe one of the reasons I like my job so much is that it is a constant learning experience. Coming into the position with only the chemistry knowledge needed for my degree I obviously had a lot to learn. Since those humble beginnings I have learned not only how to perform various extractions, but also how to operate and maintain the instrumentation used to analyze these extracts.

“Growing up with two sisters, and no brothers, I guess it had never occurred to me that there was a chance that women were in any way incapable of anything. My mother and father were very involved in our lives, both academic and athletic, and taught us at a young age that we could achieve anything we set our minds to. I feel very lucky to have such supportive parents who have always encouraged me and still push me to do my best.”

“Mathematics has always been part of how I identify myself, although I didn't always know I would be a mathematician. In grade school and high school I enjoyed my mathematics courses, but I didn't know that I could make a living studying mathematics. As an undergraduate, I almost didn't major in the subject! I had taken many math courses because I enjoyed them, but I got to my junior year before I realized this was a sign that I should choose mathematics as my major. In my very last semester I worked for the math department as a Calculus tutor, and then I decided that I should be a math teacher. After graduating, I began a post-baccalaureate program that led to my earning a teaching certificate (called a credential here in California). I taught high school mathematics for two years in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area.

“Then I returned to graduate school, with the intention of earning a Master's degree in Mathematics and then returning to the high school classroom. But soon into my graduate studies I realized that I could earn a Ph.D. and be qualified to teach at the university level. My Ph.D. dissertation was in Applied Mathematics, a study of a fluid flow problem. While in graduate school, I worked on numerical fluid problems at Sandia National Labs, but I wanted more social interaction than is part of mathematical research and knew that I wanted to find a place to teach. I came to Humboldt State University in 2003 as a professor of mathematics education. While I miss teaching high-schoolers, I feel I make a broader impact because I teach those who will teach high school mathematics.

“There are many things about my career as a mathematician that I value. I enjoy teaching and working with students. I enjoy thinking and writing about mathematics and learning new mathematics. On the personal side, I love the flexibility that my job gives me so that I can spend time with my family.”

“I am a board certified family physician with specialist training in dermatology. I love what I do. I can't imagine doing anything else with my life. Although to be honest I really haven't imagined doing anything else with my life. Since I was a little girl I have wanted to be a medical doctor. It all started at the age of about seven. As a child, I spent a great deal of time with my grandmother and her friends. As you can imagine, many times the conversation turned to their health problems. I remember one day in particular, my grandmother was telling her sister how much her knees were hurting her. I piped up and told her I was going to become a doctor someday so I could make her better. From that moment on she was my greatest fan. Of course, I didn't realize at the time the amount of time, energy, dedication, and determination that would be required of me to meet my goal, but I would find out soon enough.

“You must understand that there are no doctors in my family. Many people tried to discourage me. Many people who loved me and thought highly of me otherwise tried to discourage me from pursuing such a rigorous academic course. I know that some of them saw my gender as an impediment.

“After high school I attended the University of Washington in Seattle which is internationally known for the high caliber of many of its departments, but especially its science departments. I chose it because it was my ‘state school.’ It was inexpensive and close to home. At that time there was no ‘pre-med’ degree. Many chose Biology. I was going to be competing with many of these people for entrance into medical school, so I decided to do something a little bit more challenging: I chose Biochemistry. It usually takes 5 years to get a degree in Biochemistry because you have to take a year of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Calculus, and of course Biochemistry. Plus you have to take more upper-level courses in math and science than you do for many other science degrees. In addition to my science classes, I had also been taking a number of Spanish classes. My high school Spanish teacher had encouraged me not to neglect my studies and lose the four years I had spent already studying the language. So to balance out my brain and take a greater variety of classes, I decided to double degree in Spanish.

“In 1994 I graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry and a B.A. in Spanish. I was ready for medical school.

“I started at the George Washington University in 1995 and graduated with my M.D. in 1999. It was there that I spent four of the most difficult, exciting, and powerfully perspective-changing years of my life. I can't tell you how many times I thought I wouldn't make it through. I am fortunate to be extremely perseverant and stubborn. I was determined to graduate. And really, medical school was essentially a grand adventure and a lot of fun. In my opinion, there is no more fascinating study than that of the human body. Most of its intricacies are beyond our comprehension. What we know, we know in part. So much of health and well being is connected to the human mind and spirit. These things we cannot see and yet we must find solutions to the problems they cause when they are out of balance.

“I have also had a number of opportunities to do some international work. Health care in developing countries is my great passion and interest. I know one day it will be my full-time job.

“Daily I am challenged and fascinated by what I see and hear in my profession. I am rarely bored. I am constantly ready for anything because anything can be required of me on a given day. Only God knows who or what is going to come through the door. I love what I do. I can't imagine doing anything else with my life.”

“Growing up in the Central Valley of California, the weather was not that exciting but I always wondered how it seemed to be cloudy or foggy in the winter and then not a cloud in the sky all summer long. I answered a few of my questions when I started my own weather station as part of a 4-H project, but I still had many more. I always enjoyed math and science, but it wasn't until I took a meteorology class my freshman year at U.C. Davis that I finally found a profession that satisfied my curiosity. I was able to acquire an internship between my junior and senior year in college with the National Weather Service and that led to a full time position after I graduated. Always living in California, I wanted to try something different, so I accepted a position in Great Falls, Montana. During my 25 years in National Weather Service, I've had the opportunity to work in Montana, Southern California and the National Weather Service Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. I've also provided weather support to wildfires in a number of western states which gave me the opportunity to fly in a helicopter and brief governors of the states of Montana and Utah.

“Since I've moved into a management position and out of the day-to-day forecasting, I appreciate more the value of good weather information for everyone. An accurate weather forecast or warning does not meet its real purpose, unless it gets to the people who need it and they take the appropriate actions. Many of the skills I use now were not the ones I acquired in the college classroom those many years ago, but ones that I've acquired through experience and continuing education.

“Starting out with my little weather station in Tracy, CA, I never envisioned all the experiences I would have. I did know that I needed an education to create many more opportunities and I've learned that education is an on-going endeavor.”

“One day sitting at my desk, as office manager for a small southern California company, I looked out the window at the valley below and thought, ‘I have to get out of here. If I have to work under fluorescent lights for the rest of my life I'll go crazy!’

“That one thought led me to seek career counseling. I was asked to make a list of the tasks I disliked and the ones I'd do even if I didn't get paid. My list was headed up with gardening and hiking in the forest. I love plants and especially forest trees. My next step was to find out if there was a job out there where I could do both.

“I was guided to call the Society of American Foresters for recommendations. They spoke with me about career possibilities and accredited universities. I had never heard of a female forester. I wondered if this was really a viable option for an adult woman with a high school education and a family.

“At 34 years old I enrolled in a junior college to begin my general education. I took evening classes there for two years. Meanwhile I made plans to pay off my bills, work out family care options and move to Humboldt County. I attended Humboldt State University for five years and in 2003 I was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry.

“I worked for the USDA Forest Service during the summers to gain forestry field experience. The first year after graduating I again worked for the Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin, in forest planning. I found a better fit for me when I shifted my focus to private industry. I am now employed by Green Diamond Resource Company as a Research Assistant in the Tree Improvement Department. Some of my duties include tending the greenhouse and seed orchard trees as well as conducting field evaluations on the Company's northern California property. I am being paid to garden and hike in the forest!!

“I found that when I made the decision to follow my dreams, doors opened and everything I thought would be a problem worked out. Going back to school is achievable at any age. With the promise of doing work that you love and getting paid for it - what are you dreaming of?”

“I am a mathematician who loves to explore ways in which mathematics can help to solve real-world problems. I am also a mother of three beautiful girls. My passion for teaching and my love of mathematics and science combined with my understanding that pursuing these activities is not always easy, translates to a desire to help each of my daughters achieve her potential and create a happy life for herself.

“My current research involves creating mathematical models to represent how cancers grow and ways we can treat patients using their own immune system. I did not always know that I was going to be a mathematician, and in fact had decided at a young age that I wanted to be a physician. However, I am lucky that because of my interest in many areas, I currently get to combine my earlier desire to help people through medicine with my enjoyment of the beauty and power of mathematics. I am now a professor of mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, a private liberal arts institution of science, mathematics and engineering. I love to teach, and I love to learn, and I get to do both these things every day. When I was a child, I never even imagined myself in this kind of work, but through a series of decisions made when opportunities arose, I have found a job that is just right for me.

“I grew up in a family that was and is very supportive, and who prized education. My father, who is also a mathematician, always taught us that a good education can never be taken away from you. My mother set an amazing example for us when she chose to return to school while I was in grade school, and earned her Ph.D. in a record two years!

“I had a very special teacher in the seventh grade who recognized that I had mathematical talent. She took me aside, and brought me through an accelerated mathematics course, so that by my eighth grade year I was attending the local high school for mathematics classes. By the end of my tenth grade year, I had completed all the mathematics courses offered at my high school. At this point, I had some options. I could have entered college immediately, but with the support of my parents, I chose to spend a year in Germany learning to speak German. By the time I did return to the U.S. and entered college, I had more choices to make about which course of study to pursue. Even as a first year college student, I looked for opportunities to work across disciplines, so I chose to complete a joint program in mathematics and computer science, a program which at the time was brand-new. By the time I was finishing my bachelor's degree, I had a new array of options before me. I had been admitted to graduate school, I had several offers to take industry jobs, but the most unusual offer I had was to take a research position at a scientific institute in Bergen, Norway, where I could carry out research with the first hypercube computer in Western Europe.

“I chose the last option, of course, since I then was able to pursue my love of learning language with my general love of learning while employing my now more sophisticated abilities in mathematics and computer science. Out of this Norwegian experience grew a desire to return to graduate school and deepen my pursuit of mathematical and computing knowledge. I also met my future husband in Norway, and he is still with me today. After two years in Norway, I did return to graduate school, and five years later had earned a Ph.D. in mathematics, with a focus in computational fluid dynamics. At this point, there were more choices to make. I knew I loved to teach and was good at it, but I had always assumed I would continue working in a purely research environment. Imagine my delight when the opportunity arose to take a position in an institution where both teaching and research were highly valued.

“This is not to say the decision was easy. I was the first woman ever to be hired as a tenure track professor in mathematics since the founding of the college! At that time, there were fewer than ten women professors in the whole college. I had to decide whether I wanted to take on that pioneering position. I am now glad that I did. My colleagues were welcoming, and supportive of the changes that have come about since I was hired. One change is that there are now three other women mathematicians in a department of twelve.

“Another is that at our college we now have a very generous parental leave policy, one that I am proud to have been instrumental in initiating. I was the first professor in the history of the college ever to give birth during the school year, so the opportunity to create good policy for both mothers and fathers was perfect. Our institution continues to become a more diverse and family-friendly place, and I am glad that I am an active part of these positive developments.

“If you have an array of affinities and talents, this can open doors to many opportunities. I am lucky to have multiple interests in addition to mathematics, including learning languages and playing the piano. Talents can be kept alive and used as opportunities arise. The kind of work I do today did not even exist when I was entering college. When the opportunity arose for me to work with oncologists to develop new mathematical models of cancer growth, I jumped at the chance to once again do something that was innovative and challenging and that would let me keep learning, as well as bring me back full circle to my childhood interest in medicine. I have learned in life that the paths we take can be unpredictable, but that through continually educating ourselves and through seeking out supportive friends and colleagues, we can keep open many positive options. The choices we make will nearly always be good ones, and since circumstances will change, we will always encounter more opportunities to make more good choices.”

“My name is Eve and I am a French Software and Information Systems Engineer, currently working for the National Weather Service (NWS) in Eureka. I just received a master's degree from my French university a few months ago.

“Since I was a little girl I have always been interested in Science and Technology, certainly because my parents were in that field. After high school, I was hesitating between biology, computer science, or meteorology. I chose by elimination. I couldn't access the meteorological school before having at first a 2-year degree in another field and the biology job market was not really appealing. After choosing my field, I then had to choose my school. Thirsty to learn about science, I didn't want to miss out on other fields such as management or communication, so I chose a school that offered a good balance between scientific and non-scientific domains (and free, but that doesn't happen in the United States).

“My university pushed us to go abroad and I had always dreamed about coming to the USA. As a consequence I applied for an exchange semester in the US, which happened to be with Humboldt State University. After a semester I had to get a 6-month technical internship, which I luckily found at the National Weather Service in a field of another one of my first interests. I wasn't done with school and returned to France to conclude my scholarship, after which I came back to carry out my second 6-month internship at the NWS. Since last August, I've worked for NWS as a visiting scientist. In June, I'll go to North Carolina to work at the Naval Research Facility of the Army Corps of Engineers and work on another degree in oceanography.

“For a year and a half, I have been working on the integration of a wave model to the NWS' system. I really like the fact that my work is having direct consequences in the everyday lives of many people who can now have a more accurate marine forecast and even save lives!

“A big advantage of the computer science field is that you can apply it in almost every other domain, and that way if you're like me, interested in too many things to make a definitive choice, you can still touch a wide range of professions.

“My advice to younger women ready to make their choice is to first think about what they're interested in and see if some interests would be correlated with others, which in turn might direct them to something more specific. Also, France's way to teach is different but in the United States you have the chance to go to a university without having to choose a major. I think if I had this opportunity I would have taken one semester or a year to try things out and figure out what I liked best.

“Finally, as you can see with my experience, the field you choose at first is not necessarily the one you'll spend all your life in, but it will at least allow you to get to a point in your life where you're more likely to make choices for your career.”

“I have been a family nurse practitioner for the past 10 years of my 25-year nursing career. My decision to pursue a career in nursing is one that I have never regretted.

“As a child I thought I would like to become either a nurse or a veterinarian. I was raised by my aunt, who had worked as a nurse, and I enjoyed hearing stories about her experiences in nursing. She was a great role model and I wanted to be just like her. I loved animals too. Our home seemed to attract all the stray animals in the neighborhood.

“When I was in high school I decided I would pursue nursing as a career. A counselor told me I would have to take physics if I wanted to become a veterinarian and I really didn't want to take that class. I have to laugh about that decision now because one of the prerequisite classes for the nursing program was physics.

“I spent my first three years as a prenursing student at UCLA. For a while I swayed away from nursing after I became interested in kinesiology and toyed with the idea of becoming a physical therapist. Nursing won out in the end. I completed a Bachelor's degree in nursing at Cal State LA.

“While going to nursing school I worked part-time as a nurse's aide at UCLA medical center on a gynecology-oncology ward where I transitioned to the role of RN. I really enjoyed the environment of a big university hospital. There were always lots of new things to learn.

“I spent the next 11 years working at another university hospital, USC/Norris Cancer Hospital, first as a floor nurse on a medical-surgical unit. I eventually moved into management which seemed to be a natural transition at the time. I enjoyed management but it took me away from the bedside. Working as a floor nurse, you get to work so intimately with patients and their loved ones during some of the most challenging times in their lives. I met some of the most amazing people working at the bedside.

“I gradually started taking classes towards a master's degree in nursing administration at Cal State LA while I worked full-time as a single parent. It took four years. After working six years in management I was becoming disillusioned with my career path. I really missed working one-on-one with patients. About that time my hospital was downsizing and I was laid off with a generous severance package. It was one of those situations where a door closed but a skylight opened up. I was able to immediately enroll in a family nurse practitioner program at USC and a year later was able to start work as a family nurse practitioner (FNP) in Fortuna.

“The role of a FNP allows me to be back working one-on-one with people. This is an advanced role as a nurse involving similar skills with more responsibilities. It is a very rewarding and challenging career and I can easily see myself continuing in this field until retirement.”

“When I was in school I waitressed, and I waitressed some more, I did room-service at hotels, I bussed tables, and it was hard discouraging work amongst lab classes and exams.  I often wondered if I would ever make it to a professional position or if people like those that I served food to would ever see me as a professional-equal.  It eventually happened and it happened in an unexpected way. A neighbor I had seen for over a year go to and fro his home stopped to talk with me while we were respectively mowing our lawns. That is when I found out that he was a research biologist doing almost exactly what I wished to do. Sheer gracefulness inspired him to offer to give me a tour of where he worked, the Naval Research Lab for the Marine Environment. It might have been pity since he'd seen me in my horrible waitressing uniform, but I didn't mind.  The opportunity was knocking and from that event, I was hired by one of his peers as a student aid in a laboratory.

“In 1994, I finished the courses necessary for a B.S. in Biology at San Diego State University; however, as a student, I had started as a marine biologist working for the U.S. Navy conducting environmental and toxicological studies. My initial focus was the health and predictability of plankton populations, the primary producers in the world's oceans, with an emphasis on bioluminescent species. After about 4 years, I became a toxicology laboratory manager where a team of biologists conducted toxicity studies on various materials and chemicals in an effort to reduce ocean pollution and to improve the marine community's knowledge of pollution sources and effects. As I gained more experience in sources and fates of pollution, I became a scientist on board research vessels for studying the fate of heavy metal pollution originating from the coastal regions and from the sinking of vessels and ocean dumping that occurs outside of the United States' exclusive economic zone. As a consequence, I was involved in many at-sea studies and had the opportunity to present the findings of these studies to various marine scientists and regulatory communities.

“After approximately 7 years of gaining experience in the field, the laboratory, and conducting studies at sea, I had also gained significant experience in other non-biology, but work-related, skills such as reporting and presenting data and planning environmental studies. These experiences helped to pique my interest in environmental regulations and the impact that such regulations have on socio-economic strength, public health, and the direction of science.

“I went back to school in 1997 to get a Law degree for applying new and some old skills to assisting the business development of companies in the environmental industry. To gain experience in environmental compliance, I pursued a position where I worked four months of the year in Washington D.C. working for the Navy's Occupational Safety, Health and Environment (OSHE) office. There, I reviewed and assisted Navy installations with federal and state regulatory environmental compliance. Once I became licensed as an attorney, my new focus was on the technology transport and general success of companies trying to develop new sound environmental practices and technology for improving ecological and human health.

“Over the years, I have discovered that I most enjoy assisting smaller businesses and non-profits with their business development needs. For about a year in 2002, I volunteered to assist a technical working group at San Diego State Foundations for developing a hydrogen-run automobile and also volunteered to help in the development of pivotal state bills (Hawaii and California) for controlling ocean dumping by cruise lines and international shipping companies. Now, I work for Natural Resources Management Corporation, a small business based in Eureka that specializes in a wide variety of environmental consultation, compliance and resource management.

“Throughout the years, my responsibilities have changed but I've continued to enjoy my experience in environmental studies and compliance. Field experience significantly improved my ability to write informative reports and gave me confidence to present scientific data to wide audiences. Currently, I try to stay up-to-date with world environmental issues and do my best to participate in trade organizations like the World Heritage Organization, International Bar Association, and in local and state environmental regulatory agencies. For me and other coworkers I've known, professional progress was made with a sincere desire to assist wherever one's field of interest lies. For me, marine biology and environmental regulations pose very interesting challenges that are important and enriching to people's lives.”

“I have been working as a science teacher at the middle school level for eight years. I really enjoy working with kids and imparting knowledge to these young people. Kids have so much to teach us as adults and that is one of the things I enjoy about my job. Teaching in middle school can be a very challenging field; it can be quite demanding, but also very rewarding. As a teacher I am always learning and that is important in my life as well as in my job. I am lucky to work at a great school and collaborate with some awesome individuals.

“I first went back to school after having a child and being away from an academic setting for about ten years. I started at the College of the Redwoods which I really enjoyed. At first, I just wanted to enrich myself and never really expected to go all the way through and get a degree. When I started taking some science classes I was hooked and went on to Humboldt State University and studied Wildlife.

“During this time I worked seasonally for the Forest Service building trails, fighting fires, and working on a timber crew. From there I started working as a biologist for the Redwood Sciences Lab in Arcata. I became a teacher after working for the Forest Service for about twelve years. Though I loved working in the field as a biologist, I wanted something a little closer to home and I wanted to be involved in the lives of children.

“As a teacher I feel that I have been able to excite many of the kids about science and the joy of learning and discovering. We have a science club at school where in the last few years we have taken kids out to do stream surveys where they can do actual field studies of water quality and habitat for salmon. This is where the fire of science comes from for me, and the kids also enjoy getting the field experience. We raise salmon in the classroom, learn about earthquakes and the local geology that contributes to our area's seismic activity, and we do lots of fun hands-on activities in class.

“My goal is to teach science to kids and to inspire them to be interested in the natural world around them. Teaching is so much more than the subject itself; it is also helping to shape kids into responsible young people --- they are our future.

“I recommend that women who may be interested in teaching science to young people pursue these dreams. Kids need good solid role models who will inspire them to reach toward the stars and live up to their potential.”

“As I reflect on my journey to the ‘Celebration of Women in Mathematics, Science and Engineering,’ I'm encouraged that my path has come full circle, from my love of the outdoors as a child to my professional commitment to salmon conservation today.

“My parents fostered an early respect for adventure and nature through their love of camping, hiking and fishing. Mountaineering classes in high school inspired me to excel at rock climbing as well as wilderness camping and survival. Instead of the usual path to college after high school, I moved to Yosemite Valley to further expand my passion for technical climbing. A ‘marine mammal’ class I had taken in high school and a book I read about dolphins while I lived in Yosemite inspired me to attend college with a focus on dolphin communication and a major in biology. My demonstrated rock climbing talent, living on my own away from my family and friends for a year, and growing interest in biology built my confidence and commitment for college. After attending a junior college for a few years, I was shocked to learn I had been accepted to U.C. Berkeley where I received my B.S. in Marine Biology in 1987. At Berkeley, I discovered my interest in fish biology and ecology and conducted undergraduate research on the developmental biology of a freshwater fish. Due to the encouragement of a mentor at Berkeley, I applied to graduate school on the east coast, receiving my Masters of Science degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1990. My graduate-level research involved genetic sex determination variations across latitudinal populations of a small marine fish.

“Soon after receiving my master's degree, I accepted a job with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service, an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce. Early in my career with NMFS, I focused on providing technical and regulatory assistance to agencies and private entities to ensure projects in coastal California waters minimized impacts to marine mammals and were in compliance with the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act and U.S. Endangered Species Act. In this role, I drafted national regulations for marine mammal management, including rules to reduce whale and dolphin bycatch in the California drift gillnet fishery. After serving as the Protected Resources Division Manager for a year and ready to take the next step in my career and live in an area more in tune with my young family's lifestyle, I accepted a position as the Southwest Region's Arcata Area Office Supervisor in 2000. Overseeing a staff of 23, I provide leadership in support of recovery of salmon and steelhead in Northern California. Although much of the Arcata Office's work involves regulating federal projects to ensure that actions do not jeopardize salmon and steelhead, we also work with private companies and individual landowners to harmonize their needs with salmon and steelhead conservation under the ESA. My particular focus over the past five years in Arcata has been on the complex and challenging water and land issues throughout the Klamath Basin.

“I am successful today because I followed my passions, I have a loving and supportive husband, two incredible daughters (ages 9 and 10), and I constantly strive to balance my work with a full and rich personal life. As I have transitioned in my career from student, to staff biologist to manager, I've discovered that my greatest job satisfactions derive from my ability to craft innovative approaches to resource conflicts, working effectively with people having diverse backgrounds and interests, and knowing that my Office's contributions are helping to recover threatened salmon and steelhead. Over the years I've learned that I'm a more effective leader when I can authentically be myself. I encourage all young women to seek out a variety of people in your field of interest, and especially female mentors, to create a support system from which you can gain insight, gather strength, and receive honest feedback.”

“I have been working in the field of Civil Engineering for almost 2 years. I became interested in engineering while growing up. I was always curious about math and science and the way things worked. I enjoyed hands-on projects at school and building things at home. I also grew up on a vegetable farm in Willow Creek, and was therefore used to working outdoors. Having a job that would contain some outdoor fieldwork was important.

“After graduating from Hoopa Valley High School, I went to UC Berkeley and studied Civil Engineering. The degree is a four year program, after which you receive your Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering. During my last year I also took the EIT exam (Engineer In Training) and received my certificate. Once an individual has their EIT certificate, they must work in the field of engineering for a specified length of time (typically 2 years with a BS in engineering) before they can take their Professional Engineering exam (PE).

“After graduating, I worked in Sacramento at a Precast Concrete company. The work was very exciting. The engineers worked on everything from calculations, drafting, to field management. The work in the field was especially fun. I got to work on the construction site of a new Los Angeles hospital and a new department store in San Francisco. The work in the field was demanding but rewarding. Although the ratio of women to men was low, I always felt comfortable in my job position.

“I enjoyed the work in Sacramento, but I decided to move back to Humboldt County to be closer to family and friends. I have been working at Winzler & Kelly Consulting Engineers in Eureka for 6 months now. The work at W&K has also been interesting and exciting. I have been able to work on both structural and civil engineering projects, as well as some field work. The structural work involves working on calculations for buildings such as residential homes or commercial buildings. The civil work includes design for new water systems and drainage for new development. Currently I am working in Rio Dell as the field inspection engineer on a culvert replacement project.

“I have almost completed the two years of work experience I need to take the PE exam. I look forward to taking (and passing!) the exam this October.”

“I am a geologist and work for the National Park Service. I didn't have a defining moment or epiphany in choosing my career. However, I am fortunate to have been offered many wonderful opportunities along my way and was also lucky to have a woman mentor early on in my career.

“I have always enjoyed the outdoors and as a teenager spent quite a bit of time hiking, camping and backpacking. This naturally led me to consider a career in natural resources and environmental sciences. After high school, I attended a Junior College to complete general education requirements, and to work and save money to attend a four-year college. I transferred to Humboldt State University as a Resource Planning and Interpretation Major. While I had a general idea of what field I would like to be in, it wasn't until after taking a variety of classes in natural resources that I was drawn to the field of Geology. I enjoyed the field aspects of geology and was fascinated by the influence of geologic processes on shaping landscapes and ecosystems.

“During my senior year of college, I was offered a job at Redwood National Park as a physical science technician. The field job provided a good training opportunity to develop surveying, field, computer and writing skills. After completing my Bachelors of Science degree, the park offered research support for a Master of Science degree. While working at the park, I was able to complete my graduate education at Humboldt State University and then competed successfully for this professional geologist position at the park.

“For the past 20 years, I have conducted long-term channel monitoring and watershed studies in Redwood Creek. These studies focus on how large storms and land use affect stream channels and aquatic ecosystems. My work has also involved geology interpretation in the parks and tsunami and earthquake education.

“It is unusual to spend your entire career at one agency. However, my job is challenging and interesting. I continue to take advantage of any opportunities that provide a wide range of job experience and challenges. While my technical expertise is in geology, I enjoy working within an interdisciplinary group and am continually learning how geology integrates with other natural resource fields.

“My advice to any women looking at potential careers is to find a field you are truly interested in, that stimulates your curiosity, and to trust your instincts. Also take advantage of mentors in the community. They can provide advice and have experience you can benefit from. Finally, it is important to develop your writing and communication skills to be successful in any field. It is essential to be able to communicate your ideas, results of studies, and recommendations to a wide variety of audiences (managers, general public, and colleagues).”

“Science or music? I have always had a passion for the sciences, but I also have a deep love of music and the performing arts. Perhaps like many of you, my undergraduate career was marked by indecision and exploration of different career paths. I eventually decided that it would be much easier to make a reliable living in science than in music and the performing arts, so music became, and continues to be, my avocation.

“As a pre-med student at the University of California Santa Cruz I was on track to take advantage of a wide variety of career choices. However, once again, it became clear I had another choice to make. After working many months in a laboratory investigating the exciting and emerging field of immunology, I realized I would be happier pursuing a life-style that would keep me outside exploring nature.

“I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in biology in 1978, promptly changed tracks and headed to east Africa with a friend. I had no real goal other than to experience other cultures and gain what I imagined to be the premiere ‘out-of-doors’ research experience. We were fortunate enough to sequester the funding and support to complete a study of the Mt. Londiani Forest Preserve in Kenya, and, 2 years later, convinced the Kenyan government to change the status of the area to that of Game Reserve. This change resulted in greater protection for the endangered animals living in the area. It was a life-altering experience that motivated me to return to the States and pursue a higher degree in the field of natural resources. This led me to Humboldt State University, and in 1987, I received a Master of Science in Natural Resources.

“I had every intention of returning to Africa to continue field research, but I was stone broke after getting a Masters, so I accepted a wildlife biologist position with the Six Rivers National Forest in Eureka. I eventually became the Forest Biologist, and in 1994 went to work for the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Arcata supervising the Endangered Species staff. I was married in 1993, had a child in 1998, adopted a child in 2002 and switched to a part-time work schedule to raise my family. Though I no longer supervise a large staff and have much less responsibility, I find the balance between work and family to be perfect. And no, I never did make it back to Africa, but I can see a trip in the future when the children are a little older!

“My career in science has been rich and rewarding both personally and financially. I believe that if you pursue your dreams with conviction and energy, no matter how far-fetched they may seem or how many times you change your mind, you can achieve just about anything.”

“There is one experience that solidified my career choice and for which I will be forever grateful.

“I had been an undergraduate student, very uncertain of a major, trying many different courses because of my broad interests. I didn't have a career path in mind, though many of my classes were science based. After having taken off a year to travel following freshman year, I returned to college but was without focus so I left again to try working. I was very fortunate to find an on-the-job training program as a dental assistant. This was a life changing experience.

“What I learned were two fundamental lessons that have served me very well. Firstly, by direct experience, I learned that I liked the health care field, though not dentistry in particular. I saw how a career in health care could be fully engaging, different each day, was geographically transportable, and that the more training one had, the greater the stimulation.

“And the second lesson was even bigger. On a day that I will never forget, my boss, the dentist whom I worked for, asked to talk to me. He wasn't happy with my choice of a white cotton uniform (which I carefully laundered and ironed nightly), preferring instead the pastel colored polyester uniforms of the other staff, and he also said, in a long-winded way, that I wasn't wearing enough make up. That did it; I understood at a very deep level that if I wanted to be taken seriously for who I was, not what I looked like, I would need to be in his equivalent position. The value of a professional education that could put me in a leadership role became very clear and I quickly determined that I was prepared to invest whatever it took to get into medical school. It happened to be a good choice for me as medicine has turned out to be very flexible and allowed me to make choices and changes throughout my career that fit with my personal and intellectual needs.

“The most important aspects of this choice are the ongoing challenge (for me, boredom is the enemy) and the independence and control over my life that has come with a leadership role.

“My advice for young women (I have an 18 year old daughter and say the same thing to her) is to first find your deep personal interest by sampling and testing. What stirs you to ask questions and pursue answers? What will keep you asking questions as the field changes? And having identified this, then invest your precious time (about a decade) in developing your skills. The best part of this is that the process is fantastic and stimulating; it is not just hard work, it is an investment in you and yet the benefits that are yours will also amazingly benefit your family and your community. That is a powerful and good outcome that lasts forever.”

“One day during the summer between CR and UC Davis, I sat next to an old crotchety engineer on a flight to Dallas, Texas. Somehow or other, introductions were made and I was asked what I was studying in college. I replied that I thought I was studying to become a Civil Engineer with an emphasis in Structures. He shook his head and said something like, ‘Well, I wouldn't worry about that---that's just a starting point.’ That vague response pretty much sums up my career path.

“After graduating from UC Davis I was hired by the City and County of San Francisco in their Environmental Engineering Division at the South East Water Pollution Control Plant. So much for my emphasis in Structural Engineering; I was now evaluating and designing wastewater treatment systems. It was a very interesting and enjoyable job. The two most important things I learned in my year with the City was how to be a better writer (yep) and to make sure that the needle valve is closed before opening that gate valve (even if you closed it the day before). Unfortunately, the last lesson was learned the hard way---I accidentally received a digested sludge facial while sampling for pH. The first lesson has turned out to be the most valuable. While technical writing was emphasized in school, it wasn't until I worked at the City that I realized that a good 75% of my day was spent either writing reports, memos or emails. Communicating clearly was a necessary skill for functioning in my job and obtaining the respect of my colleagues.

“After a year with the City, I tried out the private sector, working with a firm called Kennedy/Jenks Consultants. At KJ, I spent most of my time designing water and wastewater systems---again not Structures. It was a wonderful job as well and I learned a lot about good working habits and computer aided design tools, but after three years of water and wastewater I was still curious about structures. So I left KJ and took a job as a Caltrans Structures Construction Engineer for the Richmond San Rafael Bridge. Aside from the field inspections where I had to climb over railings poised 250 feet above the Bay, I was surprised to learn that much of the work in structures was very similar. It was fantastic to learn that the skills gained in my previous years in water and wastewater design were equally valuable and applicable in another field of civil engineering.

“Finally (with my ‘Big City’ experience) I made the move back to Humboldt County and worked a couple of years at Spencer Engineering before finding my current position in Caltrans Design. I've now been here for nearly five years. I'm working on some fantastic projects; my main position as the Project Engineer for the Confusion Hill project is challenging and very rewarding. Looking back at where my interests have taken me, the real meaning of what that crotchety engineer said becomes clear---it doesn't matter what career in mathematics/science you choose---an education in math or science will prepare you for nearly any career path you choose---it's just a starting point.”

“My mother was a Drill Sergeant and my father was a Military Policeman. We moved many times before I was five, when my brother was born in Panama. After my father was shipped off to Korea the rest of us settled down in Arizona.

“As a single parent, struggling to make ends meet, my mother never considered sending me to college. She made sure I was prepared to have a career as a secretary when I finished high school. None of the counselors ever suggested that I had any other options, even though my grades were very good.

“I moved to Oakland in 1972 and worked as a clerk typist at the Naval Base. When I discovered that anyone could attend college in California, at very little cost, I enrolled in a Community College. One professor took an interest in my efforts and sponsored me for a work-study grant. I worked in the chemistry and geology labs, and crewed on their research vessel. I decided to major in Oceanography.

“Having transferred to HSU in 1976, with a scholarship, I tutored math and worked in Community Development. A counselor convinced me that Engineering was a better major, because there were not many women in that field. I liked the idea, and graduated in 1980 with a B.S. degree in Environmental Resources Engineering.

“My career has been long and varied. I started with the Forest Service, surveying, designing and constructing timber sale roads. Once I attained my professional license I went to work for a local engineering firm in 1984, seeking more diverse experiences. The title of City Engineer enticed me into taking a position with Fortuna in 1987. When I was nine months pregnant with my first child in 1989, Caltrans recruited me into their ranks as a Construction Engineer.

“During my tenure with the State I have had many interesting assignments, but I have come to realize that Construction is my forte. It is a discipline that challenges all your abilities as an engineer, as it demands timely decision-making in critical situations. In my position one needs to have effective negotiation skills, and the ability to perform autonomously.

“My advice to anyone considering a career in engineering is that you have to be adaptable to succeed, and you need to have tenacity to see it through. The biggest challenge I have is honing my communication skills so that when I am sticking up for my ideas it doesn't come across to others as though I am being overly aggressive. Of course the more experience you gain the more confident and competent you become at the art of persuasion.”