"In this field, you have to be a good talker and a good listener, and you have to like it!" | Roberta M. Hammond, Ph.D. |
Career Title: Biological Administrator II Florida Department of Health Tallahassee, Florida
Fields of Expertise
Academic Studies
Florida State University
Temple University
Employment History
Dishwasher
Food Harvesting, Production, Processing, and Serving Worker
Environmental Specialist "If I hadn't become a scientist, I would have become . . . a professor of French, anthropology professor, weaver, beader, or potter." |
Q: What were your favorite subjects in school?
A: In school, I enjoyed math because I was really good at it. In college, my favorite course was paleopathology (the study
of prehistoric diseases). I liked being able to look at skeletons and tell what diseases that person had during their
lifetime.
Q: Have you been involved in any new scientific discoveries during your career?
A: Yes, our state was the first to have an outbreak of Salmonellosis linked to fresh-squeezed orange juice.
Q: What advice would you give to students who are interested in pursuing a career in science?
A: Don't be too narrow - it's easy to put on blinders and close your mind to other fields or disciplines that might be
useful to you. Take at least one foreign language, preferably two. Also, some of your best experience comes from learning
on the job, so don't be afraid to start at the bottom and work your way up. Learning your basic skills well, such as
writing, math, and science, along with creative problem solving, will take you a long way in building your career of
choice.
Hypertext updated by dav 2001-FEB-05