I am a physics student at San Francisco State University. My primary focus
is in particle physics, so a lot of the work I do is very theoretical and abstract. It
sounds very boring to a lot of people, but it requires a lot of imagination and
creativity. The understanding I gain about the universe is more rewarding
than I ever imagined when I decided to go into the field.
I grew up in a small northern California town called Grass Valley. My interest
in science started the day I started watching my soon to be favorite 80s show
3-2-1 Contact! My parents bought me the magazine too. Soon I was
reading everything about science I could get my hands on. In high school
I decided that I wanted to major in physics once I got to college, but I didn't
want to wait that long to get started on my career. I got a job at a local
children's science museum called The Imaginarium. My work there teaching
summer camps, talking to museum visitors and building science exhibits really
inspired me. I learned a lot, and it re-enforced my interest in the field. After
I left home, I came to San Francisco and will graduate in a few months with my
bachelor's degree.
I have done a lot of work teaching science to kids, and eventually I want to
get back to teaching. However, I gained the most from my teachers growing
up when they had experience and stories from their work in the field, and I want
to be able to offer that to my students as well. That is why this summer
I am off to Fermilab National Accelerator to get some research experience. Then
I plan to go through graduate school. After that, who knows what the
future holds?
When I am not doing homework, I like to read, cook, camp and dj. I am very
close to my family and visit them in northern California often. In all
reality though, as a physics major I just don't have a lot of free time! For
anyone considering taking my path, you have to be willing to put in the effort
for a few years. A career in physics is not a light matter, but as long
as you are willing to work hard, it will all pay off in the end. You have
to be passionate about it. I love to learn about the universe and the way
that it works!
"No imagination has yet been great enough to invent improvements to the
truth" – Laurens Van Der Post