Introduction
I was born in Cartagena, Spain, but my dad was from Indiana, and my mother was from Thailand--which makes for an interesting culinary background. My favorite foods are Thai lemongrass soup and fried okra (with ranch dressing of course). In my spare time, I enjoy following food blogs and trying new recipes.
From Stay-At-Home Mom to Science Editor and Teacher
I find it quite amusing that science is such a large part of my life, when I hated my science classes throughout primary and secondary education. I enjoyed the subject of science but it seemed abstract and cold; instead, I loved language arts and essay writing.
The only time that I felt excited about science (before entering college) was in my sixth grade science class. My teacher told us about the human genome project, and the endeavor seemed noble and exciting. I remember feeling disappointed that the project would be finished before I would be able to participate. But that momentary excitement faded, as all of my science courses presented science as a series of facts to be memorized, not a puzzle waiting to be explored. So, I focused on language arts and essay writing.
In my junior year of high school I received the National Council of English Teachers (NCTE) Achievement award. In this competition, one student from each high school is nominated to submit an expository essay to the NCTE. Receiving this award greatly bolstered my college applications--and I needed the help. I had worked approximately 30 hours a week during my junior and senior years of high school, which negatively affected my grade point average. With the help of this award, I was admitted to the Honors College at the University of Houston, where I majored in English.
Because I was the first person in my family to attend college, my parents were ecstatic. My father had dropped out of high school to help run his family diner, a small establishment across the street from Purdue University. My mother's upbringing was vastly different, but she also lacked formal education. Born in rural Thailand, she dropped out of school after the third grade to help her family plant rice. My mother hated farming and planted the rice in abstract patterns and shapes (rather than maximizing the space), which earned beatings from her older sisters.
Although I was the first person in my family with educational opportunities, I soon became dissatisfied with my college courses. The courses felt like a continuation of high school and not the grand exploration of knowledge that I'd envisioned. Also, the English degree plan didn't appeal to me. The English department offers two paths: creative writing and English Literature--and neither seemed to fit my interests. I started taking fewer and fewer classes.
As education became less important to me, my romantic life began to take precedence. My high school sweetheart and I married after one year of college. We had a baby one year later, and I stopped attending college to stay home with my son.
The only time that I felt excited about science (before entering college) was in my sixth grade science class. My teacher told us about the human genome project, and the endeavor seemed noble and exciting. I remember feeling disappointed that the project would be finished before I would be able to participate. But that momentary excitement faded, as all of my science courses presented science as a series of facts to be memorized, not a puzzle waiting to be explored. So, I focused on language arts and essay writing.
In my junior year of high school I received the National Council of English Teachers (NCTE) Achievement award. In this competition, one student from each high school is nominated to submit an expository essay to the NCTE. Receiving this award greatly bolstered my college applications--and I needed the help. I had worked approximately 30 hours a week during my junior and senior years of high school, which negatively affected my grade point average. With the help of this award, I was admitted to the Honors College at the University of Houston, where I majored in English.
Because I was the first person in my family to attend college, my parents were ecstatic. My father had dropped out of high school to help run his family diner, a small establishment across the street from Purdue University. My mother's upbringing was vastly different, but she also lacked formal education. Born in rural Thailand, she dropped out of school after the third grade to help her family plant rice. My mother hated farming and planted the rice in abstract patterns and shapes (rather than maximizing the space), which earned beatings from her older sisters.
Although I was the first person in my family with educational opportunities, I soon became dissatisfied with my college courses. The courses felt like a continuation of high school and not the grand exploration of knowledge that I'd envisioned. Also, the English degree plan didn't appeal to me. The English department offers two paths: creative writing and English Literature--and neither seemed to fit my interests. I started taking fewer and fewer classes.
As education became less important to me, my romantic life began to take precedence. My high school sweetheart and I married after one year of college. We had a baby one year later, and I stopped attending college to stay home with my son.
Play dates and science books
Because none of my friends were married with kids, I quickly became isolated and lonely. Then, I joined my local MOMS Club (Moms Offering Other Moms Support) chapter, an organization devoted to stay-at-home moms.
Between play dates and grocery shopping, I read widely as a stay-at-home mom. I read the works of W. Somerset Maugham, John Updike, and Sophocles, among others. My son was two years old when I found the popular science section of Barnes and Noble, and I first read the works of Richard Dawkins and Lewis Thomas. The beauty of the language made science exciting and accessible, and I returned to that joy I felt in my sixth grade science class.
I decided to return to school and major in biology. I stayed home with my son until he started kindergarten, and enjoyed being with him while at the same time feeling a little unhappy and anxious. It was a relief to start classes at my local community college.
Between play dates and grocery shopping, I read widely as a stay-at-home mom. I read the works of W. Somerset Maugham, John Updike, and Sophocles, among others. My son was two years old when I found the popular science section of Barnes and Noble, and I first read the works of Richard Dawkins and Lewis Thomas. The beauty of the language made science exciting and accessible, and I returned to that joy I felt in my sixth grade science class.
I decided to return to school and major in biology. I stayed home with my son until he started kindergarten, and enjoyed being with him while at the same time feeling a little unhappy and anxious. It was a relief to start classes at my local community college.
I enrolled in an introductory biology course where it was exhilarating to learn and put into context the ideas I had only read about. After a few semesters, I returned to the University of Houston. Thankfully, I was re-admitted to the Honors program, and changed my major to biology. To maintain my sanity (through writing and reading), I minored in English and took a variety of English courses, including creative writing and memoirs.
I was unsure what to do after graduating with my bachelor’s degree in biology. I loved science and essay writing, but did not know what to do with those interests. At the time, I thought that scientists wrote science articles, and journalists wrote news articles. I knew that I wanted to be involved in science research in some way, but didn't know how. I continued reading and realized that I did not have the education to understand scientific papers: I needed research experience.
I applied and was accepted into the doctoral program in biology at Texas A&M University. Within the first year of graduate school, I realized that scientific research was not my calling. During my time in the program, I felt like an observer of the scientific process instead of a researcher. I was told that I asked too many questions and read too many papers, instead of buckling down to do my own research. And now I know that my flaws as a biology graduate student are my greatest strengths as a writer. To ask questions, to explore new realms, to go where my interests take me.
I am very glad that I entered the biology program, even if it did not end the way I had anticipated. It gave me practical, hands-on experience in research, which allows me to have an insider's perspective on scientific papers. For example, after conducting my own research, I am more mindful of the assumptions that all scientific studies make, of how interpretation can affect scientific conclusions.
More importantly, this experience taught me what I love most about science: the collaborative quest for knowledge. I learned that I enjoy being involved in the dialogue of scientific research and appreciate the practical experience of conducting research. However, I feel more connected to science when I am communicating science than when I am conducting research myself. I decided to pursue a master’s non-thesis degree in biology and began to research my career options.
Fortunately, I discovered the science and technology journalism program at A&M. After graduating from this program, I feel that I have finally found my calling: furthering science communication. I look forward to continuing my work as a science writer, editor, and teacher.
I was unsure what to do after graduating with my bachelor’s degree in biology. I loved science and essay writing, but did not know what to do with those interests. At the time, I thought that scientists wrote science articles, and journalists wrote news articles. I knew that I wanted to be involved in science research in some way, but didn't know how. I continued reading and realized that I did not have the education to understand scientific papers: I needed research experience.
I applied and was accepted into the doctoral program in biology at Texas A&M University. Within the first year of graduate school, I realized that scientific research was not my calling. During my time in the program, I felt like an observer of the scientific process instead of a researcher. I was told that I asked too many questions and read too many papers, instead of buckling down to do my own research. And now I know that my flaws as a biology graduate student are my greatest strengths as a writer. To ask questions, to explore new realms, to go where my interests take me.
I am very glad that I entered the biology program, even if it did not end the way I had anticipated. It gave me practical, hands-on experience in research, which allows me to have an insider's perspective on scientific papers. For example, after conducting my own research, I am more mindful of the assumptions that all scientific studies make, of how interpretation can affect scientific conclusions.
More importantly, this experience taught me what I love most about science: the collaborative quest for knowledge. I learned that I enjoy being involved in the dialogue of scientific research and appreciate the practical experience of conducting research. However, I feel more connected to science when I am communicating science than when I am conducting research myself. I decided to pursue a master’s non-thesis degree in biology and began to research my career options.
Fortunately, I discovered the science and technology journalism program at A&M. After graduating from this program, I feel that I have finally found my calling: furthering science communication. I look forward to continuing my work as a science writer, editor, and teacher.