Got Math?

I often get asked, “how did you get into science and why did you become a physicist?”

My answer usually begins with, “well, my father was a physicist and his father was a physicist…” I probably heard that I would become a physicist years before I learned the word. Truthfully, I didn’t fully understand what physics was all about until I was in college and then I got hooked.

Everything interested me when I was young - sports, nature, friends, music, reading, writing but the fact of the matter is I loved math. I still do. It’s my language of choice and I believe it is one of the most valuable tools students can learn to use.

As a child I couldn’t get enough math. My favorite family dinners were the ones my father uttered math problem after math problem for me and my sisters and brother to solve in our heads and then shout out the answer. We all became confident shouters.

Math is the foundation for science and engineering disciplines. Even if it’s not used for a career in the sciences, math is required in everyday life. It helps with things like budgeting, figuring out how good a sale really is, planning vacations and designing birdhouses.

I always knew I wanted to find an area of science where I could use my math skills to solve real problems. In college I discovered that I was indeed destined to study physics. What could be better than using math to understand the behavior of our universe?

You don’t have to be born into science in order to become a scientist. Despite being a third generation physicist on my father’s side, I attribute most of my success to my artistic mother who simply told her children that they where capable of anything they put their mind to.

That’s the most important message teachers and parents can impart to their students. Guide them to find what interests them and brings them enjoyment. Tell them to persevere. Oh, and encourage them to learn some math along the way!