Science Cheerleader

Meet Taylor: a self-described math girl who’s as passionate about her healthcare career as she is about the L.A. Clippers and our troops overseas. I’ll let Taylor explain.

Thanks for reaching out to us, Taylor! We’re psyched to have the opportunity to interview you in our quest to playfully challenge stereotypes. Before we get started, congratulations on being on the cover of Shape magazine! So, we hear you’re a dancing CT/MRI technologist. Is that right?

Taylor: That’s right! After dancing for the Los Angelos Clippers, I decided to travel the world with the Sweethearts for Soldiers to cheer on the men and women of the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard. I’m hoping to meet healthcare workers overseas so I can sharpen my skills and share my experiences as a CT/MRI Technologist.

Tell us about that. What turned you onto that field?

Taylor: My father is a radiologist, so he is the type of doctor who reads the scans. I take the scans–using Xrays for the CT scans and magnetic fields for the MRIs–and a radiologist interprets them. It’s because of him that I became interested in this field.

What’s it like having one foot in the pro dancing world and the other in the field of health care?

Taylor: In my case, I believe my looks and career as a dancer results in people questioning my ability…whether it’s other technologists, physicians, administrators, and even patients sometimes! I have had to prove myself time and time again. I am confident in my capabilities and have to show that I am just as good if not better than anybody else. (more…)

Meet Rachel: A former Washington Redskins Cheerleader who enlisted in the Navy and now has her sights set on becoming an anesthesiologist. How does she synthesize these seemingly different worlds? She’s here to tell us.

Tell us about your job in the Navy and how science prepared you for that role?
I commissioned as an officer in the Navy out of college as a Registered Nurse in the Navy Nurse Corps.  I started out on a Surgical/OIF/OEF injury ward at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD for two years and switched to the multi-service Intensive Care Unit for the next two years.  In that time I was deployed to a small firebase in Afghanistan with a Forward Surgical Team operating alongside Army Special Forces.  Science and medicine go hand in hand.  Learning all we can about the different sciences from biology to physics has assisted me and continues to assist me in understanding –and staying committed to–evidence-based practice.

Tell me about your current field of study? Why did you choose it?
I am currently in graduate school for Anesthesia.  I fell in love with taking pain away, not only as a nurse, but when I worked at Bethesda on the wounded soldiers coming back from overseas.  We used the newest technology in pain control and I had a chance to see how much I could help control someone’s pain.  When I was deployed to Afghanistan that solidified my passion for anesthesia as I was able to “shadow” the CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) for the eight months I was there, while I was also applying to Anesthesia programs.  Putting people to rest, pain control, managing trauma, all were amazing amounts of autonomy and adrenaline rushes to the max for me.  It has been a great challenge applying to and getting into my program but I couldn’t be more excited about where I am now.

Do you find that your looks (or being a former cheerleader) helped or hindered your professional experiences? (Were you taken seriously?)
That is such an interesting question.  I was often called into different patient rooms when one of my fellow nurses or Navy corpsmen (similar to a civilian ‘’tech’’, but they are amazing and so capable of just about anything!) would slip about it to a patient and the patient wanted to meet me (or joke with me about their rival team).  It was great fun and most people just wanted to know what it was like.  I was surprised at the respect I received because we all know the stigmas associated with dance teams and cheerleaders.  I knew I had to prove that I belonged in the military and I could be taken seriously.  When I was deployed to Afghanistan I was quite firm in making sure I didn’t let it slip because I didn’t want to lose any respect I had gained.  I left the blow-dryer, the hair products, the make-up, all at home.  I figured if I looked au naturale no one would second guess me.  I wasn’t able to keep the secret for long, it leaked from a few places and ended up spreading like wild fire.  I suppose I had either proven my capabilities or folks were less superficial than I had suspected.  It turned out to be a great morale booster in the end! (more…)

This is Regina, our latest addition to our collection of Sexy Scientists and Engineers. Sure, she cheered for the Washington Redskins but she’s also held a beating heart. True story (read on).

Regina graduated from college with a major in Molecular Biology and a minor in Chemistry. She won a scholarship from the National Institutes of Health to spend summers doing biomed research at Stanford and Yale. She was a Molecular Biologist at the National Institutes of Health researching the genes that cause rare skin diseases (she found a few and had papers published in Nature Genetics, Human Genetics and The Journal of Dermatological Science).  Then she went to law school at Georgetown University while she was a Redskins cheerleader (Georgetown rescheduled her final exams so she could participate in the swimsuit calendar photo shoot!)   Also during law school she competed in a few pageants and was 1st Runner-up to Miss D.C. USA. Oh, she’s licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia as well as the United States Supreme Court. She worked as a patent attorney until science called her back to medical school. She earned an M.D. and took up a surgery internship in Texas and now she’s putting it all together by earning a LL.M., an advanced law degree she plans to someday apply to a career in health law as in-house council at a hospital. She’s also an adjunct professor teaching anatomy and physiology to nursing students and has her sights set on competing in pageants and trying out for another professional team this year.

I had a chance to interview Regina. (Thanks to Laura Eilers at Going Pro Entertaining for letting me know about Regina! Laura and I are coproducing a Stage Show at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in October in Washington, D.C. Watch Pro Cheerleaders-turned-Scientists perform on stage then chat with them in the Science Cheerleader exhibit and learn how they bridge two seemingly different worlds.)
Regina, tell us what turned you onto science.  I have been interested in science as long as I can remember.  When I was 4 I would dig around in the backyard looking for worms and insects and then bring them in and look at them under a microscope I got as a Christmas present.  My grandmother was also a nurse so that also gave me the inspiration to pursue a science related career.

Do you find that being a cheerleader helped or hindered your professional experiences. Were you taken seriously? I don’t think being a cheerleader has hurt my professional experience and I have always included it on my resume.  I can be a very shy person in person so people are often surprised to find out that I was a professional cheerleader.  It helps break the ice and most people find it different and interesting.  When I was in medical school they put my Redskin Cheerleader picture in the admissions catalog.  People do tell me that “I don’t look like a Doctor” which occasionally hurts my feelings (what exactly should a doctor look like?).

How did you balance two seemingly different worlds of science and cheerleading? The balance has been pretty easy for me.  People always tell me that I am the queen of multitasking, I am always doing multiple unrelated things at once.  Although they are seemingly two different worlds, I have learned things from each that help the other.

What are typical reactions you’ve received when people learn about your cheerleading days? They are usually surprised (especially when they see the pictures).  People that know me when I was younger (even in college), know that I was extremely shy.  When I was in my early 20’s I decided to start competing in pageants to help me break out of my shyness and become more comfortable speaking in public.  That is how I got involved with cheerleading.

What were typical reactions when folks learned about your science/law studies, when you were a cheerleader? Actually when I was a cheerleader there were 2 other law students and 1 lawyer on the team.

Tell me a little about your favorite courses you took to prepare for your professional career. My favorite courses would have to be anatomy and health law.

Why science AND law? When I was working at NIH and was trying to figure out what I wanted to do long term as a career my boss would give me articles about alternative science careers.  That is how I became interested in patent law.  There are so many ways that science, medicine and law are entangled and I love being apart of all of these field.

Do you have any advice for middle or high school girls who might feel torn between following one dream (cheerleading or dancing) associated with beauty or following another (science/engineering) usually associated with, well, geeks? My advice to girls would be to do both (follow both dreams) and, although it may be hard, to ignore the negative comments.  Cheerleading, dancing, pageants are all fantastic activities that you can learn so much from (teamwork, public speaking, fitness, etc.).  In addition to that there are so many interesting careers in science, medicine, engineering, etc.  Study hard, but continue to take dance lessons, continue to be a cheerleader or continue to compete in pageants.  Don’t let anyone talk you out of enjoying cheerleading or pageant activities and don’t let anyone talk you out of any career in the sciences.  I am prime example of someone that can be a so called “geek” yet still be a cheerleader, etc. at the same time!

Best “cheerleading” moment? It would have to be a tie between running out of the tunnel for the very first time and being asked to autograph my swimsuit calendar picture for the first time.

Best science moment? The first time I touched a beating heart (it makes you realize how fragile and precious life is).

It was announced today that Barbie’s newest career will be that of a Computer Engineer. Why?

“Girls who discover their futures through Barbie will learn that they – just like engineers – are free to explore infinite possibilities, and that their dreams can go as far as their imaginations take them,” said Nora Lin, President, Society of Women Engineers. “As a computer engineer, Barbie will show girls that women can design products that have an important and positive impact on people’s everyday lives, such as inventing a technology to conserve home energy or programming a newborn monitoring device.”

Barbie® designers worked with the Society of Women Engineers and the National Academy of Engineering to “ensure that accessories, clothing and packaging were realistic and representative of a real computer engineer”.

Read the full press release here. GOOOO Barbie!

Occam’s Razor is currently typing from snowed-under Washington, DC, a region that has gotten smacked in the face with a giant Mother Nature snowball so vicious, that pretty much everything has come to a halt (insert your own joke about whether congress is more or less harmful when not in session).  The world has taken on that surreal post-apocalyptic feeling where norms as we previously knew them don’t apply and society breaks down (I thought a few days ago I was going to observe my neighbor and a plow-truck driver get into a fight…but it was disappointingly nothing more than that pseudo-bravado posturing and foot stomping we guys do).  Today I emerged to shovel my driveway – again! -  only to look onto a blindingly white, shapeless landscape that resembled the Hoth ice world from Star Wars.

I’ve essentially barely left my house for five days now, and quite honestly I’m bored!  I’ve watched old movies, dusted, waxed my back (Occam is excessively hairy) and by now I’m just about dying of boredom.  Which, by the way, is no longer just a figure of speech!  Scientists at University College London released the findings of a study of 7500 civil servants that shows that people reporting high levels of boredom (which surprisingly, given that they were civil servants, was not the entire cohort) had a shorter life expectancy than those not reporting being bored.  The reason being, say the researchers, is that those who are bored engage in unhealthy behaviors to help give life some edge, such as drinking and smoking.  Occam has drained a six-pack of Guinness and had three Bloody Mary’s (today) but hasn’t touched a cigarette!  I think I’m in the clear.  Next on my agenda is spending some time with SciCheer’s Sexy Scientists and Engineers Gallery, which will raise my blood pressure, but only for a bit.

Adding to my cabin fever is that I’m in my home with two women, one of whom has mono and the other, my wife, who is pretty.  What is wrong with that, you might ask?  Nothing, except for the fact that the latest from science tells us that attractive women are “more prone to anger, prevail more in conflicts of interest, and consider themselves entitled to better treatment.”  (Find the study here in the Proceedings of the NAS).  That explains a lot of the power dynamics in my marriage!  Five days in a house where I know I’m the lesser partner is stressful.  Maybe I’ll think twice about looking at that sexy scientist and engineers gallery…

Science Cheerleader readers,  I’d like to introduce you to Erika Ebbel, current PhD candidate in analytical chemistry at Boston University, former Miss Massachusetts, and founder of WhizKidz, an amazing non-profit that promotes science and technology awareness in local schools.

Erika was recently featured on NOVA ScienceNOW’s web series, The Secret Lives of Scientists, which makes her an official superstar celebrity scientist! Check it out — there is a particularly great video of Erika demonstrating “the science of the gown walk”.

I had a chance to ask Erika few questions about her passion for science, the challenges of dealing with stereotypes, and some of her future ambitions. Thanks to Erika for making the time for ScienceCheerleader!

Dr. John: Tell us your story. What inspired you to pursue a career in science?

Erika: When I was in the fifth grade, a school field trip was offered to my class to go to Washington, DC, for a week. My parents told me that I had the following choice: I could go to Washington with my class, or we could go on a family vacation to Mexico over the summer. They could not afford to pay for both. I selected the trip to Mexico. However, during the time when most of the class was in Washington, it was mandatory for those that stayed behind to attend school. In my English class, we read Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. My English teacher discussed genetic cloning and engineering with us. I became fascinated with the topic and on my own began reading such books as The Body at War, The Andromeda Strain, and The Fantastic Voyage. That summer, while on the family trip to Mexico, I visited a crocodile farm and was surprised to learn that when crocodiles are critically wounded, they turn over onto their backs, slip into coma, and eventually die a painless death.

When I returned from summer vacation, I was entering the sixth grade and doing a science fair project was mandatory. The idea came to me that “if crocodiles can do it why can’t cells?” For my sixth grade science fair project I hypothesized that cells commit suicide when infected by a virus so that they can die a painless death and prevent other cells from being infected by viruses. I decided that this was going to be the subject of my science fair project. I called numerous pharmaceutical companies and laboratories in the area, looking for a lab where I could test out my hypothesis. Many of the laboratories did not return my calls. One lab was concerned that I might be growing viruses in my basement and wanted to speak with my parents. All around, no one wanted an 11 year old mentee.

Only one individual was willing to speak with me about my idea. He was the director of a local Public Health Laboratory. He taught me how to culture cells, grow viruses, use microscopes, and perform various lab techniques. He also provided me with literature relating to cells and viruses. He spent time after work hours discussing the literature after I had gone over it. I designed an experiment to “see” if cells would commit suicide when they were infected with a virus. I was allowed to use the Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1), which was the least dangerous virus at the laboratory. I learned about the scientific process and method. These skills have stayed with me ever since. Although, the results of that experiment were inconclusive (it was difficult to tell whether the cells were committing suicide or simply dying because they were infected by viruses), my interest in viruses continued.

I started reading scientific journals and was fascinated by the Hantavirus outbreak at Four Corners. I read books published by the CDC such as Hot Zone by Richard Preston.  While browsing around at a garage sale, I found a book on Russian folk medicine. I purchased the book to see what remedies were recommended by these ancient healers. I was amazed at the number of herbal remedies suggested for the treatment of the HSV-1. I wondered if I could test some kind of herb on HSV-1 (the virus I had worked with the previous year on cellular suicide).

I went to the University of California Medical Library in San Francisco and found through a computer search many articles related to herbal treatment; however, the one that interested me most was an article by a researcher in China, who had tested over 470 herbs on the HSV-1. According to the short outline that was in English (the rest was in Chinese), ten herbs inhibited the growth of HSV-1. The next day I went to a local Chinese herbal store and purchased four of the ten that were available at the store.

For my seventh grade science project, I asked the lab director at the Public Health Lab, if he would allow me to test the four herbs on the HSV-1. He agreed, provided that I designed my own procedure. I designed the procedure and determined that two of the four herbs were indeed able to inhibit viral growth without inducing cellular toxicity. After additional research at the UCSF Medical Library, I decided to focus my research efforts on one of the two herbs, because little to no work had been done on this particular herb.

I spent the next five years studying this herb, using various analytical methods to isolate and identify the anti-viral components in the herb. I was able to propose three novel nucleoside analog structures, which were proposed to have anti-viral activity. I worked at institutions such as San Francisco State University, Stanford University and MIT and at companies such as Genentech and Applied Biosystems. The experiences and knowledge I gained from this project were vast and have contributed to my continuing in the pursuit of a scientific career.

Dr. John: What are you currently studying for your dissertation?

Erika: I am currently attending Boston University Medical School in the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences as a Ph.D. candidate in Analytical Biochemistry. I use instruments called Mass Spectrometers and Electrochemical Arrays to study Huntington Disease (HD). HD is a genetically inherited debilitating disorder, which typically has an onset during mid-life (40-50 years of age). Symptoms include chorea and psychiatric dysfunction.

The goal of my research is to continue understanding the biochemistry behind HD. In order to do this, we obtain samples of plasma, urine, etc. and use the instruments mentioned above to help learn how diseased samples differ from non-disease controls. By learning which compounds differ between disease and non-disease samples, we are able to further understand the mechanism of the disease and what biochemical pathways may be affected in patients with HD.

We are also interested in learning whether any of the compounds present in HD samples interact with proteins or DNA in aberrant ways.

Dr. John: Why did you start the WhizKids Foundation?

Erika: I started the WhizKids Foundation, Inc. in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2002 while pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). After reading several articles in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post describing declining student interest and performance in math and the sciences, I decided to start WhizKids, a program which would reignite student interest in these important subjects. Since my childhood experiences in science played a vital role in my determining to pursue a career as a scientist, I thought it was crucial to start this program.

WhizKids’ goal is to help schools and students organize and set up science fairs, science clubs, facilitate access to the scientific community, run science days, teach students how to be entrepreneurs, and offer ongoing lectures by WhizKids instructors in subjects such as biology, chemistry, physics, engineering and technology. I believe that participation in science fairs stimulates students to develop inquisitiveness, creativity and reasoning power. I also think that hands-on experiments allow students to see the applicability of science in the everyday world. WhizKids is involved with many student groups and communities. WhizKids programs have been started in Massachusetts, California and Florida.

Dr. John: Did you face any challenges with stereotypes after participating in the Miss America Pageant? How did you overcome those challenges?

Erika: Yes. It is interesting how strongly people react (both positively and negatively) to learning of my participation in the pageant. There were those who thought it was a very unique experience and wanted to learn about it. However, the majority raised their eyebrows and questioned why I would enter into the contest. Many thought it was a waste of time. I told them that they were wrong. The pageant gave me an opportunity to improve myself in ways that MIT did not. Academic learning was highly important to me, but I realized that I needed to learn how to speak in public, be poised, and become a better dresser. Participating in the Miss America pageant helped me to win scholarship money for MIT (approximately $20,000) and to begin working on my non-profit WhizKids which has since grown dramatically. It gave me a platform from which to speak about causes important to me, such as female participation in math and science careers and the importance of breaking with normal stereotypes. It has been 6 years since I won the pageant, and still I am balancing stereotypes.

I have learned to pay little attention to negative commentary. If people want to be closed minded, it is not worth my time trying to convince them that my choices were the right ones. I chose what was best for me; what helped me to improve myself. I have learned to ignore negative people who consistently want to characterize me as being one particular way. This has been the most effective way to overcome stereotyping. It is possible to be both academically inclined while pursuing many hobbies and interests.

Dr. John: Do you have any advice for young women considering a career in science or engineering?

Erika: We live in the “modern” era and yet there is definitely still stereotyping against women. My advice is to pursue science and engineering regardless of whatever social adversity you may face. Science and engineering are exciting fields to study. They take time to master, but consider the road to be fun and challenging. There may be moments where you take a hard class and wonder if you made the right decision. Each of us has gone through this. If you stick with it and be persistent, you will persevere. If you are interested in math and science, do not be daunted by those who may make fun of you. Do not pay attention to those who wish to tell you that scientists are geeky and cannot have other interests and talents. I was both Miss Massachusetts and a scientist, which proves it is possible.

Dr. John: It seems like you’ve accomplished so much already. What are your plans for the future?

Erika: I am interested in attending medical school after completing my PhD. I am also interested in continuing work on my non-profit WhizKids. Also, on a personal note, I continue to be active promoting math and science to students in elementary, middle and high school. It is my passion to share with them why these subjects are fun, cool and worth pursuing as careers.

Meet Sandra, a former Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader who’s now an emergency room registered nurse.

Tell us about yourself, Sandra:

I’ve always loved science. I remember receiving a telescope and microscope science kit when I was in elementary school. I think all sciences are fascinating!

My favorite classes included Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, and Microbiology. In fact, while in nursing school, I took a microbiology course that I loved so much, I almost quit nursing to pursue a career in microbiology.

Unlike, Michelle, the former New Orleans Saints cheerleader-turned-chemist, I wasn’t as “into” chemistry and physics compared to biological sciences.
Some people think of  Cheerleading and Science as two worlds. In my opinion, I think being a former cheerleader may have helped my career.  As cheerleaders, we are ambassadors for our organization and we must have people skills. These also happen to be terrific qualities in nursing because we are so hands-on with patients, we stand beind the hospitals we work for, and it’s important our patients feel we are rooting for their recovery.

Whether someone is considering a career in science or not, nothing in this world is more empowering than to do what you love (dance/cheer) and back it up with a good education and awesome grades. Being smart IS beautiful and dancing/cheering will give you an outlet! I’ve danced and cheered with some of the most brilliant women in this world who have gone on to become doctors, engineers, science and math teachers, and nurses.  Nothing geeky about that!

GOOOO Science!

Signed,

Sandra from Atlanta

In our continuing effort to playfully challenge stereotypes and, well, turn people onto science, we present:
The Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders-turned-scientists! Enjoy! (And GOOOOOOO EAGLES!) See how the Philadelphia 76ers Cheerleaders helped the cause and check out the Tennessee Titans cheerleaders, too. Thanks, ladies! And, of course, a big shout out to NFL’s man of science, Hugh Douglas!

Talk about a fun radio interview! Last week, the Science Cheerleader was featured on Weekend Workout (”a fun, entertaining, edifying and sometimes twisted look at the world of fitness, food, and supplements”).

My chat about science literacy, with the host Jose Antonio–who didn’t shy away from asking some provocative questions–followed a conversation on “functional underwear.” Success! Truth be told, it feels great each time I can spread the gospel of science to a new audience. Thanks Weekend Workout!

Meet Kristie Minton, a chemist at Eli Lilly and former Indianapolis Colts cheerleader. I enlisted Kristie’s help in my effort to challenge some long-held stereotypes of cheerleaders and scientists. Here’s the first in a series of related posts.

Kristie: I am thrilled to be able to help you shake up some stereotypes, Science Cheerleader! I cheered for the Indianapolis Colts (2001 – 2007) and attended classes at the University of Indianapolis towards a degree in chemistry. It was a long road and tough schedule for several years, but I finally graduated in May of 2008 (3 months before I had my son) with a BS in Chemistry, GPA 3.6. I am a chemist at Eli Lilly and will celebrate ten years there in April 2010! My work is analytical development of new drugs coming down the pipeline. I work on method development for release testing, sample analysis for cell culture and purification processes, serve as the chair for my entire department’s safety committee, among other smaller initiatives.

While I was a cheerleader, many people would remark, “You don’t look like a chemist! Do you really wear a lab coat and safety glasses?” (I guess a chemist is supposed to wear a pocket protector and high water pants?)

Advice for young girls?Try to be as well rounded as possible. Do well in school because it is an investment in your future. In order to earn respect from others, especially if you fit the “cheerleader profile” in regards to looks, you must demonstrate intelligence and an ambition to want to succeed in other areas of your life.
Most memorable cheerleading experience? The cheerleaders traveled to Tokyo Japan in 2005 to cheer at the American Bowl game. While I was there, I was chosen to take part in an appearance that involved riding with coach Tony Dungy and several of the players on Black Hawk Helicopters! We flew to a naval ship where we met some of the men and women serving our country! We mingled and signed autographs. It was an amazing experience! I was also fortunate my last year of cheering to participate in the NFL Cheerleader Challenge. That same year, I was chosen to serve as a captain for one of the squads performing at Super Bowl XLI in Miami! The Super Bowl was amazing, rain and all, and those of us who cheered that year are so thankful to have Super Bowl rings to remind us of the special event that we were a part of! I was so blessed that year to also be chosen to represent the Colts at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. The night after the Super Bowl I didn’t sleep.. I showered, packed up my bags and caught a flight to Honolulu. I spent all week meeting wonderful women from the other teams, performing, doing appearances and making memories that I will cherish forever!
Most memorable experience as a chemist? Everyday is thrilling knowing that what I do at work helps people who are suffering from diseases and illnesses. I’ve witnessed the transformations in patients as a result of the medicines we’re developing at Eli Lilly and it’s a constant reminder of the importance of what I do.

GOOOOO Science! And GOOOO Sexy Scientists and Engineers!