That’s right: six!

Dr. John Ohab had the opportunity to interview the cheerleaders from his hometown NFL team before their season ended. Check it out!

As part of our continuing effort to playfully challenge stereotypes and inspire young women to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, math, and health, we present Jennifer! Jennifer was a star pro-cheerleader for the Tennessee Titans. Now, she’s an automotive engineer at Nissan. She’s got a great message to share.

S.C.: When did you first became interested in engineering?

 Can you recall who inspired you?
Jennifer: My Father. I remember sitting at home with my dad as he worked on anything and everything that was broken. He had an itch to fix. He worked on cars, electronics, instruments, you name it. I thought he was the smartest person in the world. I eventually developed a desire to be like him, a “problem solver.” And, really, that’s what engineers are! I should add that my father didn’t just solve mechanical or electrical problems. He also fixed our familial problems, and, quite frankly, we had plenty.

S.C.: What  type of engineer are you?
Jennifer: Manufacturing (Mechanical). I’m a central engineer at Nissan.

S.C.: What turned you on to this particular field?
Jennifer: I have a crazy interest in physics and heat transfer.

S.C.: We’ll get back to that in a moment! Which team(s) did you cheer for and when?
Jennifer: Tennessee Titans –NFL – 2001-2006; Nashville Kats – Arena – 2003-2006; Nashville Predators – Hockey – 2007-2009

S.C.: Do you find that your looks (or being a former cheerleader) helped or hindered your studies or professional experiences? (Were you taken seriously?)
Jennifer: Both. Initially, I was not taken seriously and the bar was set pretty low. Once I proved my competency and desire to achieve, I gained respect from my colleagues and superiors.  On the flip side, my former hobby also proved to be an ice-breaker during many initial professional  encounters.  See, everyone  loves the home team and everyone wants to talk to someone who they feel has the “in” or behind the scenes “top secret” info!

S.C.: Tell me a little about your favorite courses you took to prepare for your work. Let’s get back to the heat transfer!
Jennifer: I LOVE physics and the study of dynamics. I excelled in these courses, but I have to say I favored thermodynamics (shout out to Dr. Decatur Rodgers!). He not only wanted to produce great technical engineers, but also, what he called “life” engineers. His wisdom reminded me of my father, I suppose.

S.C.: Can you describe a “typical day” at work?
Jennifer: I wish I could, but you never know what to expect in the automotive industry. I have had responsibilities from root-causing current production process concerns, to studying new model part additions and modifications that have yet to go into production.

S.C. I have no idea what that all means but I’m glad you do. Here’s a key question: 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 and  following another (science/engineering/medicine) usually associated with, well, geeks?
Jennifer: Never feel torn. Learn the value of time management and you will understand that ALL of your goals are within reach. Time management really is about balance. So is your own identity.  You are not defined by one adjective.  You love to dance? Then be a dancer. You love to cheer? Then be a cheerleader. You also love science? Then be a scientist or at the very least, embrace that passion, too. If you love  them all…DO THEM ALL! And, seriously, girls, let’s be real.  Guys love cute geeks! J

S.C.: At the risk of getting a little corny here, is there other advice you would give your former 12-year-old self, now that you have the benefit of hindsight?
Jennifer: Absolutely. Don’t look back or place blame on other people or situations for why you aren’t happy, etc.  Never listen to “never,” be kind,  love all, and stay focused and committed. Bottom line is that integrity will take you further than you can possibly imagine right now. Don’t give up on your dreams.

S.C.: Best cheerleading experience?
Jennifer: Easy: 1. My entire experience as the 2007 Tennessee Titans Probowl cheerleader 2. Getting the opportunity to tour Hawaii, Japan,  Guam, and Korea as a cheerleader for the troops.

S.C.: Best engineering-related experience?
Jennifer: Funny you should ask that. Just recently, the vice president of manufacturing at my plant mentioned me during her speech at the Southern Automotive Women’s Forum. That was incredible for me.

S.C.: Cool! Anything you’d like to add that you want our readers to know?
Jennifer: Yes, and I know this might not resonate with all of your readers, but, I know my faith in God has brought me to where I am now. I owe it all to Him! I have dedicated my life to serving God and my community and loving others. Shout out to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and Judah Generation Dance team. Love you guys!!!

Note from S.C.: Jennifer and nine other Science Cheerleaders will be performing in Washington, D.C. Oct 23-24 as part of the U.S.A. Science and Engineering Festival. Come meet them as they inspire young women to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, math, and health! Here’s more info.

Dan Kwon: Aerospace Engineer and Pole Vaulter

Dr. John here…

On the list of things I’ll never be talented or smart enough to do, pole vaulting and designing satellites for space missions rank right at the top. And I’m not even sure which I’d be worse at.

Such is not the case for my friend, Dan Kwon, a collegiate pole vaulter at MIT who is now an Aerospace Engineer researching new types of space missions and designing satellites. Dan designs everything from how the satellite is launched to how the satellite delivers data back to mission control.

In the Q&A below, you’ll learn how Star Wars (not surprisingly) helped turn Dan on to science, technology engineering, and math (STEM) careers, as well as his thoughts on balancing athletics and education.  I can almost promise you that you’ll learn a completely new word: “sabermetrics”.

All it takes is a few questions to start challenging stereotypes about scientists, engineers, and cheerleaders. Dan, thanks again for taking the time to join on us Science Cheerleader!

Which team(s) did you play for and when?

I’m active in track and field in pole vault, long and triple jump, and 100m for the DC area Potomac Valley Track Club. I also play outfield for various slow pitch softball teams in the Fairfax Adult softball leagues and soccer in Sterling. I’m since retired from ice hockey, football, and ultimate.

Who or what experience turned you on to science and engineering?

Star Wars and Star Trek have more influence than I’d like to admit. Going to planetariums and science museums as a kid also made me realize that there’s a universe out there worth exploring.

Do you have any advice for youngsters who might feel torn between following one dream associated with beauty or physique (cheerleading, baseball, etc) and following a STEM career usually associated with, well, geeks?

While I do believe there is a societal value in entertainment, I feel that a STEM career has a chance to touch and influence lives in a greater extent. For example, while Tom Brady impacts my weekend fun and those in New England, STEM-related products, whether it be a water purification system or GPS satellites, an aerospace product, can impact people in Africa, China, and also those Patriot fans in New England.

While in college or high school, how did you balance education with athletics?

Balancing mind and soul is not only good for health reasons, it was a good way to get a moral boost. If I had a great math test, I ended up enjoying a usually brutal track workout. If I did well at a meet, it fueled my desire to excel on a homework set. Positive vibes are cyclical.

How big of role can citizens without formal scientific training play in real scientific research?

Today, with open source groups and crowd-sharing gaining popularity, it’s very easy for citizens to make impacts. While the scientific community you might be interested is initially intimating, remember the newbies will eventually be the ones making contributions, if the passion and desire continue.

Can you identify any non-traditional ways that you’ve seen science or engineering applied in a professional setting?

Nowadays you’re seeing the infusion of more science and engineering related tools and mindsets into sports with “sabermetrics” (basically, studying baseball through objective evidence). People with math background can make an impact on teams. I think people who learn even basic scientific tools, like the scientific method, can easily go to industries other than just science and make immediate impacts.

Wildest engineering moment?

I was pressure testing a pipe I built to cool superconductors, when the top blew off, narrowly missing my head and denting the ceiling. Two weeks later, my experiment worked proving a 3 year hypothesis. The swings of critical injury to long awaited success are similar to valleys and peaks I’m sure other scientists share.

Favorite and/or least favorite courses you took to prepare for your work?

Not everything comes easy at MIT. I’ve received test scores that start with every single digit, from scores in the 10’s, 20’s, 30’s, all the way to the 90’s and 100. Yes, this also includes a 0 on a test that I actually studied for, took, and didn’t get a single thing correct.

The Old Spice Man’s got nothin’ compared to an engineer.

Dr. John here… Look at your man. Now, back to the screen. Now, back at your man. Now, back to the screen. Sadly, your man probably isn’t an engineer, but if he watches this video produced by our very own Occam’s Razor–as part of SciCheer’s effort to shake up science and engineering stereotypes–he could learn about several themes that are important in an engineer’s life, including romantic getaways to Paris, impressing women, building stuff, and impressing women.

Check out the video, and please share wildly. I can’t promise that watching the video will make your man understand Fourier transforms and signal processing, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t. I’m on a blog.

Special thanks to Occam’s Razor (writer, director, producer, key grip), Anthony James (actor), Taylor Kahl and Michael McCutchen (stage crew).

Are you a 30 year-old male with the physical building skills to design inventions and create amazing gadgets?

If so, you are not me. In addition, you may be perfect for the cast of a new engineering TV show that aims to solve occupational and domestic problems for everyday people. The creators are look for candidates with big ideas and even bigger personalities — someone with a wry sense of humor and the passion to overcome engineering challenges.

Visit GotCast.com by February 15!

Can’t decide on a holiday gift for Granny? Don’t know what to get your 10 year-old brother,  Billy?  Tired of wasting money on Barbies and video games that may not last through the New Year? I say, give your loved ones a gift that keeps on giving: a do-it-yourself experimental hydrogen fuel cell car that runs on water!

That’s right! The Fuel Cell Car & Experiment X7 Kit provides a playful introduction to one of the most significant technologies of the 21st Century: reversible hydrogen fuel cells. Each kit comes with a full-color, 16-page manual with easy, step-by-step instructions for assembling and using the car. In addition, the kit contains scientific explanations on how fuels cells work, the intricacies of fuel cell car design, and potential alternative energies for automobiles.

Most importantly, the kit is appropriate for anyone aged 10 and up, which means you’ll never be stuck wondering what to get that friend or family member who always seems to have everything. While other kids are showing off their boring skateboards and lame iPhones, yours could be harnessing the power of water. Don’t miss out!

Get the  The Fuel Cell Car & Experiment X7 Kit today!

By Dr. John. Anyone can be a scientist, and not surprisingly, scientists are just like everyone else. That’s what NOVA ScienceNOW hopes to convey with their new show, The Secret Life of Scientists, a web video series that provides a personal and thought-provoking look at the lives of 16 scientists and engineers. Through a mixture of whimsical interview questions, each show will demonstrate how scientists and engineers can be athletes, musicians, artists, chefs, and, most importantly, incredibly human.

Although, SUPER-human might be more accurate for tonight’s episode featuring Nate Ball, a mechanical engineer, entrepreneur, pole-vaulting coach, jazz pianist, and TV star. In his day job, Nate is chief technical officer and co-founder of a technology and innovation company, Atlas Devices. His business develops a tool that he helped invent, the Powered Rope Ascender, which enables military personnel and rescue workers to reverse-rappel up buildings at high speeds. Check out these awesome videos of Nate’s invention in action.

And, Nate isn’t camera-shy. He is currently a cast member on PBS’ Design Squad, a show that features two teams of contestants charged with brainstorming, designing, building, and testing products before putting them to the test.

I had a chance to ask Nate a few questions about how he balances all of these endeavors, what inspires him to innovate, and his strategies for creating more interest in science and engineering. You’ll find, just as I did, that Nate has transformed a childhood passion into a career and drawn from a variety of perspectives to keep himself grounded. To learn more about Nate’s drive to succeed, check out tonight’s episode of The Secret Life of Scientsts.

Dr. John: How do we demistify science and bridge the gap between scientists and society?

Nate: Bridging the gap between scientists & engineers and society has always been an extremely important endeavor, and certainly is now more than ever. The way I like to make my career of mechanical engineering more accessible is to point out that I get to do now what I loved to do as a kid–build stuff and solve problems! Did you like to make forts out of couch cushions when you were 6? It’s a great lead-up to civil or mechanical engineering. Love to make your own recipes in the kitchen? Chemistry or biology may be for you. What usually gives people that “aha!” sort of understanding about engineering is when they realize that engineering is responsible for everything around them, and what engineers do is no different from any of the creative experimentation and problem solving everybody did as a kid. It’s just at a higher level with some extra training.

Dr. John: You clearly balance your interests in science and technology with other interests in your personal life — why is this balance important?

Nate: I pursue quite a few activities outside my office, which I find really important. For one, it gives my brain a chance to rest after exercising the analytical one for 14 hours a day at work (I love my job!). Play music and spending time doing really active things is my chance to change up what I’m working on and recharge the engineering part. I actually find that I’m never as focused as right after a hard workout. My brain just feels like it works differently–nothing seems distracting, I have much better clarity on whatever I was trying to solve before, and I’m even relieved to be sitting down again. But the whole “giving the analytical side a rest” isn’t the only part of it; I find that the things I balance my work with are really complementary to the engineering I do. Exercising the creative part of the brain with playing music or figuring out how to coach one of my pole vaulters keeps the colorful brain half flexible and ready to attack engineering challenges in a new way. So it’s a very important two-way street.

Dr. John: What is your most cherished accomplishment?

Nate: Having heard through a parent that their kid was inspired to pursue engineering after reading about some of my work. That was one of the most gratifying things I’ve ever heard!

Dr. John: Who inspired you to pursue career in mechanical engineering?

Nate: I credit my parents and grandparents with nurturing my interests in engineering-related activities that launched me toward where I am now. When I was about 3 years old around Christmas, my granddad gave me a block of wood, a hammer, and a bunch of roofing nails. After a lot of hammered fingers, I was off to the races and never stopped! My parents’ continued support of all the projects I made growing up, from kayaks to land sailers to potato guns and a Tesla coil, was really responsible for me getting hooked on technical problem solving. They supported my decision to go to MIT and are still cheering me on today.

Dr. John: How big of role can citizens play in the scientific process?

Nate: A huge one! You don’t have to have formal training in science or engineering to be perceptive about how the world works, and the observations of countless laymen have always made tremendous impacts in technical development. Take anything you’re familiar with and think about how it could be improved. How about that bad intersection you always avoid when driving to work because the lights aren’t timed well? Do you always slip on your front walk with the coated pavement? That old car you drove in high school that needed some special operator training (jiggle the key just like this to get it to start…). Every person on earth has some amount of intuition and more than enough capability to observe how things work. We execute careful problem solving processes many times each day whether we realize it or not. And sometimes, average Joe or Jane Citizen makes an observation that’s particularly insightful, and the scientific process helps make another leap forward for everyone’s benefit.

Dr. John: How do you encourage people to become more interested in science?

Nate: I engage many people in a lot of different venues to familiarize them with science and engineering. Some outreach I do directly, some through the engineering reality TV show I host (Design Squad on PBS), and some is done with the help of the very-real engineered products I have helped create, which closely resemble some of the equipment on Batman’s tool belt. Nothing captures the imagination like zipping up a rope at 10 feet per second, and when I’m able to close the loop between what people are seeing me demonstrate and the engineering that made it possible, you can practically see the light bulb go on in their head. And that’s a great feeling.

If you’re anything like millions of other adult Americans, you were of legal drinking age before you learned that all engineers do not work on trains.

Engineers are the source of technology. They take scientists’ basic (and critical) research and they figure out ways to apply that research. The common terms used to describe these two actions are “Basic Research” and “Applied Technology.” Each needs the other.

Society gives lots of credit to scientists but we often neglect the engineers. (Until recently, it should be noted, science and engineers neglected us, our input, our opinions.) In the spirit of teamwork–in my crusade to kick-start dialogue between scientists, engineers, and citizens–I reached out to a friend, Randy Atkins. Randy is the Senior Program Officer for Media and Public Relations at the National Academy of Engineering. He filled me in on some terrific public outreach programs his group is creating.

Here’s one I’d like to highlight today. More will follow.

Randy does weekly radio reports on Washington, D.C.’s most listened-to station, WTOP. You can listen online, here to some fascinating interviews including one with the creator of a new, Heart Attack Saliva Test–a quick test that looks at protein biomarkers in a patient’s saliva to rule out or diagnose a heart attack.

If you like what you hear, consider contacting your favorite news-format radio station to request they run his show.

Have an idea for a story topic? Randy wants to hear from you: atkins@nae.edu. Considering posting your suggestions on this site–I’d like to hear them, too. (How about a radio version of Survivor? A smackdown between scientists and engineers!)

Cheers!