On Creativity ~ Linda Vallejo

 

Much has been written about the artist’s journey, but not so much about successful artists who are also successful writers - simultaneously. Linda Vallejo is probably extraordinary in this respect, as she has won awards for her sculptures and paintings (1st Place Prize for California Sculpture Slam at the San Luis Obispo Museum, Durfee Artist Completion Award, Comisión Femenil Latinas Making History Award; Brody Arts Fellowship; and a Distinguished Recognition Award from the National Association of Chicano Studies), and also wins grant awards for non-profits that transform the lives of others (PUC Schools, Pacoima Beautiful, Project GRAD Los Angeles; Self Help Graphics, The Los Angeles Classical Ballet, and many others). Linda’s dedication to her life, in its many forms, and her community are inspiring. From her prolific work as a painter to her significant contributions as a grant writer, she has established a scope of work that extends from operas to prisons, as well as raising over $30 million in grants for great projects that benefit everyone from children to the elderly. Linda also teaches her course A to Z Grantwriting in over 2,400 colleges and universities nationwide on the Internet.

SELF PORTRAIT, DAY, 2006   Images provided by Linda Vallejo, the artist.

GOLDEN YUCCA, 2006 TWIN HEART, 1990 DEATH OF URBAN HUMANITY I, 1993

SHAN: How do you accomplish all that you do as an artist and a writer? LINDA: I’ve never had a full time job, but I work 80 hours per week. I’m very specific about my schedule. That’s the best advice I can give anybody. I work with my writing and art businesses in the morning. Then I paint in the afternoon and quit about 6 p.m. to cook dinner. I go back to writing until 10 p.m or so. It is a pretty strict schedule. I work pretty much hands-on in writing, art, motherhood, and in life. I believe that you must do what comes naturally to you. That’s how I’ve built my life. I think it’s important to pick a lifestyle and career that matches your personal skills and abilities. If you choose something that doesn’t come naturally to you, it will become difficult. If you pick what comes naturally, however, it will be easier to dedicate yourself to and more likely that you will be accomplished and successful. Being an artist is wrought with difficulty. I don’t actually recommend it to everyone. You need to be driven and tough-skinned.  If being an artist isn’t something that you have to do, believe me you’re going to suffer through it. Being an artist is a hard row to hoe. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful life, but it’s wrought with challenges, disappointments, the search for true creativity, and hard work. To be a good writer, you must be a good listener, able to translate peoples’ thoughts onto paper, and be well organized. You also have to care about the people you are writing for and what you’re writing about. I found out very early that I am a natural writer and that I enjoy the intricacies of completing complex proposals and applications.  My abilities in grantwriting have been a wonderful gift and have made it possible for me to take good care of my family and support my art career.

SHAN: What are the challenges in choosing such a varied life? LINDA: Sticking to it. Not getting sidetracked. Personally, I spend a great deal of time working on my projects and plans.  I’m a starter and a finisher. I don’t go out too much these days except for art or grantwriting business. I stay in communication with my friends and family by phone, email, or FaceBook. You can stay in touch without having to leave the office these days.

LOOKING WITHIN, 2005

SHAN: What are the projects you are most proud of? LINDA: I’m proud of my 28-year-old son, Robert, a successful lawyer and my 26-year-old son, Paul, who is in medical school. I’m very proud to be there for them and be a part of their lives. Just to get into grad school takes some doing. Oh, and I have always believed in mentors and tutors. My next favorite thing is that I’ve been married to my husband Ron for 35 years. There’s a lot to commitment, but there’s so much joy in having a family. The next thing I am proud of is that I’ve been an artist all my life. I first started painting when I was four years old. I love my new series “Make ‘Em All Mexican.”  The work is traveling all over the nation and it’s been great fun, a lot of work, but great fun.  A show of this work is opening at CSU San Bernardino Fullerton Museum this Saturday, September 29th. Then I’m most proud of my work as a writer with non-profit organizations. I enjoy the work a great deal. I’ve worked with many organizations since 1980 and raised a lot of funds for wonderful organizations and projects.

El Vis "Make 'Em All Mexican" art exhibit I also teach grantwriting to about 5,000 individuals annually via the Internet.  I believe that by teaching I am making positive change for others, their communities, and individuals and families in need.

MARIE ELENA, 2011 "Make 'Em All Mexican" art exhibit

SHAN: What advice do you have for others? LINDA: Everything you are going to dedicate yourself to, whether it is art, marriage and children, or business – takes dedication.  Make careful and wise choices for yourself.  Find out what you’re naturally good at, make a strong commitment, and then “abandon” yourself to it. Abandon yourself to the choices you have made. Abandon yourself to your life. Give it all you’ve got and follow through with plans regardless of your expectations. The outcome is important, but more important is to throw yourself into your life, to experience it all, and to enjoy every minute.  I love that I am completely abandoned to my life as a wife, mother, artist and writer. I have a very full life. I am surrounded by the love of family and friends, by good work, and of course, by art and creativity.

California Oak, 2005 You can see Linda’s art work at www.lindavallejo.com and her work in grantwriting at www.atozgrantwriting.com. Linda Vallejo is represented by the George Lawson Gallery in Culver City, CA.

California Horizons, Boney Ridge, 2000

Shän Boggs is a writer and editor living in California. Her interests include science, technology, the environment, health, education, multimedia, art, and gourmet cooking.

Engaging Science ~ Arthur Beauchamp

What does a diet of tapeworms or designing your own roller coaster have to do with engaging students in successful science? Actually, these may have a whole lot to do with keeping their interest, as researcher, educator and author Arthur Beauchamp has found. Using what he learned from his preliminary research in classroom science curriculum, Beauchamp has developed a science literacy framework to help teachers engage the previously unengaged student, as well as those who already love science – by challenging their critical thinking skills to develop an ability to analyze data like a real scientist.  “When students get to talk about their own understanding, the nature of the classroom changes. It becomes a far more engaged setting for students.” – Arthur Beauchamp Photos provided by Arthur Beauchamp

Beauchamp, along with co-writers Judi Kusnick and Richard McCallum, have just published Success in Science through Dialogue, Reading and Writing, with a grant from the California Postsecondary Education Commission and the Improving Teacher Quality program. In their book, they help teachers to help students work from data, focus on phenomena, make student thinking visible and audible, utilize stance and argumentation, and strategically use dialogue, reading and writing. By structuring their curriculum, teachers learn how to create a more engaging science experience for students and guide student intellectual development through purposeful reading, productive dialogue and meaningful writing.

SHAN: Why is a book like yours needed? ARTHUR: A book like this is needed because as we looked around at secondary science classrooms there was something lacking in the learning and understanding of science. It seemed there were some good tools in the English Language Arts that could be used to help students understand science better. This book addresses two challenges science teachers face. The first challenge is how to use a framework to put Language Arts tools into use with science instruction. Second, is how teachers can select the most appropriate techniques for their particular science instruction. So the book provides a framework and provides tools within that framework.  Also, when we took a look at who was doing the talking in science classrooms, a great deal of teacher talk was occurring and not nearly as much enough student dialogue or student thinking was taking place.

This book also helps teachers with techniques to manage student talk. For example, when we look at student writing in science, we find very few instances where student thinking is prevalent in the writing. And this book gives techniques in the context of science to help teachers design writing tasks for students. So overall it fills the need of helping science teachers to use English Language Arts techniques to teach their subject.

SHAN: How would you suggest teachers use your book? ARTHUR:  I’d suggest teachers use it as a lens to look at lessons and a design framework as they construct those lessons. It gives teachers two things. First it gives them a road map they can keep in mind in the design of different aspects of the lesson – and then it gives tools to use within that framework.

For example, by using this book a teacher would be assisted in how they could move through a lesson – drawing on dialogue, reading, and writing as very robust ways of helping students understand science. There are other payoffs – in addition to greater science understanding – student reading improves and student writing improves.

For more information about Success in Science through Dialogue, Reading and Writing, and associated professional development please visit: http://sasp.ucdavis.edu

Shän Boggs is a writer and editor living in California. Her interests include science, technology, the environment, health, education, multimedia, art, and gourmet cooking.

October 8, 2013
The National Science Teachers Association recommends "Success in Science through Dialogue, Reading and Writing."

Transformations ~ Howard Glasser

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) almost one out of every ten children, in the United States, has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).  Behaviors include inability to focus, inattention, hyperactivity, and challenges in controlling impulsive behavior.  A higher percentage of boys are diagnosed with the disorder than girls. (http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/) Scientists do not know what causes ADHD, though studies have focused on everything from genes to environmental causes. Treatment often includes medication, psychotherapy, education and /or a combination of the above. There are currently over a dozen medications used to treat the condition, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (http://www.nimh.nih.gov). For parents and teachers, as well as the children diagnosed with ADHD – there are daily challenges. A significant advocate for innovative techniques to address behavioral problems in children, without the use of medication, is therapist Howard Glasser, M.A. Glasser has gained a sizable following from parents, teachers, and therapists, and is author of the bestselling book on ADHD, “Transforming the Difficult Child.”

“The difficult child has been assigned many labels depending on current symptoms, current fads in diagnostic thinking, who is doing the labeling and the labeler’s frustration with the child.” – Howard Glasser Photos provided by Shan Boggs.

SHAN: You are regarded as something of a miracle worker with difficult children. How did you find this mission in life? HOWARD:  I feel my mission was given to me. In my practice, I came to the realization that the methods I learned in school – basically treating behavioral problems in children with medication and therapy – were not working. In fact, these seemed to be contributing to the problems I was seeing in patients.

It took getting out of my own way and really listening and observing to see what was actually happening with children and their parents and that certain techniques were energizing bad behavior. Once I had this realization, I turned things upside down and was able to help people understand immediately that not focusing on the “problem behavior,” but on new patterns of behavior was what was needed.

SHAN: What are some of the everyday challenges difficult children face in the way they relate to their environment, whether at home or in school? HOWARD: The biggest challenges for children with behavioral problems are the people in their environment – the well-intentioned traditional responses they receive. Adults learn to respond to kids by having been a kid and from reading about parenting. Most adults have a lot of power and can have very “charged” responses to a child, even when a child does mildly wrong things. Yet, when children make right choices this rarely elicits more than a little response from adults. So, the biggest obstacle for children is how people respond to their choices. They generally receive more responses when they’re tripping up.

SHAN: What are some simple tips you can share with parents and teachers?

HOWARD: Help children feel cherished. Refuse to give the gift of yourself that energizes the relationship with a child through long-winded lectures. Turn the world upside down – praise the child when he/she is being responsible, when not arguing or bothering a sibling or classmate. Notice a child’s choice when they are getting along and tell them, “How thoughtful of you to be respectful to others, kind, and collaborative. I appreciate the great choices you are making.”

Children not only deserve to hear this – they need it. When they begin to trust, they fall into a new pattern. When they break a rule? Turn away. Then praise them when they get back on track. It’s very simple.

SHAN: The word “nurture” comes up a great deal in your teachings and writing. Can you explain its significance?

HOWARD: Nurture is a key word. It refers to a quality of giving and receiving by an adult to a child. “Good job” doesn’t completely capture it. It has to be genuine and specific. Compliments are like food to the soul. When children get nurtured, it tells them on a deep level who they really are.

If you have a child who does argue, fight or get disrespectful you know how great it is when that is not happening. That’s a wonderful and inspiring indicator for parents and teachers to create an ability to truly appreciate the child for any and all things that could be happening that aren’t. Let them know how great their choices are and how grateful you are.

Managing behaviors is about transformation - transforming kids into their full potential. Then they will want to do well in school and fulfill their purpose and dreams.

“Anyone who has experienced the glory of focusing his energies and accomplishing a goal or a project or mastering a skill knows that energy is a gift.”

– Howard Glasser

Howard Glasser is the author of “Transforming the Difficult Child”; “The Inner Wealth Initiative: The Nurtured Heart Approach for Educators”; “All Children Flourishing: Igniting the Greatness of Our Children”; “Transforming the Difficult Child: True Stories of Triumph”; and other books. His books can be found on Amazon.com or on his website.

For more about Howard Glasser and The Children’s Success Foundation, please visit: http://www.childrenssuccessfoundation.com/

 

Shän Boggs is a writer and editor living in California. Her interests include science, technology, the environment, health, education, multimedia, art, and gourmet cooking. She is the author of a cookbook series for people with food sensitivities.

Cultural Proficiency ~ Dr. Franklin CampbellJones

 

“The increased diversity in schools raises numerous questions about how teachers teach, students learn, and leaders lead.” – Linda C. Tillman, PhD, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

SHAN: What is cultural proficiency? DR. CAMPBELLJONES: The best way to describe cultural proficiency is that it is a state of mind where we respond to each other in a way where we appreciate one another’s culture. There is reciprocal space, where people look to understand one another. Photos provided by Dr. Franklin CampbellJones and S. F. Renbarger.

Teachers and students play a game together.

SHAN: How did you become involved in this kind of work? DR. CAMPBELLJONES: Growing up in the South, I had the experience of being one of the first students to attend an integrated school during the desegregation era. During this time, Dr. King was assassinated. I had the opportunity to witness the ugliness of hatred in our country. I wanted to know why people do the things they do. What’s behind all those behaviors? I felt if you went deep enough, people would realize there is more to these discussions that could move us beyond initial fears. Maybe we have to deal with morality.

My work in this area slowly evolved.  I moved to California and went to work in a school system where I was asked to write a unit on diversity for the Beginning Teacher Support and Assistance (BTSA) program. Then I was asked to present to teachers. From there I was asked to do workshops and began working with the California Leadership Academy. Eventually, I went to WestEd where I worked with some very heavy-duty people like Delores Lindsey, then I began working with Randall B. Lindsey. A whole number of people were having this conversation (surrounding equity in our schools) – so I joined the conversation.

SHAN: How do you create a transformative experience for participants in cultural proficiency workshops? DR. CAMPBELLJONES: It’s a journey. In a learning seminar, you use tools to create a safe space for open and honest discussion and exploration.  You look at barriers to cultural proficiency. There is also a cultural proficiency continuum that lets us know where we are and we can see our progress and growth. There are certain ways we can assess our progress. First, we look at language. The way we communicate is a huge clue as to how well we are doing. When you hear someone use language like “those kids” versus “our kids,” you become aware that there is work to be done in coming together as one. What you want to hear is ownership and inclusiveness – empowering words (that can also empower kids). Next we look at guiding principles for cultural proficiency. These are philosophical statements that help shape our vision toward the appreciation of others. These help to expand our horizon for a larger perspective. After that the individual can reach a level where they grasp a perspective of inclusivity, the essential elements are employed to help us monitor our behaviors. Then finally, we see an individual embrace the best of all worlds creating a stronger bond within relationships.

“I was reading this book and I thought it was about others – then I discovered it was about me.” – a teacher   “The cultural proficiency framework represents a foundation for gaining knowledge and skills that will help teachers and leaders not only to become culturally proficient, but to view cultural proficiency as integral to good teaching and effective leadership.” – Linda C. Tillman, PhD  Most educators really want to do a good job working with kids. But what we see is what they know to do at a Skinnerian level. They’re reacting without thinking. Sometimes you get the impression teachers don’t want to get involved with their students. So you flip the relationship and you amp up their experience. You practice an inside-out approach. You help them reach a level of awareness so they can move forward. The “cultural proficiency journey” cuts across all the barriers we create to separate ourselves from one another.

Drs. Franklin and Brenda CampbellJones.

I work with my wife, Brenda, who is one of my co-writers along with Dr. Randall B. Lindsey and Dr. Delores Lindsey. When we do professional learning sessions together, I always ask, how can I take the energy of the group and use it in a way that enhances their learning? One of the keys to working with people is to focus on the group before you begin attending to their needs. It isn’t about you. It’s about them.

SHAN: What are some of the success stories you can share? DR. CAMPBELLJONES: In one school system, we were hired to work with a school board. Then we were asked to get the community involved. Soon we were developing administrative teams and working with teachers and administrators. Before long an entire department for cultural proficiency was created. The school system eventually institutionalized cultural proficiency into the teacher and administrative evaluation system as a formative assessment option.

We thought we’d be done in three years. It has now been seven years and we have taken on the whole school system of 85 schools.  Every staff member has gone through the training including bus drivers, janitors, and school secretaries. Cultural proficiency is something everyone should get involved with in some sort of way. Ultimately, all organizations that care for people need awareness – whether you work in education or medicine or any other kind of work with the public – you should seriously consider it.

Special thanks to Dr. CampbellJones for making this blogspot interview possible. Dr. Franklin CampbellJones’ bestselling book, The Cultural Proficiency Journey: Moving Beyond Ethical Barriers Toward Profound School Change, is published by Corwin Press (http://www.corwin.com/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book232580) and on Amazon.Com (http://www.amazon.com/The-Cultural-Proficiency-Journey-ebook/dp/B00486T2GK).

Shän Boggs is a writer and editor living in California. Her interests include science, technology, the environment, health, education, multimedia, and art.

Power of Empathy ~ Lidewij Niezink

 

The mindfulness movement is not just a west coast phenomenon for overworked, stressed-out individuals dissatisfied with their highly competitive lifestyles, sufferers of anger or depression, or those whose lives are sufficiently unwell to the extent that they are seeking ways to cope with personal health crises. It is very much a worldwide movement to expand awareness of the self and our relationship to others. People in other countries are exploring very positive uses for mindfulness in unusual settings. One such individual is, Lidewij Niezink, Ph.D., a psychological researcher that has discovered that empathy – or mindfulness, tenderness, perspective taking and compassion – can be very powerful tools in organizational change for fire departments where team work is all important. Fire departments, like other organizations, face challenges when leadership changes. Dilemmas and conflicts can undermine the cohesiveness of a team. Finding a balance between leading and following is important. Dr. Niezink was a self-avowed pessimist that weighed in on the empathy/sympathy-altruism question as a non-believer – until researching the subject extensively from a scientific perspective. She describes that, among other evidence, brain research using MRIs can actually distinguish perceptible changes in brain activity when powerful images evoke feelings of emotions such as sympathy, empathy, altruism, and compassion in subjects. Niezink’s attitude took a 180-degree turn.

Critics of human altruism have long held that men are motivated to “do good” because of self-centered interests.   In neuroscience the guiding belief is that others make us feel a particular way. They are the cause of our feelings, positive or negative. Photos compliments of Lidewij Niezink; Images from the “Mercurialis de Arte Gymnastica,” LXXII.

SHAN: How did you first become interested in empathy, altruism and compassion as a field of study using biology, psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy? LIDEWIJ: My background is in social- and organizational psychology. After three years as an undergraduate at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, I became interested in research on altruism and empathy. I approached professors at my university to discuss possibilities and the ball started rolling. The project, Considering Others in Need: On Altruism, Empathy and Perspective Taking, appealed to me on both a cognitive as well as a heart-level. There is so much trouble and strife in our world. We seem so obsessed with ourselves, wars, economics, politics, etc. What about the other side of that coin? Even in psychology, the main focus over the past 60 years has been on disorders, mental illnesses and what is wrong with humanity. Yet most of us are functioning rather “normal.” What do we know about “normal” healthy minds? How can we improve and practice in order to stay healthy? Positive psychology is approaching these questions and I guess you could say that my work is part of that movement.

I’ve researched the effects of empathy and perspective taking on helping behavior and altruism. Perspective taking is an important human capacity and the cognitive part of empathic concern. When we try to imagine what others are thinking, feeling or experiencing, we tend to ask ourselves: “how would I think/feel if I were in the shoes of that other person?” In social psychology, this is what we call an imagine-self perspective. We wonder what we would need if we would be in the shoes of that other person. Although this perspective is eliciting an emotional and cognitive reaction towards the situation of the other, it also has a flaw. After all, we are not really wondering what the other is experiencing. We keep turning around our own personal feelings and needs. It is no problem to ask yourself these questions. It probably gives you good insights in your own personal life. Yet when you attempt to help somebody else, you need to refocus your attention and awareness toward the other person. If you do not refocus you end up projecting what you would want or need in such a situation on the other. But the other person is not you. He or she might have completely different experiences and emotions than you would have. This is when the second perspective comes into play: Now that you know what you would feel, think and need, how about the other? In the imagine-other perspective we ask ourselves: What would this person experience in this situation? What are his or her needs? This second perspective elicits empathy —“an affective response that stems from the apprehension or comprehension of another’s emotional state or condition and is similar to what the other person is feeling or would be expected to feel.” (e.g. Eisenberg et al. 1994).

SHAN: What are some areas of conflict where using a behavioral model can be most successful in bringing about positive results? LIDEWIJ: The Restorative Justice principle is a problem-solving model for victims and perpetrators. It is very victim empowering and less punitive for the perpetrator than the regular justice system. It gives the victim, as well as the perpetrator, a chance to address a crime. Awareness of the deed and the way the victim was injured by it, as well as holding the perpetrator responsible can be very healing when brought out in the open. It is interesting in terms of empathy. Some victims and perpetrators actually develop empathy for the other. In fact, 75 percent of perpetrators and 80 percent of victims that have been surveyed using this model felt it was helpful. Organizational conflict is another area that can benefit from empathic awareness. Conflicts in organizations are most often between individuals. Unless there is no interest, these problems are usually solvable. When there is awareness of the causes of suffering, and empathy is applied to a situation of conflict between individuals, it has a broadening affect on perspective for those involved. To move someone out of anger, you have to emphasize the “togetherness” of whatever they are doing together and you’ll create openness that generates exploration and creativity.

The father of modern capitalism, Herbert Spencer, wrote about competition and self-survival as dominant traits in humans. (He came up with the phrase “survival of the fittest.”) But primatologist Frans de Waal has made extensive observations in nature that demonstrate that even animals as mice and primates show cooperation and empathy for one another. In reality humans are wired to cooperate, too. We have a need to cooperate. There is more to life than competition and survival. We do depend on each other. The caring capacity is there. We need to explore it more.

Wherever humans live, work, and play there are potentials for conflict. As we become more aware of others and our differences, we also become more aware of our similarities. Stressful family and personal relationships, work relationships and organizational relationships – experiences and changes that impact our daily lives bring new ways of perceiving situations and opportunities for conflict resolution with others.

To learn more about the work of Lidewij Niezink and how she helps individuals, groups, and organizations to cultivate empathy and compassion into their professional and personal lives see her YouTube video with Edwin Rutsch, Dialogs on How to Build a Culture of Empathy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucIwJtXpfGs&feature=youtu.be On LinkedIn see the groups she manages: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Empathy and http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Charter-Compassion You can also follow her on Twitter: @LidewijNi

For related information see: http://greatergood.berkeley.edu and www.restorativejustice.org

 

Update on May 30, 2021.

 

Lidewij Niezink, Ph.D., is now host of the Empathy and Charter for Compassion groups on LinkedIn. Dr. Niezink works with Edwin Rutsch, Founding Director of the Center for Building a Culture of Empathy and Compassion. Learn more about their Empathy Circles by visiting (http://cultureofempathy.com )

 

 

 

Shän Boggs is a writer and editor living in California. Her interests include science, technology, the environment, health, education, multimedia, art, and gourmet cooking. She is the author of a cookbook series for people with food sensitivities.

Tornado Research ~ Robin Tanamachi

 

Robin Tanamachi cannot remember a time when she was not fascinated by the beauty and complexity of the natural world. As a young girl, she learned she could turn to science and find answers. Growing up in Minnesota, the varied and dynamic weather became of special interest. How could the weather change so fast in such a short amount of time? Her many questions, as well as her gift for mathematics, were strongly encouraged by her parents whom she credits with her academic and professional pursuit of tornado research. Radar data taken in the 4 May 2007 Greensburg, Kansas tornadic supercell. The scans increase in elevation angle from top to bottom, showing that both the bounded weak echo region (BWER) and weak-echo hole (WEH) marking the tornado's location extend throughout the depth of the storm.

This was one of the first tornadoes I saw while engaged in severe weather research near Attica, KS, on 12 May 2004. The W-band radar collected vertical scans in this tornado as it passed over the road at the right side of the picture. “Mathematics is a Swiss army knife that enables you to solve all kinds of problems, scientific and otherwise,” says Robin Tanamachi. Photos/images provided by Robin Tanamachi.

SHAN: What attracted you to the research you are now doing? ROBIN: I grew up in Minnesota in the 1980s, and the medium of television was influential in my choice to become a meteorologist. For two main reasons, 1986 was a particularly pivotal year: (1) The PBS special, “NOVA: Tornado!” aired, which exposed me for the first time to tornado research and tornado scientists: Dr. Howard Bluestein (who later became my Ph.D. adviser) launching balloons into the sky, Don Burgess sitting in front of a prototype Doppler weather radar, Dr. Louis Wicker and his colleagues struggling to haul a 400-pound tornado probe out of a pickup truck with dark skies boiling overhead and lightning flashing all around. It didn’t matter a whit to me that almost all of the scientists featured in this program were male – I wanted to do what they did.  (2) In July 1986, a local TV station aired live news helicopter footage of a tornado damaging a Minneapolis suburb. That particular tornado had a beautiful, helical funnel. Later on, I learned that the scientists featured on the NOVA program were interested in studying the helicopter footage. The helical vortex structure had been produced in a laboratory tornado chamber, but there was some question as to whether a real tornado could ever take that shape, and the helicopter footage settled that question. The entire episode gave me a local connection to research being conducted hundreds of miles away on the Great Plains.

Severe weather researchers typically target rotating storms called supercells, like this one near Matador, TX in 2005. The University of Massachusetts W-band radar was my primary research instrument during my graduate studies with Dr. Howard Bluestein. Here, it is scanning a small storm in the Texas panhandle. Using dual-polarization radar technology, meteorologists can distinguish between areas of a storm where rain and hail are likely to be falling. Without any deviation, my educational trajectory took me from that point to my current career as a radar data analyst. I feel tremendously fortunate to have lived out my childhood ambitions. (Incidentally, all three of the scientists that I named in point (1) are now my professional colleagues, and I’ve co-authored papers with two of them.) Tornadoes, such as this one, are often spawned by supercell thunderstorms over the Great Plains of the United States.

SHAN: What are some of the improvements in the technology used for tornado research? ROBIN: One of the greatest advancements in tornado research technology is the Doppler radar, which enables scientists to measure wind speeds inside tornadoes from a safe distance away. Placing the radar on a truck or aircraft allows us to transport the radar to the tornado, rather than waiting for the tornado to come to the radar (which it rarely does). An exciting new radar technology innovation is called dual-polarization radar, in which the pulses transmitted by the radar are prescribed either a horizontal (H) or vertical (V) polarization. Different types of particles scatter back different amounts of energy in the H and V polarizations, enabling us to differentiate between raindrops, hail stones, snowflakes, and even non-meteorological scatterers like insects, birds, dust, and debris.

The University of Massachusetts W-band radar collects vertical slices through a nontornadic supercell at sunset near Silverton, TX on 21 May 2010. The undersides of storms are often decorated by pouch-like protuberances called mammatus clouds. When lit from the underside, they can be quite spectacular Using dual-pol radars to study tornadoes, we have found striking signatures for tornado debris within the vortex, as well as information about raindrop and hailstone sizes and shapes. The latter information may seem less interesting, but it is crucially important for diagnosing energy transfer within a storm.

Lightning and wet roads are actually greater hazards to severe weather researchers than tornadoes.   SHAN: Why do you think there are not more women with careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) areas? ROBIN: Science can be a fiercely competitive enterprise, particularly when the funding devoted to a certain field of research is small. That competition may be a turn-off for some women. Lack of comparable female role models certainly doesn’t help, either. In the atmospheric sciences, only 12% of tenured faculty positions are occupied by women. This radar truck has a phased array antenna instead of a traditional rotating dish. The beam is electronically rather than mechanically steered, so it can scan a volume of atmosphere up to six times faster.

Sadly, sexism is still a factor. However, that sexism is generally not the overt, “Girls aren’t good at science” sexism that we were all warned about. It manifests itself in the form of higher rejection rates for our manuscripts and proposals, greater skepticism of our findings, more frequent interruptions at meetings, and reduced recognition (pay, awards) for our efforts, among other things. It’s no wonder that female scientists come out feeling exhausted rather than accomplished. (Dr. Valerie Young enumerates many of these statistics in her book, The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women.) This type of sexism is so insidious that those effecting the sexism may not even be aware that they are doing so! However, I am encouraged to see many talented women rising through the ranks and drawing up other young female scientists in their wake. I am also encouraged by institutional reforms that make STEM career tracks more flexible and family-friendly. These reforms will benefit both male and female scientists alike.

For more about women in science, please see the National Science Foundation link: http://www.nsf.gov/career-life-balance/brochure.pdf

Shän Boggs is a writer and editor living in California. Her interests include science, technology, the environment, health, education, multimedia, art, and gourmet cooking. She is the author of a cookbook series for people with food sensitivities.