Southeastern offers peek into careers in Physical Sciences
Contact: Rene Abadie
Date: November 12, 2012
FROZEN FLOWERS – Jeremy Haase of Loranger High School, left, participates in a demonstration of chemically freezing a rose at Southeastern Louisiana University's CaPPS program that provided information for area students on careers in the fields of chemistry, physics and engineering. Supervising the activity are Southeastern chemistry students Bijay Bhattarai, center, and Suraj Ayer.
HAMMOND – Area high school and college students received in-depth views into career possibilities in chemistry, physics and engineering at the second Career Paths in the Physical Sciences program held last week (Nov. 2) on the Southeastern Louisiana University campus.
Sponsored by the Department of Chemistry and Physics, the program featured panel discussions with professionals from industry, government, and higher education, including graduate schools. The program was funded by the Student Government Association.
Debra Dolliver, Southeastern associate professor of chemistry who coordinated the program, said approximately 50 students from area high schools and some university students attended the event and learned first-hand from professionals employed in various occupations.
Representatives on the panel on industry and government – with professionals from firms and agencies such as V-Labs, Inc. of Covington, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Northrop Grumman and Shell – provided information on their backgrounds, the important skills needed in their work and their experiences in college. The academic panel, with representatives from LSU, Tulane and the University of Alabama, delved into the process and benefits of graduate education and the life of a professor.
Participants also heard from current graduate students at area institutions, who explained their experiences in graduate school, various compensation programs in graduate education, and their plans for the future.
Tours of research laboratories at Southeastern and chemistry and physics demonstrations were provided by upper level Southeastern students in the chemistry and physics program.
