I had the fantastic opportunity to visit four area high schools in November and December and speak to over 335 students about a variety of environmental topics, including wildlife conservation, fossils as evidence for human evolution, and astrobiology. I also shared opportunities for continuing their education at IUPUI with a focus on the IUPUI School of Science.
- Covenant Christian High School – Mrs. Webb’s AP Environmental Science class (12 students)
- Roncalli High School – Mrs. Rose’s AP Environmental Science class (26 students)
- Hamilton Southeastern High School – Mr. Rice’s AP Environmental Science classes (125 students)
- Whiteland High School – Mr. Roberts’ AP Environmental Science class (10 students) with Nicole Amonette
- Hamilton Southeastern Freshman Center & High School – Ms. Ewing’s Earth Science & Astronomy classes (165 students)
One thing I shared with the students was my list of things I wish someone would have told me when I was their age. I’ve listed a few of the highlights from that portion of the presentation below:
1) ALWAYS take advantage of opportunities to do what you think you might be interested in. It’s better to find out now that you don’t like something rather than day one of your new job after four years of college.
2) Get to know people in the field of your interest. No one got where they are on their own, so don’t be afraid to reach out. You may think you’re a “lowly high school student” and no one will listen to you, but one email can change everything. So send that email! The worst thing someone can do is not respond, and you didn’t lose anything. You only stand to gain something.
3) Ask yourself these questions every single day: What problems does the world have and how can I be a solution? What do I want to do? Why do I want to do it? One way to ensure your career and future professional growth is to be a problem solver for the world’s issues. We also need to be open to change. The answers to these questions will change over the course of our lifetime, and that’s ok! Sometimes we have blinders on and refuse to see any future other than the one we have painted in our heads for ourselves. Life is anything but linear, so don’t be afraid to change direction when the answers to those questions change.
4) Take the hard route. That doesn’t mean do things the dumb way. It means challenge yourself and work to your fullest potential. You don’t learn very many skills when you always take the easiest classes, do the easiest projects, or take easy jobs. Employers want people who have tested skills and work hard.
5) BE PASSIONATE! When you find something that just “clicks” inside of you, pursue it 100%. That means you have to try a lot of different things to find that click (see #1 and 2 above). But when you find it, I promise it will be worth it.
If you (or anyone you know) are interested in having me come speak to your class about environmental topics or careers in science, please do not hesitate to contact me! I’d be more than happy to customize my lectures to your needs or address any special issues your class may have an interest in. We also have numerous IUPUI faculty members that are available to speak on a wide variety of topics related to earth and environmental science. My contact information can be found at the bottom of this page – please don’t hesitate to reach out for more information or to schedule a speaker.
Jessica Davis
Assistant Director, CEES
davisjg@iupui.edu
317-278-8585 (office phone)
