acknowledged for proving that it exists. The Lab is a really great place, it is also close to campus, and accessible. These are some of the many reasons I chose LANL. Sounds like you were methodical and practical in your choice. So how did you hear about the guest program opportunity at LANL? It came up in a conversation I had with the Career Services Internship Coordinator; at that time it was Terrance Manning. I asked him about internship opportunities in science and he said, “Check out LANL, great Lab and you can get in.” Getting in is always the priority and then after that passions can be set ablaze. I was encouraged and uplifted by Terry’s words. Add this aspect to the other practical considerations I made and you have a pretty good picture of why I was at LANL in 2012. So what’s next for you Elliott? I think I am going to go back this summer (2014), with Ariel funding I hope to receive. I was talking to my mentor recently—the one I had when I did my Ariel Internship at LANL – and he suggested that I get some funding for the summer time. That way I can put my foot in the door and LANL could fund me for the year after that. Some St. John’s graduates who now work there did the same thing. I hope that I get an Ariel and can make this happen. The general idea is that I go back to work there and continue working on the projects that the team was working on: muon-tomography. There are two things on which I want to focus; first I want to learn more basic physics. We learn a surprising amount of science at SJC, but we don’t get some of the areas which tests look at. Learning more basic physics will assist me when I eventually take the physics GRE. I will take this GRE exam as part of my preparation for applications to graduate school for a physics major. The second thing is I hope this opportunity will allow me to work on other skills such as program modelling. I have always wanted to do this, but before, I didn’t know the programs, but I hope I can do it this time around. From there I am hoping to apply for a graduate program in either philosophy of science or physics.
Plaza Spring, Photo courtesy of the Socorro website.
The Five W’s for Spring Break By Lise Lookman
Spring break is approaching – two weeks with nothing to do! Sure, you’ll sleep in, hang out with friends and family, and just goof off. But these two weeks would also be a wonderful opportunity to decide what you will be doing on your next break—summer! Some have already done this and are getting ready to receive responses from potential employers. However, it can be tough for some people to decide on what they want to do for the summer. If you are one of those people you can use some of your spring break time to brainstorm. To make it easy for you (after all, it is a break) I have broken it down into five questions: What? Why? Where? When? Who? Answer these questions and you will have a platform to launch from. What do you want to do? Do you want to work, take classes, or volunteer? This might depend on your financial needs or your future career plans. Why do you want to work/take classes/volunteer? Do you need experience in a certain field? Do you need money for tuition? Do you want to meet a certain group of people? Write down the motivation behind your desire. Where do you want to be? Do you want to go abroad, or spend the summer in your hometown? Do you want to stay in Santa Fe? When do you want to work? What’s the time frame? St. John’s students are off from the end of May until the end of August, but you still have to consider other events that may impact your summer, such as weddings to attend, wisdom teeth to be removed, or family vacations. Who do you want to work for/learn from? Is there a particular company or school that you would like to work for or attend? Is there an alumnus or family friend who could become your mentor? Now that you have narrowed down what you want to do, get to work and answer the question of how to get what you want or need. Research employers/schools, polish up your resume, write letters of application, and mail/email them off. Don’t forget your contacts—previous employers, relatives, Agora, and Johnny Jobs. There are a lot of opportunities out there; you just have to give up a few hours of your spring break to find them. 6