Argonne Science Careers VideoConferencing Series

Why Science Careers?
Many students think science is boring and/or difficult. Real science is exciting, challenging, sociable, even highly rewarding! Most high school students have little or no opportunity to meet and interact with working professionals in technical fields such as scientific research and development (R&D). Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), a government sponsored National Laboratory operated by the University of Chicago for the U.S. Department of Energy, has about 1400 scientists, engineers and technical staff actively involved in over 200 pioneering research projects. Argonne views as very important the development of young scientists and technical professionals who will staff corporate and government laboratories in the near future. ANL is collaborating with Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Workforce Board to improve science career-awareness of CPS science students.

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Overview of Argonne's "Science Careers" series
Aimed at sophomore, junior or senior level science classes, the "Science Careers" videoconference series consists of 45-minute interactive sessions offered approximately once a month during the '03-'04 school year. Each session will feature discussions with one or two ANL technical professionals, in one of their laboratories, about their careers and the steps they took in preparing for the career, and about the work they are currently doing. The presentations will include short, candid video-clips of the presenters engaged in their daily work. Students will be able to query the presenters live via the videoconference link. Session will include professionals at different levels such as scientists, engineers, technicians, and support staff.

Many of our speakers offer to meet with a small group of interested students in a special after-school video conference on an agreed date within a week or so of the initial session. Students who are interested should contact their teacher to sign up for a session.

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1. Visit the Argonne National Laboratory website http://www.anl.gov. Find at least one project that this presenter has been working on in the last year or two;
2. On the web, find two more related research projects that are NOT at Argonne;
3. In a college catalog (many are available on-line) find three college courses that would be good for you to take to learn more background about one of these projects;
4. Science professionals often go to meetings with their colleagues from the U.S. or abroad. Find a professional organization that holds meetings that the presenter might want to attend to find out about new developments in his/her discipline.
   

1. Discuss with your classmates other types of professionals with whom the speaker very likely works, and the supporting role these people have in helping the presenter get his/her job done;
2. Think of a job you might like to have that would bring YOU in contact or collaboration with the presenter;
3. Think up one or two NEW projects you think the speaker might be interested in;
4. Write down ONE interesting career-related question you would like to ask the presenter. Your teacher will collect these questions and the class will choose three to send to the presenter by email.

-----ASCVS Contacts-----
Mr. Lou Harnisch, Program coordinator
Division of Educational Programs
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne IL 60439
Phone: 630-252-6925; email: harnisch@dep.anl.gov

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The Science Careers Series is a joint project of Argonne National Laboratory, the Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Workforce Board. Funding is provided by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity