Finally working on some strategies from Barbara Scher’s I Could Do Anything I Want, if I could Only Knew What It Was.
This is where I’m going to keep my notes:
Resources for gifted and talented females as provided from The Talent Development Resource.
Internal barriers, personal issues, and decisions faced
by gifted and talented females by Sally M. Reis, Ph.D.
Work Left Undone: Choices and Compromises of Talented Women by Sally M. Reis, Ph.D.
Dr. Reis investigates the different patterns of how females develop and use their talents, various types of creative productivity in women, and the characteristics of successful girls and women including risk-taking, perseverance, and a sense of purpose. She specifically addresses special populations such as talented women in mathematics and science, girls from culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, female artists, and talented women who have chosen a traditionally female career (teaching).
love this:
You can afford to be a dabbler. Society denigrates them as “jacks of all trades, masters of none.” True–but not for the intellectually gifted. Many of the brilliant people I know have significant accomplishments in multiple areas. Feel free to delve into a range of endeavors. Just monitor yourself to see that you are indeed accomplishing things.
My resume, updated:
EDUCATION: B.S. in Biotechnology, 1993
EXPERIENCE:
Special Needs Advocate, 4/08-10/09
- Researched, evaluated and selected appropriate strategies for the treatment of selective mutism
- Communicated with educational staff to obtain appropriate services via the IEP process
- Monitored progress and made recommendations
Senior Laboratory Technologist, 10/00-3/04
- Supervised test procedures, documentation of lab records, and turn around times
- Performed routine DNA PCR molecular tests for genetic disease using PCR techniques and ABI 377 and ABI 3100 Genetic Analyzers
- Conducted administrative and quality control tasks related to maintenance of College of American Pathologists (CAP) standards for accreditation
- Maintained/updated standard operating procedures and performed general laboratory management including training and supervising staff and purchasing consumables
Forensic Scientist, 4/95-10/00
- Received evidence and performed forensic DNA analysis on biological samples using a variety of PCR methodologies.
- Interpreted results, wrote reports, and testified in court as an expert witness
- Monitored quality control program.
Quality Assurance Assistant, 4/94-4/95
- Monitored the performance of 10 laboratories participation in proficiency testing
- Assisted with the internal audits and preparation for accreditation according to ISO 9002/Guide 25 recommendations
- Developed and implemented new quality control systems and updated existed quality control procedures
Microbiology Laboratory Technician/QA Technician, 2/92-4/94
- Performed microbiological analysis of food products according to USDA, FDA and AOAC methods and laboratory standard operating procedures
- Prepared samples using preliminary and confirmatory testing to quantify and identify microorganisms
- Supervised the microbiology quality control program
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:
Gave laboratory tours to visiting scientists and school groups, trained post-docs and residents during rotations, science education, provided peer-to-peer counseling for parents of children with selective mutism, moderated community message board
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The things that feed my soul?
Writing, relating to others meaningfully, helping/counseling others, philosophical discussion, science education, nature and nature photography
Intellectual areas/topics – there are many:
- science (anything really – astronomy, biochemistry/genetics/microbiology, physics, chemistry, geology)
- mathematics (mostly just discovering all the cool things about math that the teachers forgot to show to us way back when – like finding the fibonacci sequence pattern in nature).
- brain function/dysfunction
- sensory processing functions and SPD
- variations of sensory perception (synesthesia, dyscalculia)
- selective mutism
- education and learning
- philosophy
- psychology
- human development
- human behavior
- gifted issues
Hobbies -
- Writing (and writing and writing), relating to others meaningfully
- Reading for personal research (but trying hard to read more for pleasure)
- Photography
- Sewing
- Teaching my kids neat stuff about math/science
- Making handmade things (sewing, embroidery, card-making)
So…getting back to the book-
IN PROGRESS….SUBJECT TO CHANGE…
I. If I had 10 lives these are the things I’d be
a writer
a science teacher
a science professor
a photographer
a technical writer for a scientific magazine (children or adults), or my own scientific newsletter for kids.
a learning lab educator at a science museum
a counselor specializing in gifted issues
a neuroscientist
a neuropsychologist
a naturalist
a geologist
a museum or arboretum docent
II. Available time?
A. Which life can I devote myself to this coming year?
With young kids, my littlest is not yet in full day school, not much I can do towards career.
Writing , peer-to-peer counseling through my blog and message boards (already doing these).
B. Which life can I devote to when the first one is completed?
when the kids are in school full time, I could pursue an advanced degree.
C. Which activities can I do for 20 minutes or less each day?
teach my kids science (and math), amateur naturalist, taking photographs
D. Which ones can I do on a weekend?
teaching science to other people’s kids, arboretum docent,
E. Which ones can I do once in a while?
amateur geologist, visit my grandma on Tuesdays (not really on my career list, just reminding myself that grandma is lonely…oh maybe I could right a book called Tuesdays with Grandma – like Tuesdays with Morrie, but less cool), could definitely do a monthly science newsletter
A three year plan:
Year 1: Update resume, decide if I need to go to grad school badly enough to sacrifice myself for it., clear out head space, commit to something, volunteer somewhere, talk to prospective employers, read more of the Talent Development Resource and Personal Development for Smart People.
Step 1: forwarded my job description of the last job I had because someone told an acquaintance of mine, “she worked here (at a different lab at Snooty U) before doing DNA analysis and now she’s a SAHM? Tell her to come back”. (Heh, if it were so simple, right).
Resume:
Was struck by Sandra Day O’Connor’s schedule – recently read an article that said mothers who work outside the home still spend the same amount of time on the care of their school aged children as stay at home mothers. OK, assuming that’s true, there are only so many hours in a day…I mean really, when did Sandra Day O’Connor brush her teeth?
Well…I know what it was like to work outside the home as well as stay at home when I had 2 kids.
See…the thing of it is, I didn’t want 2 hours at the end of the day with my kids, when I was tired and bitchy from the 1.5 hour commute from door to door (walk to the train station, take the train, drive home from train station).
The LAST thing I wanted to do is give my kids baths, read books to them, and rock them to sleep while singing them songs. I did, and half the time I fell asleep before they did.
When they got older, we have done science projects, and played math games, and went on nature walks and played at the park and had fun.
And now, I write…extensively. And I counsel others via my blog and some message boards. This is my vocation, for now. I’m doing some very important work on a personal basis.
I have a lot of expertise in some areas that are useful to others. The best use of my knowledge and gifts right now is peer-to-peer counseling. Sure I’m not getting paid for it, but I consider it very valuable work. I will be adding this to my resume somehow.
For a long while I was writing for my own therapy. Now I am writing to help others. I have a huge emotional pay-off in helping others that is incredibly satisfying and inspiring me to write more…which someday, may end up leading to paid work again.