I really enjoyed interviewing Dr. Brzezinska for this project. Though it got cut short in the final version presented to the class, Dr. Brzezinska shared very insightful advice based on her experiences as a woman in science and engineering. I’ve wanted to be an engineer since 9th grade, so I’ve gotten used to being in classes with mostly men. Talking to Dr. Brzezinska reminded me to stay aware of how I behave in classes – do I stand back and allow others to answer questions I know the answers to? Do I defer to the guys in my group projects for expertise, even though I’ve taken the same classes as they have? I notice myself STILL doing these things sometimes, always without realizing it, and working on this project reminded me that I should pay attention to these behaviors and correct them. I belong on that engineering team, in that classroom, in that Mission Control Center just as much as the guys do.
Other than my own portion of this project, I really enjoyed hearing all of the other topics my classmates studied. I didn’t realize Ohio State had so many prominent researchers and discoveries in its history! One that stood out to me was the discovery of the feline leukemia vaccine. I have three pet cats, and am very grateful to Dr. Richard Olsen for this discovery.
I think this project should be continued in future years of this course. It made me appreciate how much OSU has contributed to society, and makes me more aware of the importance of research institutions around the world.
It’s so nice to hear that this project went farther for you than simply learning a tidbit of OSU history. Finding a role model that allowed you to self-reflect on your current education activities seems very valuable. Personally, I really enjoyed the interview content as well as the editing!