| What is your most memorable childhood experience? | Well, I would have to say that the best part was growing up with an older sister that moved out to Seattle, and visiting as a family each summer to spend a couple weeks sightseeing and spending time together. We (parents & brother) would sometimes fly, and sometimes take our car to visit, and would always find so many things to do even before getting there. Our driving trips would allow us to stop all along the way at different parks, outlooks, and cities and spend great time with the family. But the best part was being able to see mountains and experience all of the Pacific Northwest. The sheer beauty was like something I read about in books, and I was always amazed to see it again each summer. We would go fishing, kayaking, boating, hiking the mountains, and much more. Ultimately, all of this fun helped guide my choice for college- a decision that I am very proud of! |
| What immediate family member do you closely identify with and why? | My dad is always my go-to person. He is always around to help me out, and has been very important in my life. He is the sort of person that will guide you through problems, and does a great job of always teaching me new ideas, skills, and knowledge. I can thank him for raising me to be the type of person he can be proud of, and I always try to help him out when I can, too. |
| What character traits do you admire in an individual? | I always look for a person who is not afraid to be honest with themselves, one who smiles, is happy-go-lucky, and has a positive outlook on life. To be courteous, altruistic, and kind will always get a person ahead in life, and so many other things in this world don't even matter. I can always find the good in people, and I think that every person should be able to express happiness. |
| What is the funniest thing ever to happen to you? | I once applied for a job in Alaska working on a salmon research project for a four-month summer job in college. I submitted my application materials (cover letter & resume) one afternoon via an email; and received a phone call about half an hour later from the researcher. The phone call lasted about twenty minutes, with questions about my college career, interests, and my career goals. It was great, the guy on the phone told me all sorts of stories about the area, and how most of the people working there are not long-time Alaska residents either. After about twenty minutes, he offered the job to me, and had plane tickets booked right then and there! I spent four months living in some of the most rugged and isolated area on the continent on the Alaska/British Columbia border, where food was brought in once a month from a float plane to my one colleague and myself. The work was amazing, being able to perform the scientific studies with real world impacts was great, and being paid for that was even better. I can still picture the mountains and glaciers that line the area, and what that has done for my professional career afterwards is something that will always make me laugh and smile...how rewarding! |
| If time and money were not an issue, where would you travel and why? | I would love to spend more time hiking the Canadian Rockies - I have spent a lot of time around Banff and Jasper; words do not begin to describe the beauty, nor do pictures do justice. More of Alaska would be great to see, as one can spend a lifetime getting to know the area. Someplace new to explore would be Europe, and South America. I have always dreamed of traveling the countryside with close friends/family. I really enjoy local markets, and am certain there would be so many opportunities to expand my mind. |
| When and if you ever have children, what would you like to pass on to them? | I would want compassion, learning, and integrity to be a large part of who they are. I am very fond of the idea that they could help change the world by helping others, and I think that the future is going to be a great opportunity for so many others in the increasingly connected world. Being compassionate, and always willing to learn new things, and having a strong integrity will allow them to see the world in a positive view. |
