Michelle
Abboud
American World Services, Washington, DC
"After physics, I continued on and received a Masters in foreign
service. I am now working with a small international market research
firm."
Gretchen
Chapman
W.L. Gore & Associates, Elkton, MD
"With a BS in physics, doors have opened for me that would
have otherwise remained closed. It was proof that I could be analytical
and mathematical even though I was female. It also gave me a knowledge
base for my career in the computer industry."
David
Detwiler
Lockheed Martin Corp., Philadelphia, PA
"I have worked since 1984 as a systems engineer primarily on large
scale satellite communications systems. My physics background allows
me to work the challenging systems issues that cross a variety of
engineering and other technical disciplines."
Elliot
Fischer
General Dynamics, Whippany, NJ
"I received a BS in physics and math and a PhD in applied math
with a thesis in general relativity. I have spent all of my career
(24 years) developing algorithms and systems for the military. These
have included target detection and identification algorithms and
adaptive algorithms for active control systems. My knowledge of
physics has been instrumental in understanding the sources of noise
that I have dealt with, as well as how these sources propagate in
various mediums. While I usually do not have a direct hands-on experience
with hardware, my physics background allows me to understand how
certain pieces of hardware work and what their limitations are.
In addition, we tend to do a lot of what is called Systems Engineering
and Analysis, and again I have found that a general physics background
is very beneficial. More recently, we are getting into fiber optic
transmission systems, and a background in physics there allows me
to quickly pick up new concepts. In summary, I have found that the
physics I learned as an undergrad has provided me with a great background
to assimilate new material throughout my career."
David
Keskitalo
Detroit Edison, Ypsilanti, MI
"I work as a System Engineer at the Fermi 2 nuclear site. Note
that this is not a computer position. My current system manager
responsibilities include turbine generator controls and auxiliaries.
I handle system monitoring, preventive maintenance technical requirements,
equipment obsolescence, regulatory and insurance issues, and problem
investigations. The investigative work is fun and fast paced and
my colleagues are talented, articulate and dedicated. I make a decent
living, and we are providing the most environmentally friendly electricity
in the area."
Peter
E. Walberg
Retired, Forsyth, IL
"After ten years in the nuclear navy, the rest of my career
was at a nuclear power plant,
a majority of it in risk assessment. The knowledge of physics was
very beneficial in understanding how things worked."
Michael
Long
Director, White House Writers Group, Wash., DC
"After earning a BS in physics from Murray State University,
and after a year of graduate study in physics at Vanderbilt, I eventually
became a freelance speechwriter here in Washington, DC. (I hardly
ever write about science, by the way. I write about politics and
popular culture.) Physics taught me to break down a problem and
see it for exactly what it is, no more and no less. This is the
key to clear writing."
John
C. Davis
Director, Information Security, Mitretek Systems, McLean, VA
"I received a BS in physics in 1961, and an MS in physics in
1962 from Pennsylvania State University. I also received an MS in
electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 1972. I
have had a 30+ year career with the National Security Agency (NSA),
where I was assigned to senior level technical and managerial positions
responsible for various phases of developing, planning, and implementing
information protection and information collection solutions. My
assignments at NSA included serving as a Commissioner on the President's
Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection (PCCIP), and subsequently,
as the NSA Senior Representative to the Critical Infrastructure
Assurance Office. I have also held a number of national-level committee
assignments. After leaving NSA in 2000, I became the Director of
the Information Security & Privacy Center of Mitretek Systems
in McLean, VA."
Elam
J. Anderson
McMinnville, OR
"While I might be considered a 'hidden physicist,' my personal
journey from an AB in physics (Univ. of Redlands, CA) might be a
stretch to claim that title. My mentor brother, Victor C. Anderson,
preceded me by four years, then advanced to a PhD from UCLA and
retired ten years ago as Chairman of Dept. of Electrical Engineering,
SDSU, and lead physicist of the
Naval Electronic Lab in San Diego. Sobered by his experience in
assisting in the Manhattan Project, I turned away from physics to
graduate study in psychology (Univ. of Washington) and then to theology
at Berkeley, entering the pastoral ministry (12 years with American
Baptist, then 36 years with Methodist churches). Supporting a growing
family of a wife and ultimately five sons, I often needed supplemental
income and there at least, I could thank my undergraduate work in
physics for qualifying me as a substitute teacher in earth science
and general science. Early in my ministry I recall being encouraged
by my Redlands professor, David Soltau, who entered the Episcopal
ministry after he retired. Since retiring ten years ago, I have
dabbled in astronomy and meteorology, counseling some boy scouts
in science-related merit badges, often enjoying NOVA on PBS and
other science programs."
J.
Ernest Breeding, Jr.
World Class Travel & Tours, Slidell, LA
"I was an associate professor for ten years and a research
physicist for the Navy for 25 years. I took early retirement and
now own a travel business. I have a PhD in geophysics from Columbia
University (1972). I make use of my background by leading groups
to places like Costa Rica where there are active volcanoes. I provide
insight to the geophysical nature of the region including how the
region fits into the scheme of continental drift and sea floor spreading.
I take advantage of my extensive use of computers in scientific
research to be my own webmaster. I also have a web design business
and serve as the webmaster for other websites."
Larry
Collette
Asset Manager, General Services Admin., Ft. Worth, TX
"I was almost drafted when I finished my BS in 1968, but joined
the Navy instead. I chose a career in public service, and my jobs
since 1972 have all been analytical in nature. I would not be as
successful without the skills obtained getting my BS in physics."
John
D. S. Gibson
Consultant, Bellbrook, OH
"I received a BS in physics from Duke University in 1951. My
training qualified me for several general and electronics engineering
and project leader positions for the first ten years after graduation.
It also qualified me to pursue an MS degree in Operations Research.
This degree and an Executive Fellowship at the Stanford Graduate
School of Business, lead to a long career in supervision of mission
and economic analysis, and cost effectiveness studies, usually related
to technically complex hardware. This work included a wide range
of mathematical modeling activities, ranging from military operations
to semiconductor production operations. Between work for two consulting
firms, I had career with and retired from the Federal Civil Service.
From an economic point of view my most profitable application of
my physics background was being able to understand and appreciate
the differences in the electron mobility in silicon and Gallium
Arsenide semiconductor materials. This understanding resulted in
very timely investments in relatively new, yet to make a profit,
GaAs semiconductor companies. Of course this game is just beginning
with SiGe, SiC, InP and other new materials coming on into increasing
use. Good luck if you decide to play the Wall Street game. The logic
and order one learns in physics, has also helped my make better
decisions as a member of the township Board of Zoning Appeals for
the last thirty years."
Hollis
P. Behannon
Evangelist, Jasper, TX
"Now doing evangelism and preaching the gospel in a lay capacity.
Working for the Lord and enjoying it. Very rewarding. Eternal benefits."
Donald
W. Goodwin
Chief of Thermodynamics, General Dynamics, Retired, Ft. Worth,
TX
"I worked for 40 years in the thermo area of the engineering
department. I was chief of that function for my last 20 years. Technical
areas included: aircraft airconditioning; aerodynamic heating; avionics
thermal design; infrared radiation; etc.; fuel and hydraulic systems,
heating and cooling. Aircraft products included: B-36, B-58, F111,
F16, and F22. Studies included: national aerospace plane; interplanetary
propulsion/fuel studies."
Gerald
M. Hoffman
The Gerald Hoffman Co., LLC, Chicago, IL
Hoffmann is a consultant in the management of information technology.
Dr.
Mohan Raj Obilisundar
Cardiac Anesthesiologist, Garden City, NY
Obilisundar owns a medical business as a cardiac anesthesiologist.
Dr.
John P. Riola
Chief Geophysicist, Texaco, Bellaire, TX
"After graduating with a BS in physics and mathematics from
Baylor University in 1968 and receiving a PhD in physics from Rice
University in 1973, I joined Texaco as a geophysicist in its Upstream
Technology Organization. I have held numerous technical and managerial
positions for Texaco including Division Geophysicist in Midland,
TX, and in Denver, CO. I have also served as Geoscience Technology
Manager for Texaco in New Orleans, LA, and in Bellaire, TX. After
being a member of Texaco's initial Global Exploration Risk and Standards
Team, I am now serving as Chief Geophysicist of the Worldwide Exploration
Group headquartered in Bellaire, TX. The scientific method of analysis
that I learned while majoring in physics and mathematics has proven
to be the foundation for my professional career in oil and gas exploration
with Texaco. In my career, I have enjoyed the challenge of identifying
oil and gas plays and prospects through the application of appropriate
technology, appropriate in both a 'technical' and 'economic' sense.
In my most recent position, I have enjoyed working with several
Texas universities on advisory boards focused on education and research
for the energy industry. I expect to retire from Texaco once its
merger with Chevron is complete. I would recommend the field of
geophysics to any physics major interested in applying his or her
physics education to the exploration for and development of economic
accumulations of hydrocarbons."
Rick
Schluter
Corporate Account Mgr., Crystal Decisions, Sparta, NJ
"After receiving a BS in physics and math, I joined the Navy
nuclear program as an officer. My last three years there were spent
teaching physics at Navy Nuclear Power School, ending as director
of the division. After leaving the Navy, I joined Westinghouse and
got certified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as a senior reactor
operator instructor. I mainly taught nuclear physics and reactor
theory to commercial nuclear plant operators and engineers. Combining
nuclear knowledge with communication skills, I started selling training
and engineering services to nuclear utilities for Westinghouse.
I've been selling business information software to Fortune 500 companies
for the last five years. I'm certain that my nuclear physics instruction
experience gives me an advantage over my competitors. It has helped
me to be able to explain complex software features and benefits
to non-technical decision-makers and end users."
