Women in Science - Online Interviews

Dr. Carolyn Jaslow

1. Give a brief description of your job telling what you do, (a day in your life) but also what you do specifically in your position.

I am an Assistant Professor of Biology at Rhodes College, a small, liberal arts institution. During the academic year, most of my time is spent teaching (introductory courses and labs in Zoology, upper-level courses in Histology and Embryology, and a senior-level seminar course on Reproductive Biology), but I also supervise research students and carry out committee duties. During the summer I have time to work on my research, which has been in the area of "Functional Morphology" (how animals' bodies are designed to perform specific functions) and "Biomechanics" (applying engineering models to the study of biological materials such as bone). For instance, do sutures (joints between skull bones) function to strengthen a skull and make it more resistant to breaking? During summers I also spend time planning upcoming courses, which is how my interest in Reproductive Biology blossomed.

2. How did you decide upon your career? When did you know you wanted to do it and how did you prepare for it?

I have always loved biology, especially learning about animals. My favorite aspect of it is understanding all of the interesting ways animals are adapted to do different things. In college I got a chance to tutor in biology and teach a lab, and those opportunities allowed me to realize how much I enjoy teaching. Once I knew that I wanted to both teach and study animal biology, it was clear that I needed to go to graduate school and earn a Ph.D. so I could become a college professor.

3. What is the best thing about your job?

I love my job so much it is hard to pick the single best thing. Here is a top five list:
5. the thrill of teaching and seeing students get excited by new ideas.
4. the freedom and flexibility of an academic life where I make decisions over what and how I teach.
3. meeting new students every year, hearing their opinions and ideas, and watching
them grow and develop over their four years of college.
2. developing new ideas or discovering something new in my research, and
knowing that I am possibly the only person in the world with this knowledge.
1. wearing comfortable clothes!

4. What do you like the least?

What I like least is trying to juggle deadlines with kids home sick.

5. As a kid, what kinds of things did you do to prepare for this job? What books did you read or what things did you do that let you know you would like this field?

I read books about animals and nature and asked a lot of questions.

6. Was there any person (parent, teacher, mentor, professor) you felt influenced you to pursue this field?

In college I greatly respected and admired my biology teachers, especially the women, who were bright, strong, independent people. I think that I wanted to be like them.

7. What is your favorite quote?

"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane" Jimmy Buffet

8. What advice do you have for young women who might be interested in the field of science?

Take different courses and try new things to find out what excites you most. Remember, college courses may be very different from high school, so don't close off any avenues before you've tried them in college. If you love an area of science, stick with it through thick and thin and be sure to take advantage of all the internships or research opportunities that you can. The more contacts you make, the more options you will have when it comes time to make a career choice.

Back to Online Interviews Menu

1.	Give a brief description of your job telling what you do, (a day in your life) but also what you do specifically in your position.
	I am an Assistant Professor of Biology at Rhodes College, a small, liberal arts institution. During the academic year, most of my time is spent teaching (introductory courses and labs in Zoology, upper-level courses in Histology and Embryology, and a senior-level seminar course on Reproductive Biology), but I also supervise research students and carry out committee duties. During the summer I have time to work on my research, which has been in the area of "Functional Morphology" (how animals' bodies are designed to perform specific functions) and "Biomechanics" (applying engineering models to the study of biological materials such as bone). For instance, do sutures (joints between skull bones) function to strengthen a skull and make it more resistant to breaking? During summers I also spend time planning upcoming courses, which is how my interest in Reproductive Biology blossomed.
2.	How did you decide upon your career? When did you know you wanted to do it and how did you prepare for it?
	I have always loved biology, especially learning about animals. My favorite aspect of it is understanding all of the interesting ways animals are adapted to do different things. In college I got a chance to tutor in biology and teach a lab, and those opportunities allowed me to realize how much I enjoy teaching. Once I knew that I wanted to both teach and study animal biology, it was clear that I needed to go to graduate school and earn a Ph.D. so I could become a college professor.
3.	What is the best thing about your job?
	I love my job so much it is hard to pick the single best thing. Here is a top five list: 5. the thrill of teaching and seeing students get excited by new ideas. 4. the freedom and flexibility of an academic life where I make decisions over what and how I teach. 3. meeting new students every year, hearing their opinions and ideas, and watching them grow and develop over their four years of college. 2. developing new ideas or discovering something new in my research, and knowing that I am possibly the only person in the world with this knowledge. 1. wearing comfortable clothes!
4.	What do you like the least?
	What I like least is trying to juggle deadlines with kids home sick.
5.	As a kid, what kinds of things did you do to prepare for this job? What books did you read or what things did you do that let you know you would like this field?
	I read books about animals and nature and asked a lot of questions.
6.	Was there any person (parent, teacher, mentor, professor) you felt influenced you to pursue this field?
	In college I greatly respected and admired my biology teachers, especially the women, who were bright, strong, independent people. I think that I wanted to be like them.
7.	What is your favorite quote?
	"If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane" Jimmy Buffet
8.	What advice do you have for young women who might be interested in the field of science?
	Take different courses and try new things to find out what excites you most. Remember, college courses may be very different from high school, so don't close off any avenues before you've tried them in college. If you love an area of science, stick with it through thick and thin and be sure to take advantage of all the internships or research opportunities that you can. The more contacts you make, the more options you will have when it comes time to make a career choice.