Careers in Science and Engineering for the Gifted

Students who want to learn about careers in science and engineering can do so through a series of interviews (many written, some video) at Cogito. Interviews are both with professionals and with advanced students in high school and college. When you watch and read these interviews, it becomes obvious that these individuals took their interests seriously beginning at very early ages and found appropriate ways to pursue those interests. Their work is often notable before they even graduate from high school.

NOVA also has a great series of videos and written materials titled The Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers  . By watching and reading the various segments, students learn about the many different roads available to scientists and engineers (some quite obscure) and also see unexpected aspects of the personal lives of these professionals. This series brings a human element to the professions. For instance, Rachel Collins is both a microbiologist and a professional wrestler. Michio Kaku is a theoretical physicist and a figure skater. Emily Whiting is an architectural engineer and a rock climber. Alan Sage is both a vegetarian scientist and a rapper. The NOVA website also has a teachers guide for introducing young people to careers in science and engineering.

Both the Cogito and the NOVA websites can be used to encourage gifted kids to pursue careers in math and engineering.

Theme Park and Ride Design

What child doesn’t enjoy an amusement park? How many people have fantasized about creating rides and theme parks? There are many skills and abilities that go into the actual jobs required for this field, including physics, creativity, project management, art, architecture, and film. Here are some ideas for developing these interests.

Annenberg Learner has developed an interactive resource titled Amusement Park Physics. This website helps students learn the forces behind the fun. Young people find out what principals of physics make the following rides work, how the dynamics of physics control the safety of the rides, and considerations that need to be factored in by ride designers.

• Roller Coasters
• Carousel
• Bumper Cars
• Free Fall Rides
• Pendulum Rides 

Teach Engineering: Resources for K-12 has created Amusement Park Ride: Ups and Downs in Design, a lesson plan for middle school students to build and test model roller coasters using foam tubing.

If your student is interested in investigating a career in theme park and ride design, he can check out Help! I want to be a Theme Park Designer. What Do I Do Now? 13 Guidelines for Your Success.

Walt Disney Imagineering is the master planning, creative development, design, engineering, production, project management, and research and development arm of The Walt Disney Company and its affiliates. Representing more than 150 disciplines, its corps of Imagineers is responsible for the creation of Disney resorts, theme parks and attractions, hotels, water parks, real estate developments, regional entertainment venues, cruise ships, and new media technology projects. Be sure and check out the Students/Recent Grads section for information on paid internships.

Gifted Kids Plan for College

Attending college, especially an elite school, is a huge investment of both time and money. Therefore, planning for college should take place long before one’s junior or senior year in high school. Consider starting the process in middle school. You want to make certain that you chose a school that is a good match and that you have done everything necessary to get accepted and to be prepared for the experience. There are aids available to help with this process. Here are a few.

College Planning for Gifted Students: Choosing and Getting Into the Right College, by Sandra Berger. provides a hands-on, practical guide to college planning. The book’s author focuses on helping gifted students match self-awareness to the right post-secondary experience. She also provides practical advice for writing college application essays, requesting recommendation letters, visiting colleges, and preparing for the college entrance interview.

Imagine Magazine is published by Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth. This excellent magazine is geared toward gifted students in grades 7-12. Each issue is theme oriented, profiles of fascinating careers, and offers advice on planning for college. Many of the career profiles go way beyond the traditional careers one has come to expect (i.e., Sea World veterinarian, forensic paleontologist, and medical anthropologist).

The Princeton Review has a number of helpful tools to use with college planning, including information on college entrance tests, tips for creating a college action plan beginning freshman year, financial aid, and information about schools and majors.