My mother dreamed that I finished my Ph.D. before my father, who at the time was writing his dissertation; I was two. Given that I have been hearing this story since I was very small and my dad is a physicist and an amateur zoologist, it isn't surprising that I got a doctorate nor that I went into science.  

Some days, as I stand at my lab bench measuring out chemicals or setting up an exposure experiment, I think to myself, “Who would have thought I would be pursuing my PhD?” 

Why did I become a scientist?  Many of the people I know have asked me that question.  It is still not considered a secure money-making career, such as being a doctor, engineer or lawyer.  I had my reasons for making the decision, and I don't have any regrets for choosing my dream career.

My winding road to research science? I certainly wasn’t one of those kids who knew they wanted to be a scientist from the time they were two, designing experiments in the kitchen and playing with microscopes from a toy science kit.  I was a bit schizophrenic in my idea of what I wanted to be. 

Until I started high school, my house was full of readers, not scientists.  I could read abook a week (or sometimes a day), and my parents gave up trying to do my math homework as soon as I left elementary school.