THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED TO A

SCIENTIFIC CAREER

K. Renee Horton, PhD

Southeastern conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics

1/12 – 1/15/2012

Today I decided to deviate from the paththat society created to herd the masses

of people who believe that normalityis to be a replicated clone of stereotypical

images of acceptable patterns of styleand manner.

I decided to travel to the drummer drumming in my head as I walk down the path that nobody tends and is overgrown

with oddly whimsical daises and junipers.

This is my path, this is my journey,this is my world, welcome to all I see.

Ironically, they are the same things yousee, just from a different vantage point,

just another view.

DEVIATED PATH

As I travel the byways that society hasbarricaded and labeled an alternate routefor self satisfaction, personal growth andsuccess. I travel at my own risk, I knowthere may not be anyone to bail me out

if I wander too fast down this untraveled path.

As my drummer beats, I march and I know otherswill soon follow, because the path is no longeruntraveled, it’s just not an acceptable path by

society to travel.

K. Renee Horton

CHOICES I HAD TO MAKE

Children/FamilyMajor

Grad School

Dissertation AdvisorCollege

CareerCollege

Funding

NewDissertation Advisor

MY PATH IN A NUTSHELL Started college at 16 Got married at 18 Had my 1st son at 19 Had my 2nd son at 21 Divorced my husband after 6 yrs Had my daughter at 27 Went back to college in 2000 Graduated with Bs EE Attended a HBCU for 1.5 yrs Intern at National Renewable Energy Lab

CONT. Moved to Alabama with kids and my

daughters father in 2005 Attended my first IUPAP Women in

Physics conference in 2005 Internship @ Goddard Space Flight

Center 2006/2007 Second IUPAP WIP conference in 2008 Third IUPAP WIP conference in 2011 Started working for NASA in 2010 Graduated in August 5, 2012

RESEARCH ALONG THE WAY

Biomass Research and Development Control Design Engineering

Magnetically Manipulated Quantum Dots (MMQD) Investigation of Magnetic Properties of Annealed

Cobalt Nobel Metal shell Nanoparticles for GMR Sensors

Women Physicist of color achieving at the intersection of race and gender

Synthesis and Characterization of CdSe-Co Core-Shell Quantum Dots and Rods

Anisotropy Graded Media: Extending the superparamagnetic limit (1st Dissertation topic)

Dissertation: Microhardness, Strength and Strain Field Characterization of Self Reacting Friction Stir Weld and Plug Welds of Dissimilar Aluminum Alloys.

WORKING ON MY DISSERTATION Worked at the NASA Marshall Space

Flight Center in Huntsville, Al from May 2010 to Aug 2011

Worked on the welding process for the external tank of the space shuttle

STS 124 DISCOVERY The flight that

delayed my dissertation and graduation

The flight that my research techniques was used for to validate flight safety

STS 126 ATLANTIS Watching the

very last Space Shuttle flight with my daughter at Marshall with over 200 employees who supported the space shuttle mission

GRADUATION Defense delayed

when one of my best friends and sorority sister died from breast cancer

Graduation delayed because of the tornado that hit 4/27/2011

Listed as the First African American to receive my PhD in Material Science from the University of Alabama

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS

Lockheed Martin 3rd place Engineering Award NASA Student Poster Symposium 2011

Black Engineer of the Year Award Trailblazer Award 2011 3 Group Achievement NASA Awards (August 2010) NASA Harriet G. Jenkins Predoctoral Fellowship 2008-2011 Goddard Space Flight Center Graduate Student Research

Program (GSRP) Fellowship 2004-2007 Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB) Fellowship 2005-

2008 Community Based Partnership Student initiated outreach award

$2000 (2008) National Alumni Fellow University of Alabama 2008-2009 Co-PI NSF grant PHY-0824634 for $138,180.00 2008 Argonne National Laboratory Center for Nanoscale Materials User

Proposal Nominated for the Women of Distinction Career award by the

North Alabama Girl Scout Association Self Published my first Poetry book “Sanctum of my Soul” in May

2010

AFTER GRADUATION Unemployed Moved back with my parents Turned 40 Started Interviewing Finally landed a job with the following

prioritiesLocation Job typePay/benefitsPrestigeAbility to grow with company

MY NEW JOB Samson Rope Technology

The Strongest name in RopeLafayette, La (1 hour from my mother and

Godson and 6 hours from my dad and siblings)

R&D EngineerOnly PhD in the buildingOnly black engineer on staff

• Twisted ropes: • 3, 4, or 6-strands

• Braided: • Single braid • Double braid • Jacketed• 8 or 12 -strands

ROPE CONSTRUCTION: THE BASICS

WHAT I LEARNED DURING THIS PROCESS

How important your network is Make sure you are in constant contact with people

who you feel can advance your career

2 page CV with important items on top half of first sheet

Make contact with a headhunter or someone who used a head hunter if going into industry

Build your academic contacts now as an undergraduate

Stay in contact with your network it doesn’t have to be everyday

CONT. Enjoy your life along the way because there

will be things you have no control over Set your priorities and decide what will

make you happy The two body problem exists even when

both parties are not educated Black relationships can be difficult during

the process Choose your mates and friends with like

priorities, goals and values Have an outlet Don’t change who you are for anyone

V