Or click the alternate button below to use Windows Media Player: (845K)

Question 11 transcript:
"It turns out - the quick answer to this question is, as far as I'm concerned, and probably only a high school student will understand the answer, is don't miss shop. But, I have the pleasure of working with a high school teacher in Narragansett, Sarah Quan, in physics and we have discussed this and she and I know many colleagues around here are very concerned with the fact that many students who come along have precious little experience with tinkering - with building things and taking things apart. Ok, now-a-days we sit in front of television screens rather than take apart cars, but maybe all the more reason then to encourage young people to get into the shop and build things. Learn how to use tools. Be curious about how things work. Have you taken your moms alarm clock apart and tried to put it together again? Unless the next generation knows how to talk a little bit in practical terms, there's reason to be worried because the next generation is going to try and articulate the new types of instrumentation that we're going to need. And unless they are in some sense fluent in that language, they don't have to necessarily have to build an instrument, but they have to be comfortable talking with engineers about the kinds of measurements they're going to need. They have to be able to conceptualize these things but unless they have at some point started to play around with things, build things, take them apart, break them, how are they going to be able to express themselves when they grow up?"

1. How did you first become interested in science?
2. What is the focus of your research and why did you choose this field of study?
3. What have been some recent discoveries in the study of ocean currents?
4. How do you use acoustics to study ocean currents?
5. What challenges have you faced in studying ocean currents?
6. What has most surprised you about studying ocean currents?
7. What skills are important in your area of research?
8. What are the opportunities in the study of ocean currents? Can people with out PhDs participate in some way in this type of research?
9. What is the greatest impact/relevance of your research?
10. What continues to inspire you about your work?
11. What advice would you give a high school student who expressed an interst in pursuing a career in your field?