  United States Atomic Energy Commission ABOUT THE AUTHOR After receiving a degree in English at the University of Houston, Mrs. McIlhenny worked for nine years in editorial capacities at the Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies, where she prepared this booklet. She is now a housewife in Falls Church, Virginia. Careers in Atomic Energy TODAY virtually every aspect of science is concerned in some way with the atom. Physicians use radiation to treat disease. Mechanical engineers design components for nuclear reactors. Electrical engineers convert the energy of the atom into electricity. Botanists use radioactivity to learn more about plants, and zoologists use it to study animals. Chemists investigate compounds with radioisotopes. Physicists and mathematicians work out the intricate interrelations among the tiny particles of the atom. Agronomists use radioactive materials to improve fertilizers and crops, and nutritionists use them to improve animal diets. A student—YOU—can find your career in atomic energy in any branch of science you choose because “atomics” is not a field unto itself divorced from the rest of the scientific world. The best preparation for a career in nuclear energy begins with elementary arithmetic. This preparation advances through general science, algebra, biology, chemistry, physics, geometry, and trigonometry. The aspiring scientist will be wise to lay the groundwork for his future long before he reaches college by studying as much mathematics and science as he can handle. Although many a now-successful chemist entered college without knowing how to balance an equation, keen competition today demands that college freshmen have a solid foundation in mathematics and science. Even in an age of specialization, the interrelation of the sciences has made it necessary for a scientist to have at least a speaking acquaintance with areas outside his own field. A chemist, for example, may find himself involved in biology; the research interests of a biologist may lead him into physics. Moreover, English-speaking peoples have no monopoly on scientific accomplishment. Proficiency in German and French, at least a reading knowledge, has long been considered desirable and is often required of the serious scientist. In the light of modern developments, a reading knowledge of Russian might well be added to the list, and, as other countries and cultures expand their technologies, familiarity with still other languages may become necessary. (Indeed, a number of scientists who completed doctoral degrees years ago have recently begun to study Russian. This is not surprising since the education of a true scientist never stops with an academic degree, a job appointment, or a significant discovery.) The most brilliant physicist on earth is of doubtful worth if he can’t communicate his ideas to other people. Thus even more important than a knowledge of foreign languages is a knowledge of one’s own. Almost too late has come the realization that many college graduates in the United States, although proficient in their particular fields, cannot write a correct English sentence. Accurate scientists cannot afford inaccurate communication. Proficient scientists know their own language. |
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