I teach engineering (materials science and nanotechnology) to college and graduate students. I also participate in research-- experiments on how light interacts with materials and structures a thousand times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.

It took me a while to find engineering -- I studied physics in school, but discovered that the connections of materials properties to applications were what really interested me.

A typical day starts with e-mail; perhaps to schedule the rest of the day, or to catch up on things with people in Europe with whom I have projects.  During the school year, I typically give a lecture, meet with students, and plan homework and lab activities each day.  I also spend some time in the lab, helping students with their experiments, and doing some of my own.  Most days, there's some paperwork, though I often work on that at home in the evening.

Professionally, I am most pleased about the students I have helped to realize their intellectual and/or personal goals.

I am a commercially rated instructor pilot, and have taught people to fly for several years, and have done aerobatics.  It is a wonderful challenge both intellectually and physically.  I am also an avid (if infrequent) windsurfer -- the constantly changing interplay between the wind, the waves and the rig, which can be in perfect dynamic balance, is something I find irresistible.

Believe in yourself, and pay attention in math class, even if it seems irrelevant…. Amazingly useful stuff, math!