YOUNG PROFESSIONAL Grey matter is responsible for stor-
ing brain neurons and synopses. It processes all information; hence this higher density leads to greater efficiency in information processing. Bilingual or multilingual brains therefore, generally have better ability to focus attention on a task while filtering out the unnecessary stuff. They are also able to multitask easily, and have an increased ability in good decision making.
The second cognitive benefit is the potential for the delay in age-related decline; a delay in the onset of age- related conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease for up to four years. It is really helpful to know that just by learning to speak many languages we make our brains stronger and help to push back conditions such as these in our old age.
The second benefit of multilingualism
is its importance in the career world. An article by Bernadette Morris4 on “Why study a foreign language”, states that, “To be competitive on a global scale, the business world of tomorrow needs individuals who can work in a cultur- ally diverse environment and who have strong skills in foreign languages”. The world is becoming more integrated than it used to be in the past. As the days go by, companies frequently set up head- quarters in different countries. Being multilingual gives a better chance of coping with communicating with people from diverse backgrounds. As geologists, possessing this skill gives the opportu- nity to work overseas, and more opportu- nities to work with colleagues who have a different native tongue. A mere five or six languages will enable you to talk to almost everyone on earth: English, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Russian. This would definitely also help promote diversity in the sciences.
There is a famous quote by Ludwig Wittgenstein which states that, “The limit of my language means the limit of my world”. I definitely want to be a part of the group where language bar- riers do not limit people from sharing in the cultures of others. How about you, my reader? Are you going to be the individual on the left in the cartoon on the previous page; (Figure 1)? It is never too late to learn a new language.
I hope you choose today to embrace the concept of learning new languages.
4. Morris, Bernadette. “Why Study a Foreign Language?” LEARN North Carolina. <
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/ pages/759>.
Interview with a PG
Erica Stevenson, YP-0238
stevensone@michigan.gov
Interviewee: Linda Hensel, MI Section
Linda Hensel is an active member
of the AIPG Michigan Section. Linda graduated from Michigan Technological University (MTU) with a B.S. in Geological Engineering in 1980. She did some graduate work at MTU and Western Michigan University but never completed her thesis for a M.S. in Geology. She has been a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG) through the AIPG since 1997. Currently, she serves as the Field Trip Subcommittee Chair for the MI Section and has previ- ously served as a Section Officer. Linda volunteered to be interviewed so that the AIPG’s Young Professionals can learn from her real-world experiences.
Erica Stevenson (ES): What was the most difficult part about attending college for you?
Linda Hensel (LH): I think the most difficult thing for me to adjust to while attending college was being in a new environment. I can understand why most freshmen are required to live in a dormitory and I made my first friends there. Other difficulties included needing more money and being away from family. I also learned during graduate school that teaching was not for me and that I needed to be in the private sector.
ES: Are you still in contact with any of your college classmates?
LH: Not really, since many moved away from Michigan and got married and whatnot.
ES: What was the trending job at the time of your graduation? Did you land a job in that field?
LH: The trending jobs in the geological sciences at the time of my graduation were in petroleum exploration and development. I enjoyed my work in the petroleum business and I worked in various locations in the [U.S.] Southwest, Northeast, and Michigan
www.aipg.org
in my initial 6 years with a down-hole geophysics company. I now work in the environmental sector and have done so since the early 90s.
ES: So, you worked in other states as a Young Professional. Did you live in these states? Which ones did you enjoy living in the most?
LH: I’ve lived in 15 different states including Texas and Oklahoma when I worked in the petroleum field. I had a lot of nice people to help me while I was there. Leaving a home environ- ment was still hard despite having a Type A, outgoing personality. I enjoyed the places I worked and lived at and was able to visit while I lived in the Southwest. Some of my favorite places in the U.S. are in that area of the country.
ES: What was one of your biggest strug- gles as a young professional? A young professional meaning a person out of college but not yet certified as a profes- sional geologist.
LH: One of my biggest struggles as a young professional while working in the petroleum business was acclima- tizing to the culture and attitudes of some locals in Oklahoma and Texas. I met a greater number of very genuine and wonderful people that made my adjustment to the Southwest easier with time because they accepted me for myself and I reciprocated.
ES: Do you feel that being a member of the AIPG has been beneficial for you? How so?
LH: I definitely feel that being a member of AIPG has been beneficial to me both personally as well as profession- ally. I met new people and made new friends at the quarterly meetings as well as really enjoyed the interaction with speakers, many college students and various young professionals. Organizations are good to be a part of because they offer you the chance to share stories and ideas as well as reinforce the importance of science.
Continued on p. 60
Jul.Aug.Sep 2019 • TPG 51
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