New Jersey State Board of Education Presentation, Aísha Huggins
April 5, 2006

Good morning everyone. My name is Aísha Huggins, and I am honored to be before you today to talk about myself and my pursuits in the field of science. First, let me give you a little bit of information about my background. I am the proud daughter of two hard-working and supportive parents, and an older sister to two wonderful younger siblings. I am currently a senior at the Union County Magnet High School, where I am a member of engaging clubs such as Student Government, Multicultural Club, the Spanish Club, and both the Spanish and National Honor Societies. I plan to attend college after graduating from high school, with my current target school as Johns Hopkins University . My dream is to pursue a career in the field of pediatric medicine, and eventually open my own practice.

This past summer, I was a participant in Liberty Science Center ’s Partners in Science program, a summer internship opportunity that matches students by their science interests with some of the top scientists in those fields. I never knew that there was more to Liberty Science Center other than the Touch Tunnel, the IMAX theatre, and the exhibits. So, when my guidance counselor suggested that I apply for this program, I was interested to see what opportunities and experiences this program had to offer me. Never did it occur to me that I would actually become a part of the actual ongoing research conducted each day on the aspects of skin cancer, a leading killer of Americans in society today. At the laboratory that I worked –the Susan Lehman Laboratory for Cancer Research of Rutgers University – Dr. Alan Conney and his staff warmly welcomed me. Over a period of two weeks, they took careful time to show me the procedures and calculations that went into their experimental results. I was amazed by the fact that I was using real laboratory equipment – not just Bunsen burners or test tubes. At the end of this summer program, I was glad to be able to present true research, knowing that it could lead to further analyses of what causes skin cancer and how it can be treated safely. Partners in Science helped to strengthen my desire to go into the field of science, and even caused me to consider research as another path.

Before Partners in Science, I was also a participant in Robert Wood Johnson’s Mini-Medical School . This was an eight-week program during the spring of my junior year that took place every Wednesday for two hours. This program exposed students interested in medicine to a lot of current topics, such as pediatric cancer, renal failure, and medical ethics. The students were encouraged to take notes, just as they would in a real medical school environment, then at the end of the course, present one of the topics covered in detail at their school. I chose to share information about pediatric cancer because it amazed me how deteriorating of a disease cancer actually is, and especially in children.

Pursuing a career in medicine, let alone pediatric medicine, was not an idea that came to me one morning as I woke up. Like the average child, I had dreams of becoming a teacher, the first female African-American president, or a lawyer. These dreams followed me into middle school, and even though I believed that I could achieve those goals, I was not completely ready to have a career in any of these fields. When I went on spring break for that year, I spent my time helping out at F.W. Cook Elementary School . Working with the students there made me realize how well I interacted with children. I had a good feeling helping them out with their problems, and from that moment, I knew that whatever I planned to do in the future needed to involve children. During the following summer, I went to my doctor for a check-up, and I watched as she performed various procedures that aided her in checking my vital signs. Surprisingly, it was one of those posters in the patient’s room that helped me consider putting medicine and children together in a career as a pediatrician.

In our world today, jobs in the sciences are predominantly managed by men. I am a strong advocate of any program that helps encourage women to work in the sciences. I think that women should not be turned down by the demands of the field, but rather meet those challenges and rise up above them. Women need to be motivated and told that programs such as Partners in Science exist. They also need to be made aware of these opportunities at a young age, so that a passion for science can be fostered and blossom into a love for the subject. Even beyond the female sex, I believe that all children should be encouraged to explore science. At this moment, I think that field trips are great starters, but we need to reach the children through what they love. If video games are what capture their attention, then let’s have more games incorporating science rather than blood and gore.

I hope that the knowledge and skills that I have attained in my life so far, will help me to become the best that I can be in anything that I do. At this point, I would like to thank Dr. Jeff Osowski Vice President at Liberty Science Center , Mr. Ruben Rosario, Coordinator of the Partners in Science Program and the State Board of Education members for giving me the opportunity to be here today. I would also like to thank everyone from my high school who has supported me, especially the people here today – Dr. Thomas Bistocchi, superintendent of the Union County Vocational-Technical School District; Mrs. Gwen Seneschal, Supervisor of Mathematics and Science; and Mrs. Lisa Volino, one of my Spanish teachers and Multicultural Club advisors. Last, and most definitely not least, I thank my loving parents who support me an infinite percent in every venture that I take on. I love you both very much. Thank you.