May 17, 1998
760 Southern Arizona high school seniors triumph
Teens plan careers in medicine, music, media
Service benefits AIDS patients, the environment, accident victims
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May 17, 1998 |
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OVERCOMING OBSTACLES 760 Southern Arizona high school seniors triumph |
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GOAL-ORIENTED Teens plan careers in medicine, music, media |
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HELPING HANDS Service benefits AIDS patients, the environment, accident victims |
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| Express Yourself | ||
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Chris Richards,
The Arizona Daily Star
Erin Young plans to pursue a scientific career when she enters college.
By Dan Cassino
Special to The Arizona Daily Star
Erin Young stepped into a different world when she walked into Biosphere 2 last July.
The Salpointe Catholic High School senior was among 30 students accepted into Columbia University's program near Oracle.
Young said she was one of three high school students working alongside 27 college students.
The participants turned into researchers inside the $200 million, 3.15-acre glass-and-steel terrarium.
Young said her experience there helped her decide to study a field of science when she enters college in the fall.
She said what stands out from her time there ``is one section in the Biosphere that is called `the lung.' It is a huge metal contraption that looks like a big space shuttle suspended in air. You have to walk through tunnels to get inside it,'' she recalled.
By day, Young, 17, said she researched water systems and tropical plant life in the glass enclosure. And by night, she read books about scientific research and the importance of project management.
``It's very important for scientists to work together and share information while doing research,'' Young said. ``It's important for people to get along.''
Young noted the history of disputes that Biosphere 2 teams encountered in 1994 when the mini-world was unsealed by crew members who smashed small panes of glass. That dispute led to a lawsuit.
In March, the Arizona Court of Appeals reversed a 1996 jury's verdict that awarded more than $700,000 to two former crew members. The appellate ruling is expected to be challenged.
Young said that in addition to learning the importance of working as a team, she also studied computer programs and was taught how to give presentations on scientific research.
She said there were days when she worked up to 15 hours. However, she said she and her roommates made up for the long hours by relaxing on the cool, monsoon nights.
``There were some nights we would sleep on the roof of our bungalow. It was so beautiful looking at all the stars and enjoying the silence.''
Dan Cassino is a senior at Canyon Del Oro High School.