Andrew Bennet
Naval Architecture
Olin College of Engineering
1. What is your job as a scientist?
a. I specialize in applied research, so my job is to take the very latest lab and experimental results and try to find a way to apply them to real-life problems out in the world. My focus is in rob loop p
otics, but I need to understand both my field and at least a little bit about the fields where my work might help to create an effective solution. For example, I’ve created robots to help whale research (called the “SnotBot” flying robot), oceanographers (the “Odyssey” robot submarine) and I’ve even built a robot to help prevent bombs from killing people (called the “PackBot”).
2. Is your job as profitable as you wish?
a. Yes. I used to work in industry and I was paid quite a lot. The work was fun, but very stressful. I’m paid less now, but I consider it fair for the amount of time and energy I invest in my job.
3. Do you consider yourself the most successful person in your family?
a. That is hard to say. Other members of my family have been successful in their fields (law, politics, computers), but I’m the only member of my family working on robots. But I’m certain my parents will be happy to claim I’m the most successful person in the family (in their eyes, anyway!).
4. Do you consider yourself as underrepresented in science?
a. Yes. I’m native American and my father’s side of the family are Oneida tribe. When I was a student at MIT, there were so few native Americans that it wasn’t possible to organize any kind of group. so the Black Students’ Union adopted me. When I got my Ph.D. I didn’t know a single other native American who got one (in a typical year, about 10 or fewer native American’s get Ph.D’s in Engineering and only about 225 or so get Ph.D.’s in all fields combined). I’d like to see more of us someday! http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/2013/pdf/tab7-4_updated_2014_05.pdf
You mention bias and stereotypes. I haven’t encountered any bias in my career. Perhaps because there are so few of us?
-FS
Naval Architecture
Olin College of Engineering
1. What is your job as a scientist?
a. I specialize in applied research, so my job is to take the very latest lab and experimental results and try to find a way to apply them to real-life problems out in the world. My focus is in rob loop p
otics, but I need to understand both my field and at least a little bit about the fields where my work might help to create an effective solution. For example, I’ve created robots to help whale research (called the “SnotBot” flying robot), oceanographers (the “Odyssey” robot submarine) and I’ve even built a robot to help prevent bombs from killing people (called the “PackBot”).
2. Is your job as profitable as you wish?
a. Yes. I used to work in industry and I was paid quite a lot. The work was fun, but very stressful. I’m paid less now, but I consider it fair for the amount of time and energy I invest in my job.
3. Do you consider yourself the most successful person in your family?
a. That is hard to say. Other members of my family have been successful in their fields (law, politics, computers), but I’m the only member of my family working on robots. But I’m certain my parents will be happy to claim I’m the most successful person in the family (in their eyes, anyway!).
4. Do you consider yourself as underrepresented in science?
a. Yes. I’m native American and my father’s side of the family are Oneida tribe. When I was a student at MIT, there were so few native Americans that it wasn’t possible to organize any kind of group. so the Black Students’ Union adopted me. When I got my Ph.D. I didn’t know a single other native American who got one (in a typical year, about 10 or fewer native American’s get Ph.D’s in Engineering and only about 225 or so get Ph.D.’s in all fields combined). I’d like to see more of us someday! http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/2013/pdf/tab7-4_updated_2014_05.pdf
You mention bias and stereotypes. I haven’t encountered any bias in my career. Perhaps because there are so few of us?
-FS