CSO Blog

My name is Sarah, Chief Science Officer (CSO) from Tucson, AZ. This is my fourth year in the program, and I am a member of the International Leadership Council.

As a CSO, I have had many opportunities to travel across the state and country, including trainings and conferences. While these responsibilities keep me quite busy, one of my favorite STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Math) hobbies that I like to do during my spare time is photography.

It is most convenient to use my phone to take pictures, but I also use a Nikon Coolpix P100 (yes, it’s old). From pictures of Jacksonville beaches to hummingbirds in the backyard, I use my understanding of STEAM to craft the perfect shot. For example, I can use the properties of light to determine what time of day will create deep shadows.

In addition, I studied camera anatomy and mechanics to understand how shutter speed (how long the camera is exposed to light) and aperture (how much light enters the camera) function. As I have learned over the years, a thorough understanding of physical science is imperative. Incredible moving stories can be created with this established sense. 

STEAM hobbies are absolutely everywhere: from birdwatching to cooking. By expanding STEAM into your everyday pastimes, you are increasing the skills you can utilize once you enter the workforce.

For example, cooking, using precise measurements, can be beneficial as an environmental chemist. Birdwatching requires intense observation abilities, which is also a useful skill in prescribing medicine as a doctor.

With STEAM hobbies, you can build a variety of abilities that will one day also be invaluable in the workforce.