Sara Anderson: Why I March

I didn't grow up saying I wanted to be a scientist. Of all things, I said I wanted to be President in second grade. Go figure. In high school, I was good in school at most subjects. I dabbled in astrophysics in undergrad, only to discover that I didn't really love math. (Fortunately, I wound up marrying one so I still get some stars in my life.) I went almost directly to a PhD program in psychology after leaving undergrad and left after I was frustrated by the questions my discipline (at the time) was answering.

I love science because I like to solve problems. I am practical by nature and I eventually returned to graduate school in child development to answer questions that can improve the lives of children and families.

I love the tools of science -- its rigor, systematic methods, and tools. I love using statistics to determine how adverse developmental contexts shape children's lives and to discern how we can reverse those trends.

I march for science because I know it is the way forward.

Sara Anderson

Morgantown, WV