My life has been a journey that is still ongoing.  After high school I went to Vanderbilt University , primarily because they had a new major, Molecular Biology.  There I became acquainted with southern culture and met some wonderful friends.  During my senior year I realized that I probably wanted to do research and that I needed a PhD to do that so I went to graduate school at the University of Wisconsin in Madison .  I arrived right after the bombing of the physics building which really put an end to the student protests.  Madison because one of my favorite places.  It has lakes and I learned to sail, iceboat, and cross country ski.  The politics were liberal and it was a pleasure to vote for candidates.  I married briefly, but we parted ways and he went off to Southeast Asia .  I met my second husband during my postdoc, a handsome Norwegian during a Fulbright Fellowship in the lab next door.  We moved to Norway to Tromso which is north of the Arctic Circle , yes the midnight sun and 2 months of darkness in winter.  I learned Norwegian fairly well and enjoyed the beautiful nature.  You just go out with rubber boots and a raincoat.  I still am in touch with friends there and we occasionally meet for trips in Europe .  We had our first child in Tromso.  Then when David was 1 year old, we moved back to the States to Hershey Pennsylvania .  After 5 years there, we obtained positions at Wake Forest University in the School of Medicine in Winston-Salem , North Carolina .  We had our second child there, Katja.  She is now a senior in high school and David has a job and is living in Charlotte , NC .  He loves North Carolina , went to Chapel Hill , and plans to stay here forever.  Katja is looking at schools all over and is the child that loves to travel and meet new people.  They are both a pleasure and delight. Returning to the States put many strains on our marriage and we have separated this year after 28 years together.  It has been a journey of discovery that has led me to a more connected life, back to core values.  I will love the outdoors but have added yoga and nonviolent communication to my life.  It is exciting and scary.


 


Professionally, I went into academics for the freedom, creativity, and flexibility the job offers.  An additional benefit that I enjoy tremendously is the chance to work with people from all over the world and to travel both inside and outside the US .  My scientific passion is in nutrition although I am on the molecular side of the spectrum.  Considering the challenges facing women in the sciences, becoming a full professor was an achievement.  My part time role in administration has provided opportunities to look at the big picture which I enjoy.  Perhaps it is age, but in recent years, I have become more interested in mentoring and promoting diversity.  I have found that I have vision and I want to build and grow rather than maintain.  So I am looking for change and new challenges either here or elsewhere.  I am actively involved in my neighborhood association and find that I enjoy it tremendously.