It can sometimes be a struggle to combine all of your interests and passions in school. Research schools that offer custom majors or work with your advisor on picking relevant courses! 

Education

Create your own major!

Look at this list of global issues and find one that you feel passionate about. What are some ways you could contribute to solving this problem? What skills would you need to come up with solutions?

Day to Day

Think of a big problem you want to solve with science.

Find a nonprofit or cause in your area that needs volunteers and apply to help out. Is giving back to your community like this something that's important to you in your career?

Advice

Volunteer in your community.

General and Operations Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of public or private sector organizations. Duties and responsibilities include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one functional area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services.

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Second Interest High-Point

First Interest High-Point

Third Interest High-Point

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Management Occupations

Top Executives

Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.

Perform sales floor work, such as greeting or assisting customers, stocking shelves, or taking inventory.

Develop or implement product-marketing strategies, including advertising campaigns or sales promotions.

Direct non-merchandising departments of businesses, such as advertising or purchasing.

Recommend locations for new facilities or oversee the remodeling or renovating of current facilities.

Implement or oversee environmental management or sustainability programs addressing issues such as recycling, conservation, or waste management.

Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to measure productivity or goal achievement or to identify areas needing cost reduction or program improvement.

Direct administrative activities directly related to making products or providing services.

Prepare staff work schedules and assign specific duties.

Monitor suppliers to ensure that they efficiently and effectively provide needed goods or services within budgetary limits.

Direct or coordinate financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.

Establish or implement departmental policies, goals, objectives, or procedures in conjunction with board members, organization officials, or staff members.

Perform personnel functions such as selection, training, or evaluation.

Plan or direct activities such as sales promotions that require coordination with other department managers.

Set prices or credit terms for goods or services based on forecasts of customer demand.

Manage the movement of goods into and out of production facilities to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, or sustainability of operations.

10-key calculators

Cell phones

Computer scanners

Credit card processing machines

Desktop computers

Digital cameras

Handtrucks

Humidity test chambers

Laptop computers

Magnetic card readers

Personal computers

Personal digital assistants PDA

Photocopying equipment

Point of sale POS systems

Profilometers

Spectrometers

Surveillance cameras

Vacuum test chambers

ActionWare

Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop

ADP Workforce Now

AMG Teleran SalesInSync

Apache Hadoop

Apple Final Cut Pro

Atlassian JIRA

Autodesk AutoCAD

Avidian Technologies Prophet

Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge

Blackboard

Calendar and scheduling software

Citrix

CNC Mastercam

Computer aided manufacturing CAM software

Confluence

Customer information control system CICS

Data entry software

Datawatch Monarch

Deacom ERP

Delphi Technology

Dynamic Energy Systems MedAct

Extensible markup language XML

Facebook

FileMaker Pro

Fund accounting software

Geographic information system GIS software

Google AdWords

Google Analytics

HEAT Software GoldMine

Human resource management software HRMS

Human resources software

IBM Cognos Impromptu

IBM Domino

IBM InfoSphere DataStage

IBM Notes

IBM Power Systems software

IBM SPSS Statistics

InnQuest Software roomMaster

Intuit QuickBooks

Inventory management software

Job control language JCL

Kronos Workforce Payroll

Kronos Workforce Timekeeper

LexisNexis

LinkedIn

LSA Visual Easy Lean

Marketo Marketing Automation

Maximizer Software Maximizer Enterprise

McAfee

Microsoft Access

Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics GP

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Exchange Server

Microsoft FrontPage

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Project

Microsoft Publisher

Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft Visio

Microsoft Visual Basic

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Word

MicroStrategy

Minitab

Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Thunderbird

Nagios

NetSuite ERP

NetSuite NetCRM

Oracle E-Business Suite Financials

Oracle Eloqua

Oracle Fusion Applications

Oracle Hyperion

Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne

Oracle PeopleSoft

Oracle PeopleSoft Financials

My father died suddenly when I was about 25 while I was going through this questioning of my career.

Director of Water Programs

[Roadtripper #1] Elliott. [Nat] Elliott? I'm Nat. [Nat] My current job here is, Programs. and Central African Republic, sanitation, uh, and hygiene. you grow up knowing that you [Nat] I didn't. ah...like you. where my dad was a banker, their peers were lawyers, There was like five Ah, and so I was like, you know, go and go And after my time there, um, and I didn't wanna read It got to the point where knew I would have to wake up. This was sort of a warning sign And so, um, when I was about, was 28, uh, I quit my job I was a literature major, to be an engineer. did a 180 from, you know, really, I think it speaks to, like, "Well if I do this back and do the other." realm, was it like, [Nat] I came through a path which was, uh, my father died I was probably 25. I was going through this my father just died, "I could just die." completely unplanned. have time doing something Uh, and so I started with, um, [Elliott] Oh so you went [Nat] Oh yeah, calculus, chemistry, physics, When I went to my, uh, in an engineering program. Fifty-eight of them was a chemical engineer, the English major. I think in our society, it's sort of you're, you're hard sciences, You can do both. meal, and you're like, "Oh, I can't figure out the tip." acceptable to say, read the menu, I'm illiterate." [Nat] You know, that's not! be acceptable to be like, you know, 10% or 20%." the revelation that came to me math is just a language. a sentence. like, "What is this sentence Then uh, then it becomes Uh, then it sort of Ah, and then I, then I went for nine years, It was, I-I learned Lived in Washington for a while, And um, was just so struck It was just so obvious the water problems. from this than war. and it's so solvable is what's Ah, but also so exciting, but we can solve it. exciting part of it. like uh, you said at 25 Right before this experience, [Nat] Oh, I'm sorry. And uh, three days before, said, "You can go on this." [Elliott] Yeah, and so you said 28 you went back to school? [Elliott] Was that in the wake [Nat] Yes. [Nat] The, uh, uncomfortable changed careers had he lived. [Nat] And I don't know Um, my father was great. and probably would have but it sort of, there was a... we have over life, uh, just said, "All right, go be happier." realization is that when career, I spend more time with the people I love. gonna do that, it better be doing something I wanna do. [Nat] But I'll tell you, Uh, 20s was a very difficult Thirties, I was so psyched start a new decade. [Nat] Thirties were great, So then, you know, only gonna be better. very difficult growing period And don't let that stop you. 

Family

Societal Pressures

Transitions

Interview

Everywhere you turn people try to tell you who to be and what about deciding for yourself? empowers people to define their trippers crossed the country, kinds of interesting how they found their way. >> I have no sense of like counting each day. this is Tuesday, this is. which maybe is good. moments with each individual perhaps that, is cracked, but they use the process of, things get broken down >> Getting in the canoe was fun. the rhythm of each other's oars, I guess. are like zooming through. tried to live up to their name and in his tug boat started barking at us. >> What? >> Our meeting Is that way, correct? >> Is that for the media lab? >> The last four years. criminal justice at my university. that I didn't do like math or science, really strong and good in those areas. was trying to get somebody from MIT and answered me back, it was a denial. and I'm with two friends and the nation from in California, speak to people who inspire us. the robotics department. on the robotics department, and actually go to MIT, and see robots, and loves doing it. kind of a human robot lab. overarching kind of things has been that humans actually robots about the world itself. character in a game and character something and a simulated world into a real robot. >> Hello, my name is Nixie and >> Dexterous because I can use my hands to even pick them up and social, many of the ways that people do. I'm just totally psyched out, everyone. >> He has been, he's been. >> This is just way more, it's like, How did you get here? I actually got my start playing Doom. all the game haters. games, I learned a lot about computers. how to get the most out of your game and computer to get it to work just right. would take these clocks and not know how to put them back together. to put parts back together and embedded in the computer world. computer graphics and AI and vision to do special effects. computer science again, but completely in robotics. of robots out there and this one is interaction between humans and robots. mad, confused, just by moving my face, I am very happy to have met you. I hope to see you again soon. but about it in the shower, where these things lead. going to lead to something bigger. be game for anything. just being up there and it was home as soon as I got in there. somewhere in school or something, like child type thing, you know what I mean? situations to re-express yourself. enlightened to myself and to take a RV into the heart of the city. you go to an RV camp most of the time. >> The boondocking thing is a challenge, sign that's right there. so I don't hit the. and I talked with Marty. I need to get in touch with Socket? it's just kind of like aah! these moments in time where you meet you speak to them about what their doing. >> You know, when I was a kid, and I got a degree in psychology and me what I do, I say I'm an inventor. oh did you know four years ago, you'd create innovative play products and that really stimulates you. you have to be a doctor or be a vet or something like that. we can do this. research how it would work. how they're not sure where it's gonna go. Nickey? like some master plan of mine. I'm going to make a bike. touch like all four walls. couldn't really buy a welder and like what I could do, and I'll just use bamboo to start with and it was like strong and I was like. they're like, this is so rad, and because I'm usually there it's like better myself, it's just like it totally things, and how you perceive everything. little spiritual belief that everything have just followed their passions and I feel like if you don't give up, and you're challenging yourself, and things are going to work out. get on something that you really like. you get one, and if you're really lucky, You gotta keep your eyes open. just go at it as hard as you can. everyone wants to believe again. thinking of when they were kids and to get rid of your childish ideas. discipline yourself, master yourself. next thing I know, that I didn't even know I could do. way better than the beginners, so. just how things went down. I can sail it. It's okay. vibe this is his first time on, like this is him stepping into an institution or a family behind him. here for him, but we're strangers. I think we're all really on the same page, idea of we want out of this trip. I feel good like that. their own little, difference. that's 201. at Charity Water. which is definitely a dream of mine, to school and start from nothing. >> Nakeed. >> Elliot? And English teacher for about like four years, And to seek out in these conversations is, whatever profession they're doing. Director of Water Programs. Central African Republic, and you want to do this type of thing? So it was a bit like you. a banker, my mom worked in publishing. doctors, bankers. I guess I'll go into publishing. I realized I hated reading. asleep, cuz I knew I'd have to wake up. sign that I was on the wrong track. I quit my job and went back to school. I decided I wanted to be an engineer. liberal arts to hard sciences is really, this one thing then I can't go back was it like what did I. wouldn't recommend which was. through this questioning of my career, doing something I'm not excited about. algebra. physics, just all from the bottom up. there was 60 students in it. society from a very early age is that you're hard science. you'll be like, oh, I can't do the tab. acceptable to say. I can't figure out 10% or 20%. came to me is that hard science and >> Every equation is just a sentence. is this sentence trying to tell me? for nine years and it was great. I lived in Tanzania, and was just so the water problems. but also so exciting. you said at 25 your dad passed. >> Right before this experience, I'm sorry. called me and said you can go on this. you said at 25 this happened. >> Was that in the wake of this >> That, there's a change. would have changed careers had he lived. >> And I don't know the answer to that. supported me making the change. over the big things in life. I gotta go be happier. I'm at work, in my working career, than with the people I love. with, doing something I want to do. in my 20s I wasn't happy. like start a new decade. >> Yeah, 30s were great, so then, only going to be better. difficult growing period for don't let that stop you. personal it's pretty interesting that that if you lose a parent, in how you view the world. a reason like my dad died. to die at that time. I have to run any further. sort of a direction pushed. but, in a weird way, that I'm on right now. goinna move into the next phase of my my mind is to say, yes, obviously. all else doesn't matter. well that's a plus. things lightly like that? experiment in your life. happy and that's how it started. the program that you just watched. to define their own roads in life. Nation experience at Education Nation. I have no idea what's after this. I didn't like it. who I wanna stay here, or, what. we've been doing Roadtrip Nation. we're interviewing people. like when you were our age. nation was until like a week ago. travel the world and be able to tell know to make decisions about their lives. the point where you are now. without them I wouldn't be here. >> Thanks bro. He's really tall. I interviewed a person. a better life for myself. by doing the wrong thing or eye opening and many choices. driving, visit roadtripnation.com. about the movement and into your classroom. 

The team lands at the doorstep of the MIT Media Lab, where they speak with a graduate assistant in the robotics department. Next, they talk with two women who founded sOccket, a soccer ball that generates electricity, and the co-founder of Bamboo Bike Studio. The Roadtrippers also stop at the USA Shaolin Temple in New York City, where they meet founder Shi Yan Ming who is known for his super-human abilities-such as breaking rocks with his skull. They end the week with Nat Paynter, director of water programs at Charity Water.


Getting in Touch with Childhood Dreams

My father died suddenly, uh, when I was probably about 25. "I-I could just die. something I'm not Ah...and so I quit my job I was a literature major to be an engineer. with pre-algebra, algebra-- went back to undergrad? pre-calculus, I think in our society, sort of you're humanities And that's not true. 

Nat Paynter Highlight

When I went to my grad school, I was in an engineering program. society from a very early age is sort of your hard science and that's not true. You're ending your meal and acceptable to say, but I'm illiterate. be acceptable to be like I can't figure came to me is that hard science and >> Every equation is just a sentence. this sentence trying to tell me, Bank for 9 years and it was great. lived in Washington for a while. I was just so struck by the water. the water problems. solvable is what's so, so but we can solve it and 

Dedication

Hard Science & Math Are Just Languages

Touching back, you said at 25 your dad passed. >> Right before this me and said you can go on this. >> And so you said at 25 this happened, >> Was that in the wake of this would have changed careers had he lived. always very supportive and me making the change. there was a path that I was on. over the big things in life. I gotta go be happier. I'm at work, in my working career, work than with the people I love. with doing something I want to do. in my 20s I wasn't happy. >> Me too. thirties were great. only going to be better. the 20s, and don't let that stop you. 

I Gotta Be Happier

Hey. >> How are you? >> Nice to meet you. director of water programs. in Central African Republic, sanitation and hygiene. you wanted to do this type of thing? where my dad was a banker. doctors, bankers. I guess I'll go into publishing. realized I hated reading and asleep because I knew I'd have to wake up. that I was on the wrong track. when I was 28, I decided I wanted to be an engineer. 

Pressure

Five Career Options

The fact that you did a 180 from liberal arts to hard sciences is really, I can't go back and do the other. was it like, oh, what did I? wouldn't recommend, which was I was probably about 25. through this questioning of my career, I was like I could just die. something I'm not excited about. >> You went back to undergrad? >> Calculus, pre calculus, chemistry, 

180 Degree Turn to Hard Science

I was going back to freshman chemistry. who just like absorbed information. at the level that they were. >> I know, unfortunately. at the time, but actually I was ahead of the same thing about a couple years later. I got much more praise about it, chase something that you wanna do. 

Courage

A Brave Thing To Chase What You Love

I was reading an article recently about a woman who's [COUGH] I think, she's 38. college, this career didn't exist. she went from Google to Facebook, that whole industry didn't exist. to the options of today, is they're gonna change. diving into Betamax. something that has no future. because there's whole new that are in front of you. 

Opportunity

Don't Limit Yourself to the Options of Today

For engineers and I think for much, not to speak too broadly, but the sciences, there's an answer. necessarily, or there are many. the humanity side makes me comfortable, a bit without uncertainty. it was sort of like, and work towards something. there's this human nature aspect of very difficult to solve. 

Engineering Offers the Answers

I think it's very important to follow through on something and the wrong path, then get off of it. putting your toe in the water it takes a while to perhaps find the path. was essentially a pre-med curriculum. in my class who were 30, from Europe. that this is what's great about America, countries there is just no system for high school, and that's it. wanna be when you're 13. thing to ask of a person. nobody is doing what they got a degree in. with philosophy degrees, or mostly engineering, or things like that. >> Mm-hm. at what I'm proud of, it's that. 

Changing Paths

The technology hasn't really changed since the Romans. >> It's pipes and wells, things like that. getting people to change how they perceive supply in their communities. having a proper latrine. >> And say, my life and to my children's life. standards, in cultural norms. New York in the 50s with spitting. no spitting and you're like, who spits? >> Why would you even say that? in New York, everyone's spitting. a massive cultural shift where it's smoking's going in the same direction. 

Culture

Changing Cultural Standards

What was very revealing to me, or a person who was senior to me, I don't know the answer to that. admitting ignorance with confidence. that point where I could be like, suddenly, it was like, I don't have the end all and be all at a given topic. very liberating, and on the converse side that he said, he must have known. >> Exactly, and so it was very liberating. 

Confidence

Honesty

Admitting Ignorance with Confidence

The work that we do at Charity: Water I think is important, but about all these other countries, completely shaking up my perspective. was the center of the world, and then I go and I'm living in Africa. perspectives of what's important and different ways to live your life. rewarding to me about this work. 

Fulfillment

Shaking Up My Perspective

This generation, your generation is more engaged and >> Accept. this demographic spread. this acceptance of different cultures, is really moving towards. really moving in a great direction. like in the 70s when I was a kid, cleaner or safer than it is today. >> When I was a kid it was like filthy and was when my parents were here. I personally feel very positive about it. 

Acceptance

Moving in a Great Direction

There's a lot of work now in economics of happiness, I don't know if you've seen it. >> But self-assessment is pretty accurate about. line of work, if you ask them if they wash 99% of them say they do. it's only about 20%. if you ask people if they're happy, they are they aren't. think it's the only true success like what's the point. me it's really finding this contentment. of come to in the last year or my place in the world. on that I don't understand, it can be very stressful. of the contentment. happy, not wanting anyone else's life. 

Nat Paynter

Director of Water Programs

Videos

Nat Paynter

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Non-Profit Organizations

Science

Upholding a Cause and Belief

Hurdles

Challenges I Overcame

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Interviewed By

Do It Anyway