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Neil Okamoto Highlight
If your passion is science and mathematics, realize that there's science and mathematics in a lot of different areas-even ones that maybe you didn't expect. So it's OK to have multiple passions.
About Neil
- As a kid, he spent a couple of hours each week in the principal's office...because that's where the only computer was.
- Looking back, he feels incredibly fortunate that his teachers recognized his talent for computer engineering and fostered that.
- Says one of the best experiences of his life was participating in MIT's intern program, which allowed him to get real-world engineering experience.
- After school, one of his fraternity brothers got a job with Disney, told Neil, "I think this is something you'd really like."
- He got a job with Disney Animation in 1994; he thought it was a weird detour on his road, but his mom reminded him he'd always loved movies.
- Now, at DreamWorks, he builds the software that the animators use to bring their movie's characters to life.
- He points out that although he's always had a talent for science, he's also been interested in the arts-one of his hobbies is drumming.
- Says there are thousands of ways that arts and sciences overlap, so if you have multiple interests, you can easily combine them into one perfect career.
