Vanessa Castleberry:
CLASS OF 1985
Canyon High SchoolClass of 1985
Canyon, TX
Baylor University - Graduate SchoolClass of 2007
Waco, TX
West Texas A&M UniversityClass of 1992
Canyon, TX
Amarillo High SchoolClass of 1985
Amarillo, TX
Vanessa's Story
Life
Highlights - Worked at the Texas Musical Drama for 2 summers. Worked as a chauffeur in New York State. Worked as a dairy hand in Wales, U.K. Worked as a technician in a cancer research lab. Worked as an industrial chemist. Worked as a technician in a biomass/synthetic fuels development lab. I have recently completed a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry. I enjoy raising orchids and competing in triathlons.
School
Inspirational teachers would include: Mrs. Stephens, Mr. Skiles, Mr. Devoe, Miss Brillhart, Mrs. Moutos, Mrs. Cooper. They challenged my notions of the world. I will always be grateful. I would only do it all again, if I could keep who I am, now...so, probably not. My biggest crush...good grief, I am blushing now, so I shouldn't tell.
College
I started school in 1985. I finished my first bachelor's in 1989 in General Studies (aka couldn't settle on any one thing!). Went to work on a dairy farm in Europe and realized science was my interest, specifically chemistry. Finished another bachelor's in biochemistry. My most influencial professors were Mrs. T. Brasher (Physics), Dr. Schram (Biochem) and Dr. David LaBrie (Genetics and adviser). In May of 2010, I graduated with my PhD in Physical Chemistry...I think I'll go lie down, now.
Workplace
I graduated from WTAMU in 1992. We moved to Lubbock and I ...Expand for more
got a job researching heat transfer during anaesthesia on patients' recovery time. After working for this little company, I found a job in industry doing environmental chemistry which I enjoyed until we moved to Waco. In Waco, I worked in a lab using HPLC techniques in the development of synthetic fuels. In my PhD laboratory, I designed and built a working particle accelerator in a custom Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry instrument. It's been quite the ride, so far.
My famous hero would be Bill Nye. He is an excellent communicator. He is very charismatic and straightforward in his thinking. He takes a challenge head on without flinching. I would love to be more like him.
My best friend would tell you I'm a riot, but people who don't know me very well would probably describe me as stuck up or judgemental. I tend to be shy and have to force myself to "mingle" in a crowd.
I have medals from two events that mean a bit to me. St. Anthony's Olympic Triathlon in Tampa Bay, Florida...exhausting! Austin Marathon - signed up for and finished the half.
If I were to relive something (as in a "do-over"), I would probably try not to take myself and life so seriously. I say that now that I have survived an "event", so it's a lot easier when the trial has passed to know how one might have acted...ah well, live and learn.
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