Jenny Evans

Ms. Gardner

English 10H (2)

3 March 2015

Reflection on I-Search Research

Up until the I-Search assignment, I was unsure about what careers I was interested in

and wanted to pursue in the future. The I-Search Project was influential for me because the

assignment lead me to research that led me to the epiphany that I want to become an

astrophysicist.

When I first started the I-Search project, I utilized a couple of websites that quizzed me

on the the types of work I would be interested in and my personality. The websites filtered this

information and then recommended jobs that I might enjoy pursuing. The jobs that were most

prominent to me as possible careers were marketing manager, neurosurgeon, financial analyst,

sales agent, engineer, and astrophysicist. From there, I put the jobs I was interested in through

my personal filter. Could I handle the pressure of having someones life in my hands? Probably

not. Would I enjoy handling customer’s finances while recieving little to no appreciation for the

hard work I would have to endure? I don’t think so. Finally, I settled on the career that intrigued

me the most: astrophysics.

Astrophysics completely mesmerizes me, which is why I am so eager to pursue it as my

career. From the untamed power of quasars, to the possibility of extraterrestrial life, to the

search for wormholes, how could I focus on a career that doesn’t extensively explore the

unknown or doesn’t have so much room for discovery? From the vastness of space, how could I

confine myself to a job that focuses solely on activities occurring on our minute planet? I’m not

putting down other careers that are unique in different ways, but I feel that there are very few

jobs that can offer me a chance to explore the unknown and satisfy my curiosity. As I continued

to explore astrophysics, I began watching documentaries about space, and these

documentaries introduced me to an astrophysicist that would become my inspiration.

In watching space documentaries, I was introduced to an astrophysicist named Alan

Guth. Alan Guth discovered the elementary particle theory and the cosmic inflation theory,

which both support the theory that we live in a multiverse rather than an universe. This idea of a

multiverse absolutely intrigued me, and the theories behind the multiverse are subjects I deeply

desire to study. I am particularly inspired by Alan Guth because he continued to solidify his

theory despite the disbelief he initially received from other astrophysicists. For the challenge

portion of the I-Search project, I contacted Alan. I was hoping to acquire information pertaining

to his line of work; however, I didn’t receive any follow up from him. Despite not hearing back

from him, I was undaunted. The lack of a response from Alan revealed to me the intense

workload that must accompany being an astrophysicist. Fortunately for me, I enjoy a challenge.

I look forward to being busy, working hard, and enjoying my work—just like Alan.

Ultimately, the I-Search project has made me excited and confident about my upcoming

career as an astrophysicist. I hope to also be able to work on aerospace engineering, but mainly

I would like to focus on cosmology and the elementary particle and cosmic inflation theories.

One of my main goals in life is to never stop learning, and I feel that I can easily achieve this

with a career in astrophysics. With so much information about the cosmos available for

discovery, I am confident that my curiosity will never be quenched. I look forward to becoming

an astrophysicist and pursuing a career that will equally challenge and excite me. I eagerly

await to explore the mysteries of space that are as vast as the cosmos itself.