Gabrielle A.

Keaton
Professor Debra Jizi
UWRT 1104-014
5 October 2016
Inquiry Project
Part One (My Career):
Career: Meteorologist/Atmospheric Scientist
Facts About the Career:

Research meteorologists prepare to test hurricane resiliency of homes and warehouses in

their lab.

Quick Facts: Atmospheric Scientists, Including Meteorologists

2015 Median Pay

$89,820 per year

$43.18 per hour

Typical Entry-Level Education

Bachelor's degree

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

None

On-the-job Training

None

Number of Jobs, 2014

11,800

Job Outlook, 2014-24

9% (Faster than average)

Employment Change, 2014-24

1,100

How
Will
This

Career Bring Meaning into My Life?

This career will bring meaning into my life because weather is something that I actually love and
its something that I am fascinated by. Hearing about storms and looking at weather websites and
models is something that puts me at peace in a way because I am at awe. Being able to do this as
a career is amazing and something that Im looking forward to in my future.
How will this work affect/change/better the lives of others?
My career as a Meteorologist or Atmospheric Scientist will affect and better the lives of others
because its saving their lives. The majority of people look to the weather reports each morning
to determine how they should dress for the day and the weekly forecast. If Meteorologist didnt

track storms, the residents wouldnt know whether they needed to evacuate, what kind of storm it
is/ how intense it is, if theyll be impacted etc. This career is just as necessary as doctors and
lawyers etc.
Part Two (A Topic That Has Affected My Life):
Topic: Cancer in My Family
This topic has affected my life because both my grandmother, 3 out of 5 of her sisters and one of
my aunts by marriage was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, with one dying from it. This is very
sensitive to me because I also watched one of my good friends mother die from breast cancer
and I see how her life was affected. This is a part of my life experience because I know that it is
genetic and that one day I will get it. I have tried changing my lifestyle, way of eating, and living
to help reduce the odds but only time will tell if it has worked. You never know how to feel when
someone tells you that theyve been diagnosed with breast cancer because some survive and
unfortunately some dont and thats the worst feeling to know when theyre your family. Know
that I know it runs in my family, I have to start getting mammograms earlier than Im supposed
to and I have been advised to do regular breast exams for early detection.
What will learning about this topic do to affect/change/better the lives of others?
Others can benefit from learning about this topic because it could literally save their lives.
Knowing the symptoms and figuring them out early on could help you in the long run. People
should also educate themselves on the genetic and worldly ties to cancer so they can take the
steps early on to prevent it if possible.
Part Three (Finding the Questions/ Writing the Proposal):
Title: Cancer in Your Family
Why?... I chose this topic because breast cancer is something that has severely impacted my
family and close friends of my family.
What I know:
Not all cancer cases are caused by environmental defects.
Germline mutation genes increase a woman's risk of developing hereditary breast or
ovarian cancers.
Gene changes that start in a single cell over the course of a person's life cause most
cancers.
Only a small portion of all cancers are inherited.
Inherited genetic mutations play a major role in about 5 to 10 percent of all cancers.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Questions:

How can I determine if I have genetic mutations that will increase my chance of getting
cancer?
What are the small portion of cancers that can be inherited?
What is genetic counseling and testing? And how does it work?
What are BRCA1 and BRCA2?
What do the test results mean if they are positive?
Can I still get tested for genetics if I already have cancer?
What are the benefits and drawbacks of genetic testing?
When should I get tested? (Age)
How soon should I get a mammogram?
Could a negative test result become positive later on in life?
What could possibly cause this?