Professor
writes series of inspirational books
By Jack Schneider
On-line Forty-Niner
Studying
bugs and insects may not be an area most
women typically want to go into, but Dessie
Underwood and Judith Cohen want to show
women it can be a fun and interesting career
choice.
 Underwood,
who teaches entomology at Cal State Long
Beach, is opening doors for women interested
in studying bugs and insects with her latest
book, "You Can Be A Woman Entomologist."
 Underwood's
book is one of 14 in the "You Can Be
A Woman" series created by artist David
Katz and Cohen, who is a professional engineer.
The
books are designed to teach young women
about possible career choices in the areas
of science and sports.
Cohen
said that the books also teach readers about
the scientific method and what they should
know about each profession.
"It's
a whole series of books [in which the] objective
is to offer examples [of] potential things
they can be when they grow up," Underwood
said.
Other
books in the series have included being
a woman zoologist and engineer.
Each
book contains three parts: the person's
story, the story of that science and encouraging
girls to get a look at being in that certain
profession, said Cohen.
Cohen
said she wants to offer possible choices
for what a young girl could do in life.
"The
basic thing is to put that picture in a
child's head of what they could be doing
as a career," Cohen said.
The
idea for the book began a year and a half
ago when Katz and Cohen were looking for
an entomologist to contribute to the series.
Underwood's
legacy goes back to Fresno, being the only
one in her family to attend college at Fresno
Sate University with a bachelor's degree
in biological sciences.
"I
got interested in the interaction between
animals and plants," Underwood said.
Underwood
said that it's important for young girls
to have a role model, helping them make
decisions on what sciences to take.
"I
think that at least if they have women scientists
in their lives, they'll stay in the program,"
Underwood said. "Young people need
to be encouraged, especially when they have
an interest in science."
Katz
used a program for the illustrations in
the book, called Painter, in which the paintings
were designed like water-colors.
Cohen
said it is important for pictures to be
in the book, being that it is both appealing
and informative for the readers.
"It
is very helpful getting the books with pictures,"
Cohen said. "It also helps with
classification such as the structure of
a beetle."
Underwood
is working with the department of science
education in teaching young students the
importance of insects in society.
"I
want to develop a series of teaching workshops
with K-12 students," Underwood said.
"[Insects] are really nice little critters,
but most students don't know anything about
them."
Katz
said that Underwood had much to say on teaching
young women this career choice.
"I
think she is a committed communicator teacher
who is on the cutting edge of entomology
way ahead," Katz said.
Students
can find information on the books at cascadepress.com.
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