How to Succeed at Science—and at Life
Dean of the School of Engineering at Stanford University, Persis Drell previously headed the National Accelerator Laboratory there and oversaw cutting-edge research with the world’s most powerful x-ray free-electron laser.
After four years at an all-women’s college, the first year I went to Berkeley for physics grad school, I was the only woman in my class. What I remember most vividly was being in classrooms with 45 to 50 others and being the only woman. I didn’t raise my hand to ask questions, because if one of the guys asked a stupid question, no one would remember five minutes later, but if I asked a stupid question, everyone would. I got over that, but it left a memory of what that felt like.
In general, at the graduate level the U.S. is doing rather well. The students in the great research universities today are incredible: No one has ever told them
