Lisa Carpenter

University of Michigan Ann Arbor
lcarpen@umich.edu;

Academic Background:
My secondary education took place at Forest Hills Central High School, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Given my proficiency in math and science, I decided that biomedical engineering would be a good career choice. I was accepted to the University of Michigan College of Engineering. However, before I started school, I developed a passion for film and planned to major in English instead, while pursuing a film career “on the side.” After a year of taking English and distribution requirement classes, I realized that I wasn’t learning anything that I couldn’t learn on my own; thus I became a physics and mathematics major. I have studied physics and math for two years now .

Science Interests:
I am the type of person who has to know how things “work.”
Without an understanding of physics, there is only so much one can understand about the universe.
That being said, I am using my undergraduate studies as an opportunity to learn as much as I can about physics and math.
I am currently in the midst of deciding whether to pursue a career in research or secondary education.
I am continually amazed with every topic in physics, which makes it difficult to choose an “area of interest.”
I am hoping that upper level classes will help me decide which route to take.
 

Other Interests:
When I am not struggling with homework sets or studying for exams, I try to find time for an ever-growing list of hobbies. I climb, run, mountain bike, road bike, swim, backpack, hike, write screen plays, read, kayak, play racquetball, dogsled, cook, and more. I work part time at a coffee shop and also am a student manager and trip leader for Outdoor Adventures, an outdoor recreation program at my school.
Social interests include teaching people how to explore the wilderness while respecting it as well.
I aim to help educate the public about low/no-impact hiking and preserving the environment.

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