By NATALIE SACKET
Staff Reporter
Science is an ever-changing domain that strives to uncover the mysteries of this world, and those who immerse themselves in science attempt beyond all restraints to solve such mysteries.
One such person is Jennifer Sattler. Sattler, assistant professor of physical science, has devoted her life to the field of science and is sharing her passionate love of this universe with the rest of the NWOSU campus.
Science captured Sattler’s heart at a young age. Growing up in Minot, N.D., Sattler had a front row seat to the greatest views this world has to offer.
“When I was extremely little, my grandma would take us out at night to look at the stars and the Northern Lights. I was around two the first time. The earliest memory I have is my grandma waking us up in the middle of the night. I was still in pajamas with feet. They were the most vivid northern lights I’ve ever seen.”
Despite Sattler’s interest in astronomy, her scientific pursuits were not wide-ranging before college.
“I didn’t think I was ever going to be a scientist.”
In fact, Sattler began college as an occupational therapy major.
“I realized I wasn’t challenged enough, so two years in I said that’s it, I’m changing. I switched to physics. I had never taken a physics class. Some people think that’s probably why I actually stuck with it.”
Sattler furthered her education in the scientific field, earning a bachelor’s in physics and a master’s in physics at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. She went on to complete a second master’s in medical physics and a doctorate in biomedical physics at East Carolina University.
Beyond gaining an education, Sattler pursued other ways to reach out through the field of science.
“I went to the elementary schools and did certain things to get them interested in science like dropping roses in liquid nitrogen. I also started teaching labs as an undergrad.”
Sattler’s Ph.D. research is proof in itself that science is an unpredictable field.
“I didn’t prove my hypothesis, but I did find something else that was a lot more interesting to me, just for the pure fact that it has clinical applications.
“My research was in regards to natural protectors from radiation – basically, food you could eat in case you were exposed to a nuclear accident. I was looking at natural protectors from radiation, but what I found was that the food I was looking at actually inhibited growth on prostate cancer cells, but not as much on normal prostate cells. If you could eat a food to inhibit prostate cancer cells from growth, in conjunction with other treatments, maybe it would lead to better treatments.”
While Sattler enjoyed research, she wanted to begin spreading her love of science through education. That led her to NWOSU.
“I wanted to come to a smaller school where the focus was on teaching. I also liked the outreach that this university did. Honestly I didn’t think I would be a great teacher or even a good teacher until I worked at Amazon.com, and I had to teach the ‘unteachable people.’ People started pointing out that maybe I should be teaching. I think I finally realized when I was working at Amazon that this is something I could do. I fell in love with teaching.”
Sattler is currently teaching radiation biology, general astronomy and algebra-based physics I at NWOSU. She is also working with outreach programs such as robotics and the science fair.
No matter what the program, Sattler’s mission is consistent.
“Science is fun. I think that people get that mindset that they can’t learn it because it’s just not them, but anyone can.”