Amanda Stucke plans to pursue a career as a physical Therapist for dancers and athletes, a path that would combine her keen scientific curiosity, love of dance, and genuine interest in helping others. In addition to this primary interest Amanda's other scientific interests are often driven by her desire to learn more about the unknown. While participating in JASON’s Disappearing Wetlands curriculum in the 8th grade, Amanda remembers finding organisms that didn’t seem to fit in the wetlands environment, and hypothesized how they could have been found there. Participating as a Student Argonaut in Monster Storms has allowed Amanda to continue to feed her scientific curiosity, while meeting “best friends” in the process.
In addition to her passion for science, Amanda is equally interested in mentoring fellow students. She currently serves as a host for 8th-grade students who visit her school to experience a day of what high school is really like. Writes teacher Margaret Franklin-Martin, “Amanda is an outstanding public speaker, using her communication expertise to share her knowledge of our place-based science site, Furnberg Park, with the younger students of our school.”
Amanda is a member of her school’s track and field team, attends hip-hop dance classes, and generally looks forward to physical activity as a way of relieving herself of stress and worries! Amanda also has served as a regular volunteer at her church and as a children’s catechist for her local parish.
In her own words:
On her Monster Storms Argonaut experience:I have had so many great experiences, made so many great friends, and I’ve learned a lot too! I do not think I’m the same person I was before this JASON experience. I gained so much knowledge and my passion for science has really been awakened more than I thought possible. So the moral of the story, as cheesy as it sounds, is never underestimate yourself. I really doubted I would even have the chance to become an Argonaut, but here I am! So follow your passions and never give up.
On watching clips of Tim Samaras’ videos:
I think one of my most memorable moments, from all those videos he showed us, was of tornadoes going through the different towns and all the debris. It really kind of hit home with me, and it was kind of emotional. But it was a good experience for me to see. I’ve never seen tornadoes like that.
On finding answers to tough questions:
What I find most interesting about how humans have evolved is so many people, including me, have theories and ideas that seem very realistic and rational. Yet in my lifetime, I may never know the right answer. But the whole point of science, and what makes it so enjoyable, is being able to make educated guesses. There is an answer to how people really evolved; it’s just a matter of finding it. I hope I am able to be a part of that process.
On meeting the other Argonauts:
Today was crazy! The first thing that happened was that I got off the plane and met John Hartman, one of our Teacher Argonauts. We walked over to most of the team, who were all lying on the floor of the airport playing scrabble. We then took our vans to the dorms, got acquainted with our roommates, and dropped off our luggage. We then went right outside to play Frisbee. It was really fun to meet everyone while playing Frisbee, because everyone’s competitive nature came out. It was so cool, because I was already making friends!