Geek of the Week: Anna Bond

Some geeks are obsessed and fascinated by their studies, and some have watched Star Wars countless times. Anna Bond is both. In her third year at Mines, she seems to have found true geophysical happiness as classes have grown more interesting for her, fulfilling some curiosity that has been in her heart from a young age. Between leadership meetings for the Alpha Phi sorority and deriving the telegrapher’s equation for a magnetic field, The Oredigger caught up with Anna to talk about her geekiness that may not be well-known.

[Oredigger]: Why did you decide to come to Mines?

[Bond]: I knew I wanted to do Geophysical Engineering and first of all, Mines is like the only school that has that. And I went to visit the University of Montana and Mines the same weekend, and those were really the only two schools I was deciding between. And Montana just really sucked, so…[laughs]. But yeah, the faculty really won me over during Discover Mines that I went to. They were awesome and I fell in love with Terry [Young, Geophysics Dept. Head] instantly. Mines is such an incredible school. My dad is a lawyer but represents a lot of engineers, and so one company, actually the company I interned for after freshman year, when I was growing up he would bring me home the newsletters in Geophysics since I was like four, and I was like, ‘I don’t know what this is, but it is so cool and it’s what I want to do with my life.” And I would be in my room when I was like eight reading these technical newsletters about Geophysics.

What is your favorite thing about Geophysics now?

I mean, there’s a lot of things, I’m obsessed with everything about it. So, there’s that. But on kind of like a enjoyment level, I love all the people in our class. Like, everyone in our grade is so fun. We’re all like really social and fun and outgoing and we work really well together. And then, academically, I just get way too nerdy about it. I think everything is so cool. I love that you can use physics and theoretical backgrounds to apply it to figure out what’s underneath you. That’s the most fascinating concept ever. I find all the topics so interesting that it doesn’t feel like I’m in engineering school, it doesn’t feel like we’re doing this really academically rigorous program, even though we are, because the faculty and all the subject matter is so interesting.

Favorite class/professor so far?

Oh my gosh…I literally love every class. Last semester was so funny, when everyone was all, “I hate Dynamic Fields!”, I was sitting over here thinking, “I like this class…” [laughs]. Obviously Terry [Young] is like, my complete mentor and I just like worship him, but other than him…I love Andrei Swidinsky. I think he does a really great job because he’s closer to the learning curve to us, that he really understands how to teach us. And obviously Roel [Snieder]…he totally just rules. I really appreciate how he really cares about the teaching and the manner of how he delivers it to us. As for subjects…like, I could tell you about the classes I don’t like [laughs]. [In Electrical Methods (GP303)], I almost got electrocuted. And the TA was just like, “DON’T TOUCH THAT ANNA!” It was bad.

As a Junior, what are you thinking for life plans after Mines?

Well I think I’m going to go to graduate school and get a master’s in Geophysics, and then my parents want me to get a master’s in business as well, because this is a direct quote from my dad: “If you’re going to be CEO of Exxon someday, you’re going to get an MBA”. [Laughs.] I was like, “I like your thinking, dad.” But then eventually, I would obviously love to have an incredible career. But then I’m also very family-oriented and I think it’s really important to have a family.

And then, I don’t know, I have this thought in my head how I want to really start some sort of program to immerse girls into science. And obviously there’s programs like that, but I think that there’s so much that could be done with it. Two or three times now that I’ve gone home for break, I’ve given lectures at my high school about girls going into engineering, because nobody does it, and in high school I was really involved in clubs and activities, so they all know who I am, which obviously helps so it’s not like some random person going, “Be an engineer!”. So some sort of program would be really cool to start at some point as well.
But I want to do everything.

Do you align yourself more with the Star Wars or Star Trek Universe, or…?

I had an older brother growing up, and he wasn’t um, as academically nerdy as I am, but I think all boys are pretty nerdy in general, even if they don’t admit it. So pretty much every afternoon when I would come home from school, he would make me watch Star Trek with him, and obviously Star Wars too…I could name every character. One time, I was somewhere freshman year here, and somebody didn’t believe that I went to Mines, so I was all, “Okay, I will list ten characters from Lord of the Rings because I go to Mines and that’s how nerdy I am,” and then I did and they were like, “Okay, you go to Mines.” Which was pretty funny. But yeah…I’m secretly into all that.

What’s your favorite fictional universe then?

Hmm. I don’t know, I mean, I didn’t really get into Star Trek because Spock, with the funny haircut and the ears–I just couldn’t deal with that. That was not my thing. I did see the movie, which was okay. Uhh, I kind of like Star Wars because of Anakin…. And oh my gosh, I wanted to be Princess Leia so bad. I would make my mom do my hair and I would wear a bedsheet over me, and would have the robe tie at the waist. And I had a really great pink Power Ranger outfit that I would wear on the daily growing up. Those were probably my top choices.

What do you do outside of academics?

I’m in Alpha Phi, and…I don’t know…I think the most valuable thing that I’m active in with Greek life is the leadership in it, so I’ve been on the executive board every year that I’ve been in the house, and I’ve been like two different vice president positions, and this year I got involved in Panhellenic Council, which is the committee of the three sororities, which is more interesting because you get to know more people that you wouldn’t normally hang out with. Then, believe it or not, I am vice president of the Fly Fishing Club, and I’ve honestly been fly fishing only a couple times, but I’m starting to get into it. I think it’s really fun.

What would be some advice you would give to younger students?

Definitely study hard from the get-go. Your first couple of semesters really set the foundation how you’re going to do. But you can definitely do better and better. I don’t know, I just kind of have the mentality of if I can do it, anyone can do it. I think the key to succeeding here is just finding something you’re interested in. And I think the other thing people need to do is just do stuff besides school. I make sure I have time for a lot of fun activities.

Do you have a favorite quote?

Not really, probably just Ke$ha: “The party don’t start ’til I walk in.”

Favorite superhero?

I’d probably have to say Wonder Woman because I want to be Wonder Woman and do everything. If I could look that good in an outfit like that, that would be cool too.

Favorite equation?

The telegrapher’s equation. Is there any other?