Syd Slouka, Mine Ventilation Engineer
"Instead of asking kids what they want to be when they grow up, we should ask who they want to be when they grow up. I knew I wanted to be creative, kind, and adventurous when I grew up, so I’ve been drawn to professions that allow me to be that person. Right now, I am a mine ventilation engineer for an underground gold, silver, and iron mine. My work is meaningful because it gives me a job where I can be myself and who I want to be. Each day I am a creative problem solver, as I develop new models for airflow patterns through the progressing mine. Each day I am kind, as my overarching goal is to keep the air safe for workers. Each day I am adventurous, traveling to different areas of the mine to take airflow velocity, gas, particulate, and psychrometric readings. In the end, with our purpose to provide a safe breathing environment for our workers, I go to bed each night knowing that I made the world a more beautiful place."