Accueil Ma bibliothèque MEGA SALE Pocketmags Puzzles Mon compte Pocketmags Plus+ Titre A-Z Catégorie A-Z Dernières offres Chèques-cadeaux Activer un abonnement Aide et soutien
FR
0 Panier
Connexion Plus+
MEILLEURS VENDEURS OFFRES Loisirs et artisanat Aviation et transports Loisirs Intérêt général Sport
France  

PARAMÈTRES DU SITE

LIGHT SOMBRE
Catégories
Art et photographie Art Design Architecture Photographie Aviation et transports Motos Aviation Automobile Rail Famille et foyer Enfants Les parents Animaux domestiques Alimentation BRICOLAGE Aménagement paysager et jardinage Propriété Décoration intérieure et maison Nourriture et boisson Cuisine et pâtisserie Boire Vegetarian & Vegan Sans gluten et régimes spéciaux Intérêt général Histoire et faits Astronomie Éducation et littérature Spirituel & Religion Commerce et professions libérales National et régional Livres Actualités et affaires courantes Santé et forme physique Médical Running Santé des femmes Santé des hommes Régime alimentaire Spiritualité et bien-être Loisirs et artisanat Collectionner Modélisme radio-commandé Modélisme militaire et à l'échelle Couture et tricotage Travail du bois Arts et artisanat Intérêt pour les loisirs Voyage Navigation de plaisance et yachting Poker et jeux d'argent Caravanes et camping-cars Camping et plein air Télévision et cinéma Tattoo Équitation Faune sauvage Intérêt pour les hommes Mode de vie Gay Télévision et cinéma Fitness pour hommes Motos Automobile Football Pêche et pêche à la ligne Gaming Gadgets Newspapers Tous Musique Classique Heavy Metal Autre Rock Pop Pratique et ludique Hi-Fi Sport Football Cyclisme Rugby Cricket et golf Programmes de football Pêche et pêche à la ligne Tir et tir à l'arc Boxe et arts martiaux Équitation Autre Sports nautiques et planche à voile Athlétisme et course à pied Sport automobile Ski et sports d'hiver Plein air et aventure Technologie et jeux Apple Gaming Internet Gadgets PC Mobile Commerce et professions libérales Argent et investissements Bâtiment et architecture Militaire et défense Éducation Médias Nouvelles du commerce de détail Agriculture et élevage Restauration Entreprise Transport Politique Voyage Intérêt des femmes Cheveux Célébrités Mariages et jeunes mariés Mode et style de vie Alimentation saine et minceur Fitness
France  
Abonnement numérique >  Blog > JACK ANDRAKA
  
Vous consultez actuellement le France version du site.
Voulez-vous passer à votre site local ?
< Retour à Blogs

JACK ANDRAKA

JACK ANDRAKA

Affiché jeudi 27 août 2015 His scientific research has helped save the lives of millions of cancer patients – and he’s still only 18-years-old. When it comes to celebrating heroes, we can’t think of anyone more worthy than gay scientist Jack Andraka

“I see someone’s success As not measured in their fame and fortune, but rather how many lives they positively impacted. That’s what I’m really aiming for here.” Jack Andraka’s journey has barely begun, but he’s already changing the world for the better.

Aged just 18, Jack has received a number of honours for his prominence as an openly gay scientist; placing on both the Out100 and The Advocate’s 40 Under 40 lists. Jack has also been granted a National Geographic Emerging Explorer award, giving him funding for his research, which currently involves exploring the uses of nanorobotics in the treatment of cancers. All this has been going on while Jack races to finish the last of his high school work, before starting university.

“It can be stressful sometimes,” he admits. “I’m still learning time management, so sometimes I’ll procrastinate.” Having revolutionised the detection of pancreatic cancer – which could potentially saving thousands of lives – by his 15th birthday, we don’t think procrastination is something Jack has to worry about.
When a close family friend died of pancreatic cancer, Jack sought to improve the diagnosis procedure for the disease. Before he stepped in, 85% of pancreatic cancer diagnoses occurred when the patient had a 2% chance of survival. His research led him to the discovery of a new test that is almost 100% accurate and can detect the disease much earlier – when the patient has much higher odds of surviving.
He gave his results at a TED talk in 2013, when he was 15-years-old. The one thing Jack wants people to know about him is that he’s faced resistance. “I wasn’t just this superhuman person who got immediately accepted into a lab. I did get rejections, and some of them were pretty harsh, and not everyone believed in me at first.” This is something that he reveals in his book Breakthrough, which he co-wrote with Matthew Lysiak. “I’m here to show that you’ll go through hardship like I went through – I got knocked down a lot of times – but you can still go out there and succeed.”

Jack’s personal hardship relates to his public coming out at age 13. His school career was tainted by homophobic bullying from students and teachers alike. Jack admits: “My teachers would publicly humiliate me and my classmates would laugh about it.” Some five years later, things have turned around for Jack. He begins his studies at Stanford University in the autumn with an extensive group of friends. “I already know a bunch of people going in. I’m going in with at least 30 friends, so it’ll be super fun.”

However, Jack’s previous feelings of ostracisation could resurface if he continues in the scientific world. As an openly gay scientist, he’s a member of an alarmingly small group. Jack is one of only three scientists included on the 2013 OUT 100 list, and the only other gay scientist he knows by name is Alan Turing. Jack recalls attending science competitions where entrants from other countries would nonchalantly tell him that gay people face execution in their homelands.

“In terms of visibility of the gay community, it’s next to none in my opinion,” he comments. For Jack, increased LGBT visibility in the sciences should come from both within the community and beyond. All too often, Jack feels like the LGBT community “doesn’t really highlight” out scientists. “The first step to that is having the LGBT community promote the members who are in the science community.”
He also exposes the role that the media plays in shaping perceptions of important LGBT figures. “There are a lot of stereotypes that are perpetuated by media about the LGBT community, where typically those LGBT people who’re in the media are either an actor or fashion designer or things like that.” In his own experience, Jack feels that the media have glossed over his sexuality: “I feel that they kind of washed out [the gay] aspect of me, but I’m glad for the media exposure.” Nevertheless, Jack insists that he doesn’t consider his sexuality to be important in his scientific career: “I see myself as a scientist first – and then gay.”

In order to change the way young people – both gay and straight – view the sciences, Jack feels strongly about reforming the way schools teach STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics]. “We teach science as this very cold, hard discipline that’s only facts and theories,” he argues. “It’s kind of like a bulimic learning model, where we try and cram as much information down kids’ throats as possible to have them puke it up on a test and then forget.” Jack’s suggestion to revolutionise STEM education is for the children to put down the textbooks and “get their hands dirty” by engaging in more hands-on exploration of the world around us.

For a young man whose own exploration has already changed our world, Jack is continuing to push himself as he begins the next phase of his career at university. Where does he see himself in ten years? “Probably graduating from med school. I want to become an oncologist or a pathologist.”

We have no doubt that with everything Jack has already achieved, he’ll continue to push boundaries in the vanguard of LGBT scientists. We look forward to the journey.

Jack’s book Breakthrough: How One Teen Innovator is Changing the World is out now, scribepublications.co.uk, jackandraka.com, @jackandraka

Image: Mark Tucker

Articles les plus lus ce mois-ci


Live Forever: Oasis Are Back - And These Must-Read Magazines Will Take You There

Live Forever: Oasis Are Back - And These Must-Read Magazines Will Take You There

After years of speculation, it’s finally happening - Oasis are back for a 2025 reunion tour that’s sending shockwaves through the music world. Plus...

Panier -

Votre panier est actuellement vide.
Poursuivre les achats
Ou bien, lisez simplement €1.09 avec
Pocketmags Plus
Vous pouvez en profiter :
Le numéro dans votre panier
Accès instantané à plus de 600 titres
Des milliers d'anciens numéros
30 jours pour seulement 1,09 €.
Mise à niveau pour €1.09
30 jours d'accès, puis seulement €11,99 / mois. Résiliation à tout moment. Nouveaux abonnés uniquement.

En savoir plus
View Issues
View Issues
Chat
X
Support Pocketmags