Scientist to science teacher

Over 18 years, Nancy Olenchek was the aerospace coordinator for Rust-Oleum in Midland, Mich., before joining Harcros Pigments, where she was involved in joint ventures with the Chinese in the manufacture and exportation of iron oxide pigments.

Then, three years ago, this independent single mom made life-changing and career-changing decisions.

Wanting to re-unite her family, she and her two younger children packed up and moved 756 miles from Midland, Mich., to Chattanooga, where her two older sons are boarding students at McCallie School.

She first took a job with a pharmaceutical company, then decided to follow her heart's calling and become a teacher. She enrolled in UTC's Teacher Preparation Academy.

"I always wanted to be a teacher," Mrs. Olenchek said. "When I was younger, my sister and I made up a fake boarding school called Susan B. Anthony School. We even composed a school song. However, since I did well in science and math throughout elementary and high school, I was steered toward science and math careers."

Ms. Olenchek is a founding faculty member of Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy, where she teaches earth science to sixth graders and physical science to ninth-graders.

"The thing that really hooks her students is that because she was in the science field, she is able to translate lab experiences to make connections with the world of science today," said Julie Davidson, CGLA dean of faculty.

Ms. Davidson said the teacher isn't shy about trying creative ways to engage her students.

"She might illustrate a chemical equation through dance and body movement. She plays verbal word games with the girls, such as mnemonics, to help them remember things. The girls are always doing something from the moment they walk in until they walk out the door still chatting about what they discovered."

Q: How did you begin your career as a scientist at Rust-Oleum Corp.?

I started right after college graduation in 1989 as a bench chemist. I did quite a bit of formulation on high-solid epoxy urethane coatings on the industrial side.

I moved from that into a technical service position working as a liaison with users, writing architectural and industrial specifications. In that role I became aerospace coordinator with the solid rocket booster program and also worked with the Titan 4 missile program and other military specification programs.

A Rust-Oleum epoxy coating was used on the solid rocket boosters of the Space Shuttles.

Q: What did you do with Harcros in addition to serving as a liaison with the Chinese?

I worked with pigments for many different applications: pigments in American currency; the pigment that controls the reaction of solid rocket fuel and controls the reaction speed of an airbag, the pigment responsible for making video and copy machines work.

I also traveled around the world training concrete chemists and coating chemists, instructing them on how to formulate their products using Harcros pigments.

Q. What's been the most rewarding part of your new job at CGLA?

In August, I got my first "You're-my-favorite-teacher" drawing.

In December, I coached 10 sixth-grade girls on the Lego Robotics team. I will never forget their faces when they won two trophies at the state meet. They still talk about it.