In fact, Yang's presence here is a testament to the reputation this NDSU department holds. She came to this lab from a postdoctoral position at the University of Wales in Cardiff. Not to put too fine a point on the gender issue, but there are few female role models in chemistry or polymers and coatings. And there are stereotypes that assume scientists are, by and large, male people. When these women travel to present their research findings, as they did recently at NASA, for example, tourists and scientists alike are shocked to meet them.
Scientists assume they've just barely escaped from a snowstorm.
Even though people often assume that because they're female they're training to be high school chemistry teachers, this group exhibits much more enjoyment at breaking such barriers than annoyance, save one comment. The various stints of the four women are about to come to a close. Graduations and contract completions are looming in May, but they will keep in touch, both as future leaders in the study of corrosion as well as friends.