Tell us a little about yourself and your family, Jean.

My family is my husband of 20 years, Randy. He's an engineer and IEEE member also (just think, we get two copies of Spectrum every month). We met on the job. I knew he had potential when he took me to a play on our first date, and we talked about arts and current events — not work or the stereo he built.

What's the best thing about living in Texas?

If you can ask this question, you're obviously not a Texan. A lot of it is the mystique and the legend — I grew up in San Antonio in the shadow of the Alamo, with stories of Sam Houston and Davy Crockett. And, now I live in "Cow Town" near the terminus of the Chisholm Trail. Of course, it goes without saying: "Everything's big in Texas."

In spring, the wildflowers begin blooming — in particular the bluebonnet, our state flower. And then, roadsides and hillsides are covered in a sea of blue dotted with crimson, scarlet, gold and pink. The wildflowers here are like the leaves turning in New England — a very big thing. Lady Bird Johnson started a huge wildflower research center about 20 years ago, near the Johnsons' home in central Texas.

And Texas has a little bit of everything: large cities and desolate deserts; mountains, plains, sea shore, forests and swamps; mild winters and hot summers, with an occasional flash flood, ice storm, tornado or hurricane. But, as they say, if you don't like the weather, just wait a few hours — it'll change. One thing Texas doesn't have is a state income tax (yeah!).

Did you always want to be an engineer? If not, what did you want to be when you grew up?

No, engineering was something I got into after I started college. Of course, girls didn't really have engineering presented as a career choice 30 years ago, when I graduated high school. Let's face it — engineering isn't even really high on most women's career list today.

Science was always my favorite course, and I guess I am something of a tinkerer. I definitely enjoy solving challenging problems. I remember years ago my father bought me a specialized drill bit for a project I was working on. But he couldn't just give me the bit — he also bought me a bottle of perfume. He said he wanted me to know that he realized I was a girl.

I started college with a computer science major, but I quickly switched to electrical engineering. I realized early on that I wanted to know more about computers than just how to program them. I have a bachelor's and master's degree in electrical engineering, and an MBA.

What misconceptions do people have about engineers?

When I was in undergraduate school, an older gentleman responded to my comment that I was majoring in engineering with: "My son is in engineering. He says all the girls in his classes look like linebackers. You don't look like a linebacker, though." What a back-handed compliment!

What is your idea of "perfect happiness"?

Perfect — it's one of those absolutes that is impossible to achieve. I hope when I'm on my deathbed, I can look back on my life and say that I did the best I could for myself, my family and friends, and society. In the meantime, I guess that happiness is good friends, good conversation, good food and good wine.

What is your most distinctive characteristic?

My hair. People are constantly telling me they saw me someplace or another — that they recognized my hair from across a crowded auditorium. I'm going to cut it off one day and go completely incognito.

What is your favorite journey?

One of the more memorable ones is when I was young. My parents piled everyone (six of us) in the car and took off on family vacations. We went to the Grand Canyon one year, and got there about 6 p.m. I remember my brothers immediately running to the edge of the viewing platform and hanging over the rail. It was too much for my acrophobic father, so that night at dinner he suggested we move on to Yellowstone. And we took off the next morning.

More recently, we have joined a group of friends in tours of Italy. One among us was born and raised in Tuscany, so he arranges wine and food tasting tours. They are incredible! Each day usually includes winery tours, sightseeing or shopping, and two amazing multi-course meals. The local, family-owned trattorias seem to compete with each other to show us the best of the local cuisine. After a day or two, you swear you'll never eat again. But then, the waiter will bring out some unbelievable pasta — and you just have to try it…

Who are your favorite writers?

I'm a voracious reader — mostly for pleasure. I have a lot of favorites, and it kind of depends on my mood as to which I choose as my current indulgence. Right now, I'm reading Mort Rosenblum's Chocolate: a Bittersweet Tale of Dark and Light; Tami Hoag's Kill the Messenger; and Dale Carnegie's How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.

What is your motto?

I love to cook, and I've become quite good at it. It actually helps me wind down after a long day, and I look forward to weekends when I can indulge myself with longer, more complicated preparations. One of the downsides, though, is that we don't go out to eat very often (since I can put together a better meal than many restaurants). I make a great roast chicken, and a killer osso buco. And, at Christmas, I go a little crazy with candy making: truffles, toffee and dipped chocolates.

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