Groundbreaking research in the controversial field of behavioral
genetics suggests that the factors leading an individual to
pursue any occupation, including engineering, cannot be
explained as a simple tug of war between "nature" and "nurture."
The researchers are finding that vocational interests are
primarily the products of genetics and unique, or nonshared,
environmental factors, with shared family experiences holding
less sway. The research may indicate why some individuals are
predisposed to careers in engineering. It might also explain the
high occurrence of autism in the families of engineers. Wendy
Johnson, postdoctoral research fellow at the University of
Minnesota, is in the vanguard of the research. She and her
colleagues are using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
to reveal the relative placement and volume of gray matter in
the brain. They are also using the technique to determine to
what degree the brain is influenced by genetic vs. environmental
factors. The research into gray matte