Mayim Bialik – who has her PhD in neuroscience from UCLA – is out doing publicity for the release of the second season of her show “Blossom.” Even though she’s made some tremendous accomplishments academically and scientifically (how many celebrities can say that?), Mayim says she’s actually trying to get back into acting. She just had her second son, and notes that she’s auditioning now in hopes of landing a new role.

ET: When you look back at “Blossom,” in hindsight was it a good thing for you personally?
Mayim Bialik: Yes. Every experience we have makes us the person that we are. I would be a completely different person with a completely different set of neuroses if I hadn’t been on television. I think ultimately it was a very positive experience. I loved going to work. I worked with some incredible people, I got to travel all over the world doing publicity and I had a very exciting life that I definitely would not have had otherwise.

ET: So many child stars end up having problems with drugs or alcohol. Why do you think you didn’t?
Mayim: Really strict parents. My parents were very down-to-earth and I think it was important to them that I still be a normal person and have chores, responsibilities, curfew and all that stuff. I came from an immigrant background, so I think it is part of how I was raised no matter what. Some kids who aren’t in movies or on television get into drugs. For me, it was my family. My grandparents got on boats from Eastern Europe so we could have a better life and going to college was it — no matter what.

ET: Are you going to work in science to follow up your degree, or are you interested in acting again?
Mayim: I finished my degree last year, and I worked with a specific syndrome of mental retardation. I have done some writing for a couple of organizations that raise funds for research, but I just had my second child [both boys] and I am actually auditioning and sticking a toe back into the industry. I am very happy I got my degree and I worked very hard on my theses, but in terms of having kids and the family life we have, academia right now is not where I can go.

[From Entertainment Tonight]

Acting probably offers a lot of flexibility that would be nice when you’ve got two young kids at home. Mayim is so smart, and it’d be nice to see someone with such a level head back in Hollywood.

Mayim says that her favorite episode was the one where they did a takeoff on Madonna’s “Truth or Dare” documentary. My favorite was the one where she imagined “The Cosby Show’s” Phylicia Rashad was her mother and was explaining a woman’s reproductive system by drawing it out using frosting and a sheet cake. Far, far too few girls learn about fallopian tubes that way. It’s so much better than the little pamphlet that was handed to me by my fifth grade teacher.

Here’s Mayim at the “Live for Sderot” Benefit Concert at the Wilshire Theater in Beverly Hills on February 26th. Images thanks to PR Photos.