What are your first impressions of Carleton's new president?
Seems like a bit less of an academic than Oden (actually, not a whole lot of academic papers et cetera on his CV). I'm willing to bet he speaks at least 8 fewer languages than Oden.
But it looks like he's got a lot of administrative experience and was extremely effective. And it seems the committee was impressed with his personal demeanor throughout the entire process.
Did any of you current Carls see him speak or anything during the selection process? I'm curious to hear what you think.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
P-P-P-PLASMA
I haven't had a REAL post since early January. Not too much has changed in my life since then, but still, news is news.
The biggest news is that I chose my thesis advisor! HOLY CRAP LIFE DECISIONS. This is basically the biggest decision I've made since choosing to be a physics major. And I think it was a far more difficult decision to make. All fall semester I met with professors. I started out looking at research groups that worked with carbon nanotubes, graphene, nanoparticle science, and just generic nanotechnology. The research was interesting and the professors were great advisors, but I couldn't see myself working in those fields for the rest of my life..not to mention some of them didn't have funding. I started to branch out a bit and looked in the bioengineering department. It is important to consider here that I didn't take a single biology course in college. Needless to say, meeting with those professors was awkward because they would talk about weird shit like chondrocytes. I didn't even know what a protein was (its a sequence of amino acids)! So I met with them and they loved the fact that I was a physics major and I'm pretty sure they assumed that I could easily learn (memorize) all the biology I needed to. At this point I was determined to work in the bioengineering department because I really liked the idea of my research helping to improve people's lives and health. Unfortunately, the two professors whose research interested me most did not have funding so I couldn't join their group. I was very close to working with one of them to apply for a fellowship, but we stopped because we didn't think we would have enough time to complete it. This was all last semester.
Then, one day about a month ago, I got an email from a professor who had taught a course I took the previous semester. He studies plasma-surface interactions. His email basically said, "(obligatory hello sentence). If you haven't found an advisor, I have a very exciting research project I'd like to discuss with you." I was intrigued. How exciting could it be? I had nothing to lose, so I met with him. Turns out that his new project was about how plasmas interact with biological surfaces! It was a great combination of amazing science combined with the ability to increase public health! The best part is that the groundwork for this area has yet to be laid out. It would be so exciting to be a part of the foundation of a brand new field. I talked with his current graduate students and they all said that he was a very good advisor and that his lab has a great reputation in the plasma world. Also, it seems like I'll be learning a lot because I'll be getting into the nittygritty of how the equipment works; I won't just be turning giving my samples to a technician. In case you couldn't tell, I joined his lab and now I work in the Institute for Electronics and Applied Physics. I really like the two other grad students in the group. There are also two post-docs that I don't know well yet, but I'm going to be working closely with one of them and he doesn't speak english too well. What we'll be doing is creating a plasma at atmospheric instead of at low pressure. One thing we'll be working with has been called a plasma needle and it looks like a mini-lightsaber
Other than that, I've been just livin-n-shit. I went to a party with my sister and my friend Will in DC that was straight out of a movie. We parked the car and walked up to this loading dock where a big dude patted us down for weapons. The place was called "the warehouse loft" and when we walked in there was hardly any lighting and extremely loud music. At one point I was waiting in line to go to the bathroom and these people were taking forever so I started banging on the door. Then this guy and two girls come out and I was thinking to myself "wow, did that guy just have a threesome?" I was impressed until later on my friend told me that they were probably snorting coke. Sheesh! Anyway, my sister introduced me to her very attractive friend who had beaten final fantasy 13 before I did...such a rare breed of woman.
Last weekend I went to a party at a grad students house. It was the first time I had partied with the older graduate students. It was a shitload of fun. The two guys from my lab were there, and it was really nice to see them let loose. Perhaps the strangest part is how hard these grad students party (mostly physics majors I might add), but I guess it shouldn't be that weird to me considering the ocho had 3 physicists.
My brother has a new show that will be airing on USA. It's called Covert Affairs and stars the girl from Coyote Ugly who also happened to be the pink power ranger. I've seen the pilot and I think its pretty good. You can watch the trailer online. It's sort of like Alias...but I've never seen Alias so I don't know. I've just read the comparison.
For those who don't know, Liz is moving out here in late July. I'm really excited for that. The long distance thing is such a pain in the butt. I'm moving out of my current place on May 31st and moving back in with my parents for a couple months. I don't think it will be too bad. I already go back home once a weekend anyway. Plus I'll be saving a lot of money.
LATER ALL. No fun websites, hilarious videos, countdowns, or raps.
The biggest news is that I chose my thesis advisor! HOLY CRAP LIFE DECISIONS. This is basically the biggest decision I've made since choosing to be a physics major. And I think it was a far more difficult decision to make. All fall semester I met with professors. I started out looking at research groups that worked with carbon nanotubes, graphene, nanoparticle science, and just generic nanotechnology. The research was interesting and the professors were great advisors, but I couldn't see myself working in those fields for the rest of my life..not to mention some of them didn't have funding. I started to branch out a bit and looked in the bioengineering department. It is important to consider here that I didn't take a single biology course in college. Needless to say, meeting with those professors was awkward because they would talk about weird shit like chondrocytes. I didn't even know what a protein was (its a sequence of amino acids)! So I met with them and they loved the fact that I was a physics major and I'm pretty sure they assumed that I could easily learn (memorize) all the biology I needed to. At this point I was determined to work in the bioengineering department because I really liked the idea of my research helping to improve people's lives and health. Unfortunately, the two professors whose research interested me most did not have funding so I couldn't join their group. I was very close to working with one of them to apply for a fellowship, but we stopped because we didn't think we would have enough time to complete it. This was all last semester.
Then, one day about a month ago, I got an email from a professor who had taught a course I took the previous semester. He studies plasma-surface interactions. His email basically said, "(obligatory hello sentence). If you haven't found an advisor, I have a very exciting research project I'd like to discuss with you." I was intrigued. How exciting could it be? I had nothing to lose, so I met with him. Turns out that his new project was about how plasmas interact with biological surfaces! It was a great combination of amazing science combined with the ability to increase public health! The best part is that the groundwork for this area has yet to be laid out. It would be so exciting to be a part of the foundation of a brand new field. I talked with his current graduate students and they all said that he was a very good advisor and that his lab has a great reputation in the plasma world. Also, it seems like I'll be learning a lot because I'll be getting into the nittygritty of how the equipment works; I won't just be turning giving my samples to a technician. In case you couldn't tell, I joined his lab and now I work in the Institute for Electronics and Applied Physics. I really like the two other grad students in the group. There are also two post-docs that I don't know well yet, but I'm going to be working closely with one of them and he doesn't speak english too well. What we'll be doing is creating a plasma at atmospheric instead of at low pressure. One thing we'll be working with has been called a plasma needle and it looks like a mini-lightsaber
Other than that, I've been just livin-n-shit. I went to a party with my sister and my friend Will in DC that was straight out of a movie. We parked the car and walked up to this loading dock where a big dude patted us down for weapons. The place was called "the warehouse loft" and when we walked in there was hardly any lighting and extremely loud music. At one point I was waiting in line to go to the bathroom and these people were taking forever so I started banging on the door. Then this guy and two girls come out and I was thinking to myself "wow, did that guy just have a threesome?" I was impressed until later on my friend told me that they were probably snorting coke. Sheesh! Anyway, my sister introduced me to her very attractive friend who had beaten final fantasy 13 before I did...such a rare breed of woman.
Last weekend I went to a party at a grad students house. It was the first time I had partied with the older graduate students. It was a shitload of fun. The two guys from my lab were there, and it was really nice to see them let loose. Perhaps the strangest part is how hard these grad students party (mostly physics majors I might add), but I guess it shouldn't be that weird to me considering the ocho had 3 physicists.
My brother has a new show that will be airing on USA. It's called Covert Affairs and stars the girl from Coyote Ugly who also happened to be the pink power ranger. I've seen the pilot and I think its pretty good. You can watch the trailer online. It's sort of like Alias...but I've never seen Alias so I don't know. I've just read the comparison.
For those who don't know, Liz is moving out here in late July. I'm really excited for that. The long distance thing is such a pain in the butt. I'm moving out of my current place on May 31st and moving back in with my parents for a couple months. I don't think it will be too bad. I already go back home once a weekend anyway. Plus I'll be saving a lot of money.
LATER ALL. No fun websites, hilarious videos, countdowns, or raps.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Throw Caution to the Wind: Spring Term 2010
It's spring term! I thought I'd share some of the great times we've had so far here at Carleton and keep you guys in the loop of the fun that is soon to come.
Let me say that its been great so far. I have a little more work than last year's spring term, but that's also because I took BS classes (except for Harry's class). So one of my classes is a lot of reading ALONG with a big ongoing research paper (25-pages) that is supposed to get us into the comps-mindset. It blows. But hopefully my comps will come out of this paper, which would make my fall next year so much easier. The important thing to remember as I do work is to "Throw Caution to the Wind," which is what Alfredo, Anna and I decided is the theme for Spring Term 2010 (Although Anna rarely complies).
The Synchro Show was first weekend. It was the weekend after my birthday, so I personally was still emotionally, physically and mentally recovering. But it was still quite fun. Except for that glass breaking and me having to change from drunken synchro member to head guard.
We haven't been back to Froggies, but thats mostly because Mia and Alfredo have been working on their Chem comps and have been too busy on Thursday nights. But Joe and I were just discussing how we will soon make our triumphant return to Froggies and start to take over Ole-Night.
Easter was the other weekend. Very fun times. I had to be sober for the first half, but I took great photos. I'll put them on the ol Facebook sometime soon.
Tim's been down on weekends and we've went to the bars a few times. It's been good times. They are still exciting for me. So has paying for alcohol at the liquor store - which I have been doing too much... $ does NOT grow on trees... well sometimes.
The swim team is involved in a record number IMs this term! Softball is obviously the biggest hit (no pun intended... okay it was intended). But we also have a Frisbee, Basketball team, and supposedly a beach volleyball team in the works. Our softball team name this year is "The Maize and Blue Balls," which is what we first tried to name the Bowling Club, but CSA rejected it because the Admission Office wants to put clubs on their website. [*** EDIT: This just in: we DO have a volley ball IM team. The name is "The Beached Whales" - how timely]
Speaking of Bowling Club, its going well! We keep expanding, and we actually have THREE non-swimmers, so we are a legit club now and we aren't embezzling. But some members of the budget committee are starting to question whether to keep funding us as we expand. I believe one member said, "Guys, aren't we just giving them money to go bowling for free?" That is exactly what they are doing and its awesome.
Last weekend was battle of the bands and a bunch of us did a power hour. But the real good times are ahead for students at Carleton:
This weekend: OleBall, we are starting at 2pm and going until we drop. 3 kegs, 2 taps. A few handles for the after party. and then Ebony/Sayles Dance at night (like we'll make it that far).
5th Weekend: Midterm break. Holla. Some burrito/crow's nest action is gonna occur. Maybe I'll find some more ancient money in a Scientology book like last year.
6th Weekend: Progressive (anyone got good ideas for themes?)
7th Weekend: Rotblatt (Switched Weekends with spring concert!!! I fear change...)
8th Weekend: Spring Concert. Brother Ali is headlining. Should be great.
9th Weekend: Superhero Party
Good times? I think so. So even though Stadium is not my home currently, I'm still workin hard to live in a way that embodies "life under the bleachers."
Let me say that its been great so far. I have a little more work than last year's spring term, but that's also because I took BS classes (except for Harry's class). So one of my classes is a lot of reading ALONG with a big ongoing research paper (25-pages) that is supposed to get us into the comps-mindset. It blows. But hopefully my comps will come out of this paper, which would make my fall next year so much easier. The important thing to remember as I do work is to "Throw Caution to the Wind," which is what Alfredo, Anna and I decided is the theme for Spring Term 2010 (Although Anna rarely complies).
The Synchro Show was first weekend. It was the weekend after my birthday, so I personally was still emotionally, physically and mentally recovering. But it was still quite fun. Except for that glass breaking and me having to change from drunken synchro member to head guard.
We haven't been back to Froggies, but thats mostly because Mia and Alfredo have been working on their Chem comps and have been too busy on Thursday nights. But Joe and I were just discussing how we will soon make our triumphant return to Froggies and start to take over Ole-Night.
Easter was the other weekend. Very fun times. I had to be sober for the first half, but I took great photos. I'll put them on the ol Facebook sometime soon.
Tim's been down on weekends and we've went to the bars a few times. It's been good times. They are still exciting for me. So has paying for alcohol at the liquor store - which I have been doing too much... $ does NOT grow on trees... well sometimes.
The swim team is involved in a record number IMs this term! Softball is obviously the biggest hit (no pun intended... okay it was intended). But we also have a Frisbee, Basketball team, and supposedly a beach volleyball team in the works. Our softball team name this year is "The Maize and Blue Balls," which is what we first tried to name the Bowling Club, but CSA rejected it because the Admission Office wants to put clubs on their website. [*** EDIT: This just in: we DO have a volley ball IM team. The name is "The Beached Whales" - how timely]
Speaking of Bowling Club, its going well! We keep expanding, and we actually have THREE non-swimmers, so we are a legit club now and we aren't embezzling. But some members of the budget committee are starting to question whether to keep funding us as we expand. I believe one member said, "Guys, aren't we just giving them money to go bowling for free?" That is exactly what they are doing and its awesome.
Last weekend was battle of the bands and a bunch of us did a power hour. But the real good times are ahead for students at Carleton:
This weekend: OleBall, we are starting at 2pm and going until we drop. 3 kegs, 2 taps. A few handles for the after party. and then Ebony/Sayles Dance at night (like we'll make it that far).
5th Weekend: Midterm break. Holla. Some burrito/crow's nest action is gonna occur. Maybe I'll find some more ancient money in a Scientology book like last year.
6th Weekend: Progressive (anyone got good ideas for themes?)
7th Weekend: Rotblatt (Switched Weekends with spring concert!!! I fear change...)
8th Weekend: Spring Concert. Brother Ali is headlining. Should be great.
9th Weekend: Superhero Party
Good times? I think so. So even though Stadium is not my home currently, I'm still workin hard to live in a way that embodies "life under the bleachers."
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