Update....
Hello, everyone!...and I bet a lot of you forgot I even had an account (that's totally ok, I practically did too :)). It's been quite an interesting and experienceful summer here in Rochester. Right now I'm just trying to sort out what to say that might actually interest some people. Hmmm...
What I Did (err, Am Doing) on My Summer Vacation:
-Work. Long hours, computer frustrations, daunting learning curves...and really really cool. Basically, the group I'm working with is really active with the Spitzer Space Telescope (infrared telescope launched last year, they helped design it), and we're using it to study baby stars (a mere 1-2 million years old or less) and, more specifically, the dust/gas disks that surround them. The disks provide matter for the star to accumulate and are quite possibly the cradle of planets. There are 3 undergrads in my lab, each of us doing a different stage of evolution, several grad students, and a bunch of profs, as well as all their collaborators at institutions around the world. So it's a big group, and they're really fun to work with. We have to give a big presentation to everyone at the end of next week, so I'm sure many of you all will be forced to suffer through it too at some point ;).
Play. There are 30-40 undergrads working for the physics department, some from UR and some from out of town, most living in the dorm together. Pretty much everyone's on different projects, so there's much to be learned--nerdheaven!! Ooops, this is the "Play" section...we have fun too! Ultimate frisbee just about every night for a few hours (*not* the Plastic Disc of Satan, as some have dubbed it...) provides exercise, and there are always movies to be watched and burgers to be grilled. Canada's less than an hour away, so we've been to the Falls and all that. There's a *huge* Renaissance Fair in Sterling we went to...wowsers. Unbelievable. Roadtrip next summer, what?? I've gotten hooked on Blackadder, too. V. funny. And I'm back to saying "pop" for soft drinks ;).
Well, as they say, 'always leave your audience hungry', so I'll stop rambling now and go to sleep...the kids here are great, but I miss home and I can't wait until everyone gets settled back again (now if we could just do something about those pesky classes...)
What I Did (err, Am Doing) on My Summer Vacation:
-Work. Long hours, computer frustrations, daunting learning curves...and really really cool. Basically, the group I'm working with is really active with the Spitzer Space Telescope (infrared telescope launched last year, they helped design it), and we're using it to study baby stars (a mere 1-2 million years old or less) and, more specifically, the dust/gas disks that surround them. The disks provide matter for the star to accumulate and are quite possibly the cradle of planets. There are 3 undergrads in my lab, each of us doing a different stage of evolution, several grad students, and a bunch of profs, as well as all their collaborators at institutions around the world. So it's a big group, and they're really fun to work with. We have to give a big presentation to everyone at the end of next week, so I'm sure many of you all will be forced to suffer through it too at some point ;).
Play. There are 30-40 undergrads working for the physics department, some from UR and some from out of town, most living in the dorm together. Pretty much everyone's on different projects, so there's much to be learned--nerdheaven!! Ooops, this is the "Play" section...we have fun too! Ultimate frisbee just about every night for a few hours (*not* the Plastic Disc of Satan, as some have dubbed it...) provides exercise, and there are always movies to be watched and burgers to be grilled. Canada's less than an hour away, so we've been to the Falls and all that. There's a *huge* Renaissance Fair in Sterling we went to...wowsers. Unbelievable. Roadtrip next summer, what?? I've gotten hooked on Blackadder, too. V. funny. And I'm back to saying "pop" for soft drinks ;).
Well, as they say, 'always leave your audience hungry', so I'll stop rambling now and go to sleep...the kids here are great, but I miss home and I can't wait until everyone gets settled back again (now if we could just do something about those pesky classes...)