(no subject)
Ok... So I am still awake right now, so I thought I would give a bit of an overview of this crazy week in Florida.
So as I said before I am at the American Astronomical Society's Division of Planetary Sciences Conference. I actually flew out here last fridays, because I also was going to a workshop on teaching intro astro to non-science majors. So anyways, now to how the week actually went.
Friday 10/5
Ok... So that morning I went and got my hair highlighted. I love my hairdresser. If anyone is looking for one in Fayetteville, go to Hello Beautiful. Denette is just wonderful. Ok... So then I went and had lunch with Sam. After that Jed drove Kathy and I to the airport. So we flew from Northwest Arkansas airport to Memphis. We were on one of the little airplanes and the air wasn't working well, so that wasn't the most comfortable flight. Well in Memphis we were supposed to have a two hour layover... So we decided to sit and actually eat dinner nicely. Well after dinner we headed back to our gate to find out our plane was delayed an hour. So we didn't get into Orlando until almost midnight. We then had to catch a cab to our hotel. It was a long day, but we got all checked in, so it was good.
Saturday 10/6
So this was the first day of the workshop. This workshop was so much fun and it really made me think about how I teach my students. I am now starting to consider more and more about going into teaching at the University level instead of going to NASA. But I still don't really know. The workshop really worked on trying to have the instructor introduce the ideas and then the students really learn it working together so they get it. Anyways, so that day Patricia and Krista got in while we were still in session. So that night we went out to dinner. Oh I almost forgot that we got a really good free breakfast and lunch that day.
Sunday 10/7
Well this day we only got a free breakfast, but it was still good. This was again the teaching workshop. It was again wonderful. Well that night we went to the welcome reception for the conference. It was at the Rosen College which is part of the University of Central Florida. Well there was good food there and flowing alcohol. It was great. I also got to see some people that I haven't seen in forever. Tibor was there. Anyone who remembers when I was at Planetary Science Summer School at JPL will remember Tibor, our mentor that week. He was not staying for the conference, he was just there for a workshop beforehand. Also Dr. Lutz was there. He was head of the physics and astronomy department when I started at NAU. I also ran into Larry Lebofsky, With him we got to talk to a bunch of people including Guy Consolmagno. He is an astronomer at the Vatican Observatory. When we got back from the reception, Vince, Krista, Patricia, Kathy and I met up with Derek and Hazel for drinks. That night we drank a bit more then we probably should have. Patricia was the one to take the toll of it, but we took care of her well.
Monday 10/8
Ok.. So monday was the first day of sessions. I went in and actually went to watch Larry's outreach to local elementary and middle school students. He was doing an activity with them about what really is a planet. It was really neat.
I think I will finish talking about monday and the rest of the week later... I am finally getting tired. Night everyone.
So as I said before I am at the American Astronomical Society's Division of Planetary Sciences Conference. I actually flew out here last fridays, because I also was going to a workshop on teaching intro astro to non-science majors. So anyways, now to how the week actually went.
Friday 10/5
Ok... So that morning I went and got my hair highlighted. I love my hairdresser. If anyone is looking for one in Fayetteville, go to Hello Beautiful. Denette is just wonderful. Ok... So then I went and had lunch with Sam. After that Jed drove Kathy and I to the airport. So we flew from Northwest Arkansas airport to Memphis. We were on one of the little airplanes and the air wasn't working well, so that wasn't the most comfortable flight. Well in Memphis we were supposed to have a two hour layover... So we decided to sit and actually eat dinner nicely. Well after dinner we headed back to our gate to find out our plane was delayed an hour. So we didn't get into Orlando until almost midnight. We then had to catch a cab to our hotel. It was a long day, but we got all checked in, so it was good.
Saturday 10/6
So this was the first day of the workshop. This workshop was so much fun and it really made me think about how I teach my students. I am now starting to consider more and more about going into teaching at the University level instead of going to NASA. But I still don't really know. The workshop really worked on trying to have the instructor introduce the ideas and then the students really learn it working together so they get it. Anyways, so that day Patricia and Krista got in while we were still in session. So that night we went out to dinner. Oh I almost forgot that we got a really good free breakfast and lunch that day.
Sunday 10/7
Well this day we only got a free breakfast, but it was still good. This was again the teaching workshop. It was again wonderful. Well that night we went to the welcome reception for the conference. It was at the Rosen College which is part of the University of Central Florida. Well there was good food there and flowing alcohol. It was great. I also got to see some people that I haven't seen in forever. Tibor was there. Anyone who remembers when I was at Planetary Science Summer School at JPL will remember Tibor, our mentor that week. He was not staying for the conference, he was just there for a workshop beforehand. Also Dr. Lutz was there. He was head of the physics and astronomy department when I started at NAU. I also ran into Larry Lebofsky, With him we got to talk to a bunch of people including Guy Consolmagno. He is an astronomer at the Vatican Observatory. When we got back from the reception, Vince, Krista, Patricia, Kathy and I met up with Derek and Hazel for drinks. That night we drank a bit more then we probably should have. Patricia was the one to take the toll of it, but we took care of her well.
Monday 10/8
Ok.. So monday was the first day of sessions. I went in and actually went to watch Larry's outreach to local elementary and middle school students. He was doing an activity with them about what really is a planet. It was really neat.
I think I will finish talking about monday and the rest of the week later... I am finally getting tired. Night everyone.