I am in love with a dragonslayer

[tacit]

Once upon a time, the planet was tyrannized by a giant dragon. The dragon stood taller than the largest cathedral, and it was covered with thick black scales. Its red eyes glowed with hate, and from its terrible jaws flowed an incessant stream of evil-smelling yellowish-green slime. It demanded from humankind a blood-curdling tribute: to satisfy

Comments

[datan0de]

Wow. Just... wow. I must admit I got a wee bit misty reading this too- particularly the inscription on Shelly's ring.

I've always admired Shelly's self-awareness, but it occurs to me that she may also have the clearest perspective of the world around us of anyone I've ever met. Really, what other endeavor can hope to compare in importance with what she's doing? Most of the rest of us are wasting our lives by comparison, and I admit that I'm a little ashamed of myself for that.

As I mentioned to you earlier today, I keep The Fable of the Dragon-Tyrant posted in my cube at work. I've just put your post next to it. It's touching and inspiring, and I'm honored and flattered to have played some small role in this quest, even if only peripherally.

[zaiah]

ONAMI is one starting point.
(http://engr.oregonstate.edu/research/clusters/mmd.html)

[tacit]

Most of the people going into the field right now have undergraduate backgrounds in either chemistry (particularly biochemistry or molecular biology) or physics (particularly materials physics). Shelly's going the biochemistry route, as many of the people with physics backgrounds seem to end up working in manufacturing nanotechnology rather than medical nanotechnology.

A handful of schools have undergrad programs in nanotech, though most places seem to offer nanotech primarily at the graduate level. The University at Albany in New York has just invested billions of dollars in a new College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, which includes programs in biomedical nanotechnology; the Web site for it is at

http://cnse.albany.edu

[gaycowboys]

I meant to respond to this and got caught up in other things; but you've reminded me :).

When I first looked into it, it seemed that physicists and chemists where working together and heading up the new nanotech programs. Physicists told the chemists what was possible, and the chemists tried to work it out. I chose chemistry because it seemed most practical and hands on - and I'm still not sure what kind of program I'll go into in grad school.

You kind of have to dream up what's possible, and try to lay a foundation so you can help. It seems that we will either be able to repair what we've got (nanotech), or replace it all together (uploading). Either way I think we'll find our solutions in biology - as we're made of molecular machines that can perform amazing feats. But the solution may be somewhere else. I suggest you do what you love, spread your interests around, and keep your eyes open.

[zaiah]

Will I finally get to meet the two of you here?

[james_the_evil1]

Damn Franklin. You've both managed to make me cry now (Shelly with this post). That was amazing. I'm very glad to know you both.

[sylvar]

Awesome as this is, I feel the need to inject a little levity (with a serious suggestion): perhaps she could help you design a new bumper sticker, only instead of a carbon ring of people, it could be a long chain of them.

A polypeptide.