It’s quite hot outside today – 99°F by my last check. Although I enjoy warm weather, it can make one feel enervated from time to time 
In light of all of that, I decided to spend the afternoon putting my feet up and catching up on some reading I’d fallen behind on.
During my time off this summer, I’ve been taking a somewhat objective look at research possibilities after graduation. I’ve know for quite some time that my preferred program (Bioastronautics) is realizing a support crisis right now, due to low priority initiatives and a lack of funding. This is mostly due to the Shuttle program ending in 2010, with priority shifting away from the space life sciences to vehicle development and deployment. Getting to space takes precedence over living in space, for right now at least. Projections estimate that priorities will remain reversed for quite a number of years into the future – 15 or more, in fact. There are many exciting discoveries to be made, as clearly outlined in this interesting article published in the latest issue of Aerospace America; however, as the article also points out, there are several political hurdles to overcome in the next decade.
Keeping that bit of a reality check in mind, my thoughts turn to other interests I have in the areas of science, technology and public policy – namely, alternative energy and science policy. I’ve taken a particularly strong interest in nuclear fusion energy and international cooperation efforts toward nonproliferation. The idea of developing a virtually unlimited energy supply, coupled with the desire to use nuclear energy for peaceful applications, is an extremely attractive career option for me. In the future, with sufficient research and development, groundwork may be put into place for space applications, too.
Again, however, we are talking several years out before any significant developments are likely to be made. The plus side is that nuclear energy research is being heavily supported, at the domestic and international levels, and I have a strong desire to work on multilateral initiatives.
So, the deeper research has begun to see if this what I really want to pursue. I’ve been looking at published papers to see who is doing what and to update myself on what has already been done, and I’ve been brushing up on current technology – in particular, the lovely torus (the shape of the plasma chamber used inside tokamak fusion reactors).
I dare say, I’ve become fascinated.
