2008…

As the holiday season subsides, I’m gradually coming back to reality. Things at work have been unusually stressful, as I’m training two people to replace me when I leave my current job and often find myself running in circles…literally. It all feels very real now since I turned in my resignation letter – my last official day is in 2 weeks! At approximately 8:37pm on Monday night, after several long nights and early mornings over the last week, I got myself temporarily caught up to a place where I could stop working. I immediately dropped everything and ran to bed before I could get another phone call or text message, or before my email page could refresh itself again.

Despite the stress, I’m excited about the transition. In the midst of all the changes, it just really settled on me this week that I am no longer a college student! I have graduated and re-entered the life of professionalism. Before the holidays, I wrote about not being chosen for a research job I had really hoped to get. Since then, I have been offered (and accepted) a part-time teaching position in the Aviation and Aerospace Sciences department of a small college in Denver. Despite the size of the college, the department has a strong and long standing reputation in the industry, and is ranked fifth in the country. I look forward to working there.

It looks like this weekend I’ll be putting in some additional hours to stay on top of a couple of new projects that came across my desk this week. I don’t mind so much, as I want to get things finished. Next week I’ll treat myself to something special

Yeah, it’s Saturday!

Hello! Life around here has been mostly busy, but mostly good. The interview I had for the research position went well, and I expect to hear news of an offer soon. It has also gotten out at my current job that I’m leaving, so there have been lots of folks coming up to ask when, what I’ll be doing next, etc. When I’ll be leaving depends mostly on how soon after the semester I can begin my new position. What I’ll be doing next is working for a year or two, then entering graduate school in the subsequent fall semester.

More recently, I’ve solicited the advice of several colleagues regarding research opportunities and future plans. Doing so has helped congeal several of the interests I’ve pursued throughout college and in my personal time. In my work and studies, I’ve gained experience in the biological and space sciences, engineering, public health, disaster relief and emergency management. I’ve also worked on projects that have ranged from building construction, to concept development to policy design. Yee-ha!

I’m looking forward to having more of a normal life when I write my last exam, receive my diploma and start a new, more relevant job.

And, Happy Birthday to my “little” brother, who called just after midnight this morning to say the festivities had already begun! Happy 20th, Bobbo, I luv ya!

Flight of the Torus

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.

Random Stuff

The semester is coming to a close, and I’m thinking of plans for the summer. I haven’t been to visit some members of my extended family in a long time, so taking my triennial swing through Georgia this year will also most likely include Arkansas and Louisiana. Taste of Buffalo, Shakespeare in the Park, Allentown Art Festival, and the summer regattas down by the Marina are also calling out to me from deep within Buffalo’s West Side. There are several friends there I haven’t connected with in a while, and many of them have since gotten married and had children. It would be nice to see them again.

Come June, here in Colorado, I’ll be looking to move again. I knew this was a temporary living situation when I moved here (my housemate is getting married in July and moving in with her fiancé), but seven months has gone by very quickly! I’m looking for a change, and for a while I’ve considered connecting with a new community. I’m eager to move forward with some of the social policy work I’ve gotten into, as I feel strongly that our country is in need of “techies” who have a deeper understanding of social consequences. While I look forward to the prospect of being an engineer upon graduation (who at times puts on a scientist’s hat), I feel I would be just as content giving policy advice to other engineers and scientists lest we continue to build systems that omit the human factor. I’m hoping to carve a deeper niche for myself within that community. Here’s to hoping and succeeding.

Catching Up

Hi folks, sorry for the extended absence. I’ve been feeling more introspective than usual lately, which means a lot of fast and furious scribbling in my written journal but not much on the blog. I also managed to catch a yucky cold last week, and that has slowed down the mental progress a wee bit While I go sip on some homemade chicken soup, here’s a quick recap of what’s been going on:

• During a visit to my advisor’s office a few weeks ago, we concluded that I can graduate in December!!! Woo hoo! I’m really excited and much of my attention has been absorbed with what comes next. My future prospects seem limitless, as deciding on what to do is both liberating and daunting. Being about the business of a having a career that has meaning and purpose is important to me. This begs the question, what exactly do I want? And how do I fit that into a reasonable goal? All circumstances point towards being absolutely clear on the answer and not being afraid of going after it. I predict more entries on this subject will follow.
• In my last entry I wrote about big plans for volunteering at the local hospital, but so far nothing has happened on that front. I had an interview last week Friday with the volunteer coordinator, but wrote it into my calendar as happening THIS Friday (doh!). I didn’t realize the discrepency until last Friday when I was in an airplane cruising at about 35,000+ feet above and a couple thousand miles east of Denver. Oops. Fortunately for me, the coordinator was very understanding and has re-scheduled my interview for two weeks hence. Whew.
• I’ve broken down and decided to purchase a car. I’ve been in Colorado for a little over 4 years without one, but the time has come. My schedule is so tight nowadays that the additional 4 or 5 hours I’ll save by driving to work/school a few days a week instead of riding the bus will be wonderful. This means more time at the gym, playing the cello or doing whatever else makes me happy and sane Ahhhh, sigh of soothing relief.
• A little over a week ago I had the pleasure of visiting the Stiles African-American Heritage Center in the Four Points area of Denver. It was an amazing visit, and I am eager to return and foster a closer relationship with its founder, Ms. Grace Stiles, and her community. I also made a quick tour of the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library just 2 blocks away and was blown away by the rich history of the Four Points area. I regret that I’ve lived in the area for so long and have not connected with the community–and now, I’m preparing to leave it! I have the wild idea of interviewing several members of the Four Points business community and making a documentary as a testament to their acheivements and as a record of my experience there.
• Another tip of the hat goes to Denver for a wonderful spot in town called the Mercury Cafe (thanks Micah!). The decor, wine and food were awesome! I highly recommend the place to anyone who is looking for an eclectic, subdued dining atmosphere.
• Due to popular demand…well, okay, just one person’s comments (smile)…I’m working on adding a book review page to this blog. I’ve had the pleasure of reading several really good books lately, many as selections from a couple of book clubs I belong to. Stay tuned for that.

That’s it for now. I’m so happy to see the sun shining bright in Colorado again, so I’m gonna go out to get some fresh air. Have a wonderful day, everyone!