tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-144950572024-03-07T13:34:56.490-08:00Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EcoEvo)"...I guess the best thing for creativity is to not spend time doing easy things..."
James D. WatsonUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-20719497737055565902009-03-05T19:10:00.000-08:002009-03-05T19:19:09.064-08:00Time MachineReally!? Has it been another year? I feel like the more I try to log what I have been up to the longer the time between logs/blogs get. It is not only in the virtual world, but in reality as well. I haven't spoken to anybody (besides those that are physically close to me...meaning, my husband/mom/and the people in the lab right next to me since there is a door that I can easily go through and sometimes need to since I tend to leave my keys at home) for at least since I last blogged. Seriously.<br /><br />I went out for New year with my ex-lab mate. And then I haven't seen her again. Since she's been gone I have no one to share ideas with. It's a hinderance. Thanks Meli.<br /><br />I did however, present in my first international conference: The International Congress of Entomology in Durban, South Africa. I spent my nights in South Beach and my days avoiding scientists in the halls. However, I can say I was trully energized after that trip. Unfortunately it was short lived.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1634903782970040882008-04-30T19:19:00.001-07:002008-04-30T19:24:45.265-07:00But, I just got used to this step!After finaly feeling like I don't have to blend in with the walls as I walk down the hall, I find that it is soon time to move on to the next step. But, I barely just got used to this one. We talked about me finishing in Spring of 2009. "Isn't that next spring!", I almost yelled. "Hmmm, yes, I guess it is", he responded. Although I am very excited about the prospect of "moving on", I am deathly terrified of it. "Ah, aren't we fogetting the fact that I am still a complete idiot?" I think in my head. That's not going to be fixed in a year! Plus, I have 3 chapters to fill, an exam to take and a defense. Plus, who the hell is going to hire me? <br /><br />I need to read.<br />I need to write.<br />I need to experiment.<br />I need to research.<br />I need to build.<br />I need to present.<br />I need to work.<br />I need to get money.<br />I need to remember.<br /><br />But all I want to do is think of other things.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-85905686131335137522008-04-15T15:03:00.000-07:002008-04-15T15:15:59.002-07:00A Year AfterWell, last year was definately a rollercoaster. After my first year I didn't think it could get crazier, but I proved my second year that it could be much worse...much much worse. I had started this blog to remind myself of what grad school was like for me (if I ever get out) and to maybe help others not feel alone while they are going through this crazy stage in life. Most of the stuff I feel I can honestly say is shared by a lot of people also in grad school. I feel kinda sad that I haven't been able to keep in touch with this blog. However I will try to make it better.<br /><br />As I was saying....my second year was CRAZY! I took on too much and really drove myself insane. I was taking Med School Physiology; finished writing my masters thesis and defended it and finally graduated with it; I was teaching; I finished my first dissertation project; I analyzed the data and wrote a pretty good rough draft; I applied to 3 fellowships; took an extra job teaching Anatomy at a different institution; volunteered; went to Australia, Guatemala, Miami, New York San Francisco and Washington DC; and almost ruined my marriage. I advise that you really not take grad school this seriously.<br /><br />I am sad to say that I didn't pass my Med School Physiology class....and, I retook it this year (I am sure I did fine on it). I am happy to say that I got awarded a Fellowship in 2007-2008 so I didn't have to work this year, and I just received another Fellowship for next year. So, some of my craziness paid off. <br /><br />My third year hasn't been as wild, simply because I decided to bring my priorities back. I really enjoy what I do, but I am not willing to risk everything else for it. I don't think I would be happy, and I don't think that it is the type of scientist I want to be. However I have learned a lot and I am willing to keep on learning. <br /><br />Starting today I will use this blog to give more information about cool things I have have learned and about opportunities for others to apply to. I hope this website helps at least one person! At least so that you feel like certain feelings are shared and you're not alone.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-16631997842190526982007-04-23T16:30:00.000-07:002007-04-23T16:37:18.152-07:00Today BlowsIt's been two years since I started here and although I finally have made my lab my home, I still can't get comfortable with teaching. I am quick to second guess myself, even in front of my students, when I don't really have to. I haven't quite mastered the skill to stop degrading myself in front of others. I am quick to call myself stupid and to give up on my own knowledge. Why?<br /><br />No clue. But I wish it could change.<br /><br />Today I gave a quiz. Stayed until 2am this morning to make it great. Then, after class, some kids asked me the answers to one of the questions and they thought that I hadn't provided the right information. I was quick to agree with them and apologized over and over. And I really felt stupid and ashamed for making such a dumb mistake. I seriously was on the verge of tears and was ready to quit.<br /><br />When I came back to lab, I realized that I hadn't made a mistake in what I presented, but that it would have helped them out if I had provided just a little more information on the figure. But overall the test made sense.<br /><br />How can I stop blaming myself for everything? Does it ever go away? Do you ever become confident in yourself?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-83956267737863610112007-02-08T13:26:00.000-08:002007-01-24T10:29:01.382-08:00HOLY FREAKING CRAPPY CRAP! I defend tommorrow........Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-50280106661429248552007-01-24T10:24:00.000-08:002007-01-24T10:29:02.760-08:00Morning LessonThere are 3 types of jerks in the world:<br />1. The whiny - one who always complains about everything in their lives<br />2. The bully - sucks the energy out of the room as soon as they walk in<br />3. The hard of hearing - doesn't listen to what YOU have to say, but just wants to talk about themselves<br /><br />Ways to deal with jerks:<br />1. Ignore them - eventually they will find somebody else to bug<br />2. Don't make eye contact (they might think you want to talk to them)<br />3. Back away from them (definately DO NOT greet them with a hug, they might think you are inviting them to talk to you)<br />4. Tell them the truth - most likely nobody has told them that what they are doing is wrong, so don't be too confrontational, but let them know that what they are doing is rude.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-39501772716064013162007-01-23T16:59:00.000-08:002007-01-23T17:05:17.547-08:00Quick RecapSince last year I have passed my first year exam, finished work with roaches and presented on insect respiration for the first time ever at SICB. Damn scary work and I can't believe I am still here. Fortunately things are getting better instead of always being scary.<br /><br />I broke down and cried in lab during the early weeks of fall....and decided that I really needed to stop being so nervous around my advisor. So we met once a week and talked and now I can actually look at him in the face when he talks to me. I still wish I could contribute more to our talks, but I am working on that.<br /><br />I started MedSchool Physiology last quarter as well, and got a horrible score on the first exam and quiz. This quarter I planned to be more prepared....but did bad on my first quiz and my second exam is in 2 weeks. I am writing on this here blog instead of reading, so I might have an inclination on how things will go then.<br /><br />I've been to Miami twice.....used up lots of money and time.......and I'm planning to go back again in the summer. I want to do some frog work out there and maybe even collect some insects.......We'll see.<br /><br />I tried to finish my thesis last quarter and got everyone in my committee to sign off on it, but graduate studies blocked me at the end. So this quarter i am once again enrolled in two universities and hopefully can get this out of the way. Im still waiting to set a date for my defense.<br /><br />(breathe)<br /><br />Plus I'm taking salsa classes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1153951386387457692006-07-26T13:56:00.000-07:002006-07-26T15:03:06.423-07:00Lesson Learned: Do not Greet Professors in the Hall Unless you Want to Feel Like an IdiotShe confused me with two other people but still managed to make ME feel like an idiot.<br /><br />"Oh so I am using your lab now"<br />"Really?" (I was confused because I hadn't seen her in there)<br />"Yea, well actually two of your lab mates.." (Weird....I just have one lab mate)<br />"Really?"<br />"Yea, J and M"<br />"Oh, that's not my lab"<br />"Oh that's right. I thought you were going to go to Friday Harbor this summer. What happened?"<br />"umm.....no, that must have been J. you were thinking of."<br />"Oh. So what are you doing?"<br />"Just staying here, running experiments on my water striders. Remember?"<br />"Oh yea! How is that going? Is it working out?"<br />"Yea...kind of. Remember that I was running the water striders to see if the water conservation hypothesis was supported when looking at discontinuous respiration.."<br />."..right..." (nodding)<br />"Well, I did see DGC in one adult, but now that I am running the nymphs they aren't responding. I have been running them with different variables, but still I have no clue. It might be the developmental stage they are at, but....."<br />"So, are there different instars available?"<br /><br />Damn! I heard this word like 3 months ago, and I was going to look it up, but I didn't...and know here it is again. I thought it had something to do with developmental stages......but I thought maybe it only dealt with larva vs. pupae, and water striders don't go through those stages...instead they belong to the Exopterygota division of the Pterygotas, which means that they have young which resemble the parent, except they lack wings and are smaller.<br /><br />"Umm.....no, well....umm....there like...I forgot the word....but the nymphs I have are just smaller than the parents...and that's what I have been running all this summer..."<br /><br />Immediately I saw that look. The She-has-no-freaking-idea-what-she-is-talking-about-how-could-they-have-let-her-into-the-program look. <br /><br />"Good, well good luck"<br /><br />I immediately knew I had messed up. I walked away shaking my head and covering my face. God I'm such an idiot.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1153883568277741272006-07-25T20:03:00.000-07:002006-07-25T20:12:48.286-07:00A month into SummerIt's the first time soemone has actually entered my "office" this summer. I was very excited, but soon realized that he was very lost. I heard myself explain natural selection and evolution to him, and I saw him consistently nodding his head in agreement, but I didn't think he was getting it. It was a fake nod. So I asked him to explain it to me, and he froze. he is coming back tommorrow he said.<br /><br />Today I discovered that this months work has been a bunch of crap. I have old files without some data which I recently began obtaining.....so, do I use the data that are on those files and then run another experiment exactly the same and take an average? or just start anew? The water striders aren't doing what I want them to do......is it due to their metabolism? a change in temperature? a difference in their developmental stage? short hypoxic conditions? time that the experiment was conducted? flow rate of air? the last time they ate? or am I just running it incorrectly? Arghhhhh! Everything looked so nice when I only had Jeffrey (I say N=1 should be good enough).<br /><br />It's our third week meeting and it will be my third week no preparing for it. I don't know why I can't get into it! Our first year exam is only two months away and I can't focus on studying. Is there a secret? it's been so damn hot here that by the time I get into lab I feel lethargic. I've gotten other stuff done? Of course, things that really did not need to get done.....like cleaning the lab.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1153366602385553422006-07-19T20:29:00.000-07:002006-07-19T20:36:42.413-07:00Why is that once you start the work routine you never want to stop. Being here until 10pm actually seems like its not enough. I really just want to bring a cot and stay all night. So when I walk home and I see the rest walking home as well, it does not feel odd. But when I speak to my friends, and they actually have lives, it feels depressing.<br /><br />Across the plaza I can see them working as well. At 2am, I see them walking out. What the hell do I do all day?<br /><br />Todays topics:<br />1. The importance of metapopulation concepts to modern conservation biology.<br />2. Bottom-up vs. top-down communities<br />3. Ecological efficiency<br />4. Regulation of populations by intraspecific and/or interspecific competitionUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1153367390517161962006-07-18T20:36:00.000-07:002006-07-19T20:49:50.530-07:00To be an UndergradI think that generation Y was born with ADD, and with some genetic code for "not having a clue". Honestly, every single one of them. If it's not one abnormality is the other.<br /><br />Today was the second time I told a student to pay attention and stop IM'ing/MySpace'ing/blogging/random searching on their lap top. She looked at me like she did not understand what I was saying. Completely blank eyes.<br /><br />"ahh......pay attention, and stop messing around in your computer 'cuz its distracting to everyone around you"<br /><br />The constant tapping of the keys! She got it then and gave me a dirty look, like I was her mom and had just told her to pull her pants up because her damn ass was hanging out and everyone behind her could see her crack. <br /><br />Five minutes later this kid walks in, an hour late, walks straight to the professor (who is lecturing in the front of the class), stands there until the professor stops talking and asks him what he wants, and asks: "Have you guys taken the test yet?" Could he not have waited until the break to ask? How could he think that walking up to the professor in the middle of class, after he is an hour late, to ask him anything is proper? <br /><br />Their either getting more and more annoying or I'm getting older. I wonder how I will react to them in my last year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1153260707013210932006-07-17T14:31:00.000-07:002006-07-19T20:53:26.970-07:00On my Days of SummerSummer sessions go way too fast. We are in week 4, they have taken their first midterm and I am already forgetting to show up to office hours. They don't show up anyway..but still..I should be there just incase.<br /><br />My experiements are on the preliminary stages. I have been running some water striders, but there are still things I am not sure about (number of striders to run, if I need to keep track of who is who, how many trials per insect, how to analyze my data, tubing and how to make the flow rate stabilize, etc...) but I'm at least getting data. I hope the water striders don't die!<br /><br />I finally was able to collect some....surprisingly in the same creek where I found my frogs. Funny that I never saw them when I went looking for tree frogs...of course I wasn't looking. I was happy to be out again searching for specimen to work on. It is so amazing to be out in the "wild" and have nothing to look at but nature. It's amazing. I wish I did that more often, but, I am always afraid to go out on my own, and there are not that many a people who like to go out in the wild.<br /><br />We have started our study group for our first year exam (which is at the end of the summer). I can't seem to concentrate enough to get actual answers down on paper. I have simple outlines which I am sure will not help me when I am trying to write an essay during the test. Arghh! I need to pay attention. Plus, our apartment (without the air conditioning) has been unbearable, which should motivate me to stay in lab longer......which I think I will start doing today......<br /><br />I have been told that Fall quarter I will be teaching Animal Physiology Lab (YIKES!) I have been hoping to avoid that class as much as possible. I knew I wanted to teach it, but no this soon! Next year I will be taking Med School Physiology and teaching that lab.....should be fun...and not stressful.....<br /><br />Back to research.....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1153367517070016862006-07-14T20:50:00.000-07:002006-07-19T20:51:57.070-07:00My first Blog anniversary!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1151620133339361772006-06-29T15:20:00.000-07:002006-06-29T15:28:53.340-07:00On how Animals Can Learn" ...so about 7 weeks ago I was on a boat in the middle of this river in Borneo. And this guy, in the back kitchen, had whipped up some fried bananas and pineapple for me and coffee, I can drink coffee no matter how hot it is, and I was sitting at the end of this boat staring at this orangutang named Bessie, who was sitting at the end of this pier. Bessie was a large orangutang who had apparently had many kids, but she obviously had gotten rid of them by now and had lost a lot of weight so she had these gigantic breast which were now hanging way down, so she was cute in ways and very ugly in others. So I was sitting at the end of this boat and she was sitting on the pier staring at me, and I knew what she wanted, she wanted some of the fried bananas. I wanted to give her some but at the same time I was scared because once an orangutang gets a hold of your finger the only way you are going to get out of their grip is by losing a digit. So, I had finally finished eating and the guy was going to get the rope that was tied to this tire in order for us to get the boat started when Bessie decided that she didn't want us to leave. So with one hand she got a hold of the tire, and the boat is not going to move with her holding on to this, and soon after her hand started to move towards me. I thought, shit I am done for. Now what was funny was that the guy from the kitchen, apparently this had happened before so he knew how to fix the problem, had gone to the kitchen and gotten a pot full of hot water. All he had to do was move the kettle towards Bessie's face and she knew she didn't want none of that".Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1151619565317393512006-06-28T13:02:00.000-07:002006-06-29T15:20:25.873-07:00On a BreakEvery time I begin a new project I realize that.....I will be bald at a young age. I just have to accept it.<br /><br />I decided last week to take the respirometer apart so that I would have a better idea of the electrical connections needed as well as changing some of the tubing and software associated with the machine. I cleaned and organized the room, where I plan to stay all of my summer, so that when I wanted to start everything would be perfect.<br /><br />Monday was supposed to be my first day of data collection. Today I have no data. Why? Because there is a mysterious problem with the stupid thing which I CAN NOT, for the life of me, figure out. So the room looks like crap again.<br /><br />On top of that, while trying to fix it, I broke our one and only flowmeter. Which is only $620. Which I desperately need to figure out what's wrong with the darn respirometer!<br /><br />Oh sweet science.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1151611268022030082006-06-27T12:43:00.000-07:002006-06-29T15:20:08.523-07:00Yes, we have just been inside a human assholeIt's funny how science needs to be presented to non-majors so that we don't "scare" them. Stories of orangutans gripping your fingers until they are pulled off, medicine men reading the outcome of a breached birth from jelly residue on a mason jar, running around Asian jungles almost naked, the many mistresses of Thai men, pictures of human assholes. All to explain natural selection?<br /><br />After all of this circling around scientific definitions and concepts, evolution was explained as a hard fact. No nice little story accompanied it. Evolution = fact. Creationism = belief. It was a little undiscerning for me. Isn't this what most of those students are going to debate? That evolution is NOT a fact but mainly a "theory". So, why would you be so carefull as to walk around actual definitions, which most of them will not debate, and then leave no room for discussion of an actual controversial topic?<br /><br />I know, evolution is a fact. Science has nothing to do with religion. Religions is something you believe. But to someone who is highly religious this is more than just a belief. It is an entity. They can almost touch it and they do not neet hard facts, a book, history, scientific examples, etc... to prove it. It's just reality. So, how are we going to make them understand that this is an actual biological (and very true) idea if we immediately tell them that there is no room to discuss. I am right and they (along with everything they believe and what has been passed on for generations) is completely wrong....so wrong that we won't even take a second look at it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1151096805861998642006-06-23T13:55:00.000-07:002006-06-23T14:06:45.870-07:00I know I said every dayThis week has been spent on preparing for the big summer break. Basically cleaning out the respirometry room and replumbing (putting at work most of what I learned at Sable Systems). At the end, the room looks the same, except I now know where everything is at. I have also cleaned out the very slow computer we have to capture all the data, and hopefully, have gotten it to run properly (It was freezing up and I have been losing all of my work, it's really frustrating when you have just spent that last three hours staring at a roach in a 10C room).<br /><br />What's left: Calibrating and Software Upload<br /><br />Today we had our second lab meeting of the summer and it wasn't at all horrible. We spoke of the proper time of when to bring authorship issues up. I doubt I will ever bring that up. Most of the time I don't even think about getting stuff published, I just want to be involved with the fun experiment part. I guess that's not professional?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1150493450017063782006-06-16T14:10:00.000-07:002006-06-16T14:30:50.036-07:00A Breath of Fresh Summer AirWell, after this long year, and this long of a wait from post to post....I thought I would start anew. Today: my first day of the summer. Officially. Not that summer means anything anymore, except that I will have more time to dedicate to my own work instead of teaching, grading or desperately trying to finish assignments the day before they are due. <br /><br />I started this fresh new breath by taking a <a href="http://www.sablesys.com/respirometry-course.html">respirometry course</a> in Vegas. It set up me up with the knowledge of not only setting up the equipment but also how to gather data properly and how to properly analyze it. Important factors if I plan to continue with insect respiration.<br /><br />During lab meeting today I was asked to stand and write on the board...while I was asked relatively easy questions (which I still screwed up) about respiration. That's ok. I wasn't ready for them. that's right. I hadn't prepared. Normally we just go around the table and say what we have been up to that week.<br /><br />"Umm....graded some papers......went to class.......taught a lab..." . The End.<br /><br />So today it was a bit different. I don't think I screwed up as much as I had personally expected.....but I know I'm still lacking in knowledge to impress anyone. We'll see how the summer pans out.<br /><br />So, today marks the date for everyday posts........about important insect respiration things.....Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1147814591400746182006-05-16T14:08:00.000-07:002006-05-16T14:23:11.413-07:00Lack of Posting #2Yes, the lack of posting is just an example of how busy one is in grad school. There have been plenty of things to speak of, but no time to actually write it down.<br /><br />Accomplishments for this quarter:<br />1. Awarded Sigma Xi "Grants in Aid of Research"<br />2. Had my first committee meeting<br />3. Presented in my first Physiology Group Seminar (FREAKING SCARY!)<br />4. Taught Experimental Biology without sweating<br />5. Hung out with advisor for a whole morning without crying<br />6. Finally understand (and can remember) some aspects of insect repiratory physiology<br />7. Began to write a DIIG<br />8. Bought books for 1st year exam<br /><br />Things still to accomplish:<br />1. Finally decided on my project (I have absolutely no idea!)<br />2. Umm.....graduate from CSUSB (I now have to reapply to the program, isnt that retarded!)<br />3. Find a grant to support my research (which I still don't know what it's going to be on, hence the problem of applying for a grant).<br />4. Feeling comfortable with my advisor<br />5. Feeling comfortable of being here (I still feel like a jerk when I come into the building)<br />6. Study for first year exam (in September!)<br /><br />Overall, things are still roller-coaster-like. On Friday I was excited because I had managed to present in my first Physiology Seminar, about a topic not related to frogs but more on what I think I will do my dissertation in (respiratory physiology of insects). I can remember the hypotheses as to why certain patterns of respiration are observed, and why its still important to investigate, and I could explain the article I was presenting clearly. It was great! It made me want to go read some more and learn! But, my day was crammed with seminars, TA duties, meetings, etc... By the time I had time to read again I was exhausted. I did nothing during the weekend (except catch up with family and friends who I haven't seen for a year) so by Monday I was behind on work. Which made me overwhelmed and therefore I did nothing. 3 days wasted! Plus the respirometer is not working, so I lost all my data for the work I did get done yesterday.<br /><br />Tommorrow: Presentation on invasive species and their effects on individuals, populations, communities and ecosystems.<br /><br />Thursday: 2nd draft of DIIG grant due<br /> TA Experimental Bio<br /> Atted Experimental BIO lecture<br /><br />Friday: (see above)<br /><br />All the days seem to be melting into one HUGE year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1142747851100322642006-03-18T21:54:00.000-08:002006-05-16T14:08:04.963-07:00iDesign #1I enjoy listening to a good discussion. Especially one that relates to science.....or politics.....or both. Today I had the pleasure of attending Dr. Francisco Ayala's talk on Darwin and Intelligent Design. Although I thought that his statements would be met with disdain, as most of the OC seems to be highly religious and conservative, I was surprised as to how open most seemed to be to the idea that a "designer" could not have created such an imperfect world.<br /><br />His talk began with various examples as to how natural selection has changed the organism and how an "inelligent designer" would not have been able to correctly predict all of the required adaptations for that organism to be able to survive. Instead, each adaptations was slowly created into what we now observe.<br /><br />Although there were some discourse about vocabulary (everybody was upset that he used the word "designed" when he in fact was not talking about a "designer") things didn't get too heated until someone possed the question (or rather statement):<br /><br />"People choose to believe in a designer because they are ignorant about how science trully works".<br /><br />Overall it was an awesome experience.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1141947869796185482006-03-09T15:32:00.000-08:002006-03-09T15:44:29.810-08:00Meeting with the BossI finally mustered up the courage to set an appointment with him about an idea for a project. Too bad that the night before I discovered that Hoffman has been working on it since the early '90's. <br /><br />I had nothing to talk about except how I had thought it would be a good project until I saw all the work that had been done in Drosophila. I thought that instead of approaching it from an interspecific point of view we could look at intraspecific differences in respiration pattern due to loss of water or changes in amount of oxygen. We could also look at behavior, etc.....and tie it all up with some genetics. <br /><br />He said: "Well, we're not looking to win the Nobel prize with your first project, but we should try to find an interesting question".<br /><br />I think that means he didn't like it. I thought it was interesting. He said he wasn't trying to be insulting, but that a lot of people where already looking at that sort of stuff. And I completly agreed, even before we started talking.<br /><br />My major goal was just to go in there and talk to him. I haven't been able to do that. That was accomplished. I am happy with that.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1141948414395488452006-03-06T15:45:00.000-08:002006-03-09T15:55:10.763-08:00My first Interview Weekend as A Grad StudentI can't believe it's been a year since I came to interview. This weekend we had 16 people (mostly girls) come out to see if they were a good fit with our department. There were the same parties and busy get togethers, but it was so much easier being on this side of the coin. Although surprisingly, it was just as tiring.<br /><br />I had one student stay with us for the weekend and I was surprised that as her arrival date got closer my anxiety level rose. I cleaned my apartment for hours on Wednesday night, and Thursday I didn't want to go pick her up. She was very nice and polite. Married, just like me. Interested in behavior, just like me. You'd figure we'd have lots to talk about. We didn't. It was awkward. Luckly she was tired most of the weekend and we didn't have a lot of "alone" time. I was worried that I would say something stupid.<br /><br />I was glad that I could help out as much as possible. It gave me a good feeling about what the weekend really means, which surprisingly, was something really different as to what I thought it was for when I came last year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1140226665839078072006-02-17T16:47:00.000-08:002006-02-17T17:37:45.890-08:00A summary of the last 2 monthsThis quarter has been hectic from the start!<br /><br />I started a week late due to a conference in January, so as soon as I came back I had to try and catch up. Here's a quick summary just to bring everyone up to date:<br /><br />Teaching: I am teaching a discussion for a class called "Organisms to Ecosystems" where basically we teach a little evolution, a little taxonomy, a little everything (similar to BIO 201 at CSUSB). I have taught a lab like this before but never a discussion which took me a little while to get used to. Especially because I've never had a dicussion session so I wasn't really sure what the point of it was. The good part is that the students aren't as annoying since I don't give them most of their grade. Of course I did have a student complain as to why I didn't give them a quiz based on everything that was on the test ("well....you saw the exam before, didn't you?"). Please.<br /><br />Research: Have done absolutely nothing on this! I don't even know what my project will be. I'm stressed because I don't know if I am expected to know already. I keep on asking and I am told that I shouldn't worry about it just yet...but I really wish I was getting something done. Although I started a small project during the summer I didn't continue working on it because we discovered some flaw. So, now I am supposed to be working on water striders....unfortunately I haven't had time to collect them. I'm worried I will be thrown out. I really need to start doing some work.<br /><br />Coursework: I'm taking en Evolution course which at first sucked....but after the first month we were required to prepare some lectures and now I absolutely love it (minus the class I had on Thursday where I could barely stay awake). I really enjoy learning about the history of the may topics in evolution. Sometimes I'm embarrassed though cuz everyone talks about how this is just a "review" and nothing is new...but I swear I haven't heard a lot of this before. Oh well....at least I'm hearing it now.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1138402180888024302006-01-27T14:45:00.000-08:002006-02-17T17:39:31.186-08:00In the darkest time in the deepest part of the forest, the scientist prepare.The evolution of sex is a paradox that has boggled the minds of scientist for many decades. Although certain theories, such as the Red Queen and the mutation determenistic model, have been somewhat accepted the argument whether a pluristic or direct approach should be taken is still being debated. On one hand you have the problem of combining an array of theories which would eventually allow you to support anything. On the other hand you can choose to restrict yourself to one theory and basically apply it only to the population which you are currently studying. Neither one satisfies the scientist within.<br /><br />It seems that although sex (and recombination) may break up beneficial genotypes it also drives out alleles which may become detrimental if found within a population. Sex then continues to persist in many populations although asexual reproduction has also evolved independently in many lineages. So why is there so much sex? In some asexual organisms its been shown that a small amount of sex can erase the effects of unfavorable alleles. If sex is costly then you would imagine that there would be an advantage to limit the amounts of sex within a population.<br /><br />A LITTLE SOMETHING WE DISCUSSED IN EVOLUTION COREUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14495057.post-1134532123932212682005-12-13T19:41:00.000-08:002005-12-13T19:48:43.943-08:00DISASTERMy previous blog sounded so positive. I'm so sad the feeling had to end so quickly.<br /><br />Today I found out I screwed things up majorly with my grades. Unfortunately I decided to use a grade scale which was not meant for any of the homeworks that my students turned in. Eight of them have inflated grades (2-3% and one has a 4% bonus). So, now we are faced with what to do. Give them the corrected scores (after they have already gotten their grades) or keep the wrong scores (which would give them an advantage over the rest of the class)? If it was up to me I would change the grades and simply tell them it was my screw up and that I'm really not taking any points away which they earned. I know they would be mad at me, but that's what they earned! <br /><br />Unfortunately, its not all up to me. Which makes me feel like an idiot. Why didn't I pay attention? Every other day I am wishing more and more to just go work at In-N-Out. My biggest problem would be figuring out how to take the burger smell off my clothes at night. <br /><br />"Welcome to In-N-Out. Can I take your order?"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4