Back in the saddle again?

The 3 sentences I want to hear:

You should start writing.

You should stop writing.

Congratulations, you passed.

one down, two to go.

(not) user-friendly websites

The AIHce website really doesn't cut it for user-friendly.  It should be relatively intuitive to find basic information, like a Call for Submissions instructions.  I should not need Google to find it.  And, the requirements for abstracts should be directly available on-line.  It doesn't make much sense to require me to interrupt someone's day to ask for the information.  Especially since I doubt I'm unique in submitting it at the last minute.  I really hope that the information is adequate, beyond the actual abstract, e.g. title, formatting, author names, etc.

Someone at AIHA told me that at least 60% of the abstract submissions come on the last day.

oops - sorry - I can't even claim my dog ate it.  I can claim that I missed 3 days within the last week due to puking children, fevers, sick children, and sick grad students.  Oh, and perhaps even more so - I've never written one of these things before. I really feel sorry for my prof, even if I appreciate the time he took to help with this.

I'm left wondering if
a)  it will get accepted, and
b) if anyone else from our program is going, and
c) I'll get altitude sickness in Denver.

Response to failure

Today at Rodent U.'s Industrial Hygiene lab
we return to the on-going saga of our grad student's valiant efforts to get data.
In the last episode, her experiment actually produced data!
We open on the scene of her meeting with her research adviser,
Dr.P:


meet with Dr.P --- ok

The missing peak in last experiment is supposed to be missing --- ok

the annoying peak at 0.7 is still there and pretty much just as big --- hmmm

check out experimental set up, connections, tubing --- how many gallons of oil were needed to make all of this Tygon tubing??

Find wiggly thing that's not supposed to be wiggly --- hmmm

find a the leak --- good

correct leak --- even better

annoying peak at 0.7 gone --- great

have finally gotten really ready to get to the meat of the experiment

set up power source --- ok

turn power source on

power source "on" light lights up --- yea!

power source makes the right kind of ticking noises --- good

fiddle with voltage regulator --- looks right

loud pop --- huh?

flash of white light at ammeter scale --- wow, pretty lights

no more voltage

no more joy

Dr.P & I looked at each other and sighed ...


I might as well laugh; at least it doesn't make my nose run afterwards.

Thesis tip

When you decide to be supportive of your classmate, and attend her thesis' defense ...

and you realize the only people in the room besides yourself are the degree candidate, and her 3 committee members ...

make sure you think of something really intelligent to ask at the end of the presentation.

So that when her advisor (who also happens to be yours) turns to you and asks, "So, at this point, we'd like to ask our guest if she has any questions" ...

you can whip out that great, insightful observation and impress a) your advisor and b) the other departmental prof sitting there, whom you want to have on your committee.