LLNL Here I Come!!!

Well, after what seemed to by forever, I am finally at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to collaborate with their Biophysics group on the DARPA project. Today being my first day, I ended up leaving early to get other work done since they couldn't figure out what safety classes I need to take. Since this is a government facility, my training might possibly include how to wipe my nose. With that being said, I had a few really productive meetings to plan out the upcoming project. Since the project is part of a competition for funding, I can't really describe it much but suffice it to say that it is using the sensor we have been working with for sometime now. I'll try and post a picture here pretty soon. It's nice to be home again after such a long break. In fact, I'll be leaving again on Friday to house-sit for one of my mom's friends. They have this sweet house in the next city over, and I'll have it all to myself. :)

Grad School Blogging

In honor of the 100 year anniversary of Einstein's 1905 papers, the United Nations classified 2005 as the "Year of Physics". In commemoration of this distinction, the American Physical Society set up blogs for over 20 physicists to talk about their daily lives throughout the year. I was particularly interested in the blogs by American graduate students. In that spirit, I thought I would start a line of blog entries that are particularly about my life as a graduate student in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering. I currently work on applying the latest in sensors technology to analyze the condensation collected from cooling human breath. Although this may seem obscure, it is one of the leading new areas of medical research. We are looking at analyzing breath to determine if the tested subject has been working with explosives in the past few weeks. Using our technique, we are hoping to implement this technology at ports or entry (airports, seaports, border crossings) to filter out potential people of interest. Instead of going after the bomber, we are looking for the bomb maker himself. I feel that this area of research will enable me to work in an area that will directly help people. With any luck, breath condensate analysis will lead to anti-terror techniques, new ways to diagnose the sick, stop the spread of infectious diseases, and ultimately raise the standard of living for people around the world. Ok, I know that's really optimistic but I really hope it happens.

Here's to a new beginning...

So, I have finally decided to become serious about blogging. I have always leaned back and forth between wanting to share my life with strangers. Having been really into reading other people's blogs for the past year, I finally decided that I should contribute my thoughts, opinions, and inner most feelings on a myriad of issues including restaurants, recipes, scientific findings, and a hodgepodge of other things. So here's to the beginning of a new chapter in my life.....