A Wandering WeyrCat...

Nemo Science Museum, Amsterdam Netherlands  Official Photo of the verdigris ship-shaped building, designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. Built above a tunnel, the curvature of the tunnel acted as a foundation and was also the inspiration for the curved shape of the building itself. In a kind of mathematical mirror image of the traffic descending into the tunnel, the architect designed a building that seems to rise out of the water. NEMO We finally made it to the Science Museum! We traveled by Metro so we came out via Amsterdam Centraal, the most beautiful train station I've ever seen. Mosaic and gilt and bas relief everywhere! The boys had a blast in the bubble section! And we're fascinated by the telescope! They outgrew their Mama in a forced perspective room, which doubles as a slide if you are 5.  They used blocks to build colored shadows.   And tried to complete an 8,650 piece tria...

Today we went  the Science Center of Baltimore, MD, in the Inner Harbor! We spent 20 minutes in the dinosaur section right inside the front door. Hobbit was enthralled by the activities where you figured out what animals were (or weren't) dinosaurs! Barb and I had a little fun in there too! Nemo (and honestly all of us) fell in love with the physics section. The floating ball station was a huge hit.  Nemo didn't get as much out of it as his brother, but soon,, Tiny human, soon. (Check out the harp with laser strings!) Hobbit spent maybe a third of the our museum time at this giant Mousetrap. We couldn't tear him away for longer than a couple minutes. We did every activity in Newton's Alley and he kept coming back to this contraption.  Barb showing off her cycling skills to power a lightbulb. The walk to dinner was nice, except for Hare Krishna telling us we were g...

Hobbit and I made a daytrip to Philadelphia to visit the  Franklin Institute . We came for the "Polar Express" event but happily learned the Train exhibit is permanent (and well done)! I'd hoped the event would thrill my little engineer, but the trip was even better than I expected. First, I had to see the HD Moon temporarily on display. Bonus, they had it in the Franklin Memorial and the effect was astounding. Unless you're two, then it was just meh, apparently. However, The Baldwin 60000 blew our mind. It is a HUGE steam engine. Baldwin 60000 is an experimental steam locomotive built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Eddystone, Pennsylvania, in 1926, during the height of the railroading industry. It received its number for being the 60,000th locomotive built by Baldwin. It weighs 350 (US) tons. The weight and length of the engine were too much for all but the heaviest and straightest tracks. In 1933, it was purchased by the Franklin Institute Science Mus...

On April 14, we took to the streets of Trenton, NJ, along with thousands of people across the nation, to send a message to the United States government: Science, not Silence!

Master of Environmental Science, 2016. We did my graduation photos in the Marshall National Wildlife Refuge, the focus of my research.  — at Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. There were so many days when I thought I couldn't finish. I suffered from Imposter Syndrome the whole time! There I was, in a Masters of Science program, with other scientists, with my teaching degree. I had to work hard to catch up. When my project exploded and I had to switch to non-thesis, I wondered if it was proof that I couldn't be a scientist. I still don't really know, but I know it didn't stop me from getting a masters degree. We took my photos in the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, which was the focus of my research.

Jessica, Morgan, and I had the opportunity to revisit the Riverwoods/Archbold trip we took as interns for the   Arthur R. Marshall   Foundation for the Everglades! We drove up, met the newest group of interns (such great people!) and got to join them on some of the learning experiences. It was great to see some of our favorite trips again!

Dr. Klingler, Ms. Emily Cimillo, Dr. Schonbek. Pi Day Math Day Maetri The eleventh annual FAU Math Day held on what was the Pi Day of the century, Saturday, March 14, 2015, on the Boca Raton campus of Florida Atlantic University, was once again a success. Apart from all this, everybody seems to have had a very good time. The morning competition was interrupted for a few seconds at 9:26 and everybody cheered for the many digits of Pi in action. An interesting fact is that if time were continuous (which quantum theory does not quite allow) then sometime between 9:26 and 9:27 ALL the digits of Pi would be displayed.-   Dr. T. Schonbek, Florida Atlantic University   (From the  FAU Math Day 2014 page , circa March 2014)   More after the jump!

Presenting to a peer judge at College of Science's Research Day. After those first two "practice sessions"   presenting at GPSA and Environmental Science Research Days , I brushed up some of the topics and questions  recommended to me, and presented again March 20 at the College of Science Research Day. I did miss getting to run around like I owned the place (as I did as Lead Volunteer last year), and go sit with the volunteer judges for a yummy buffet lunch, but it was nice to talk to people about my proposed research, too. The best part was the recommendations. So many people knew of similar research or sources of data, or knew someone I could/should ask about my methodology. It takes a village to raise a child, and it seems to go for graduate students as well!

Usually, on Research Day I'm volunteering. Last year was a lot of fun, volunteering to help organize the College of Science Research day for the second time. This year, I presented my own work. Presenting my first research related poster: the proposal poster!

Volunteered with one of my favorite organizations: Arthur R Marshall Foundation for the Everglades!

For my masters in Environmental Science I take a course called Environmental Restoration. Largely it's a paperwork course: we read copious articles about restoration and then discuss. But sometimes, we get to see actual restorations. On this occasion we went to the Fort Lauderdale, Florida site of the Lauderdale-by-the-Beach Biorock Artificial Reef project.

Mission Green Student Association at FAU's 2014 Earth Day Festival! Mission Green Student Association teamed up with FAU Housing, Parking and Transportation, and SEEDS to put on a great Earth Day celebration! More after the jump!

Florida Atlantic University's College of Science Research Day is hosted by the College of Science Graduate Association. Staffed by the CSGA volunteers and a very dedicated staff member, the day highlights both the graduate and undergraduate research of FAU's science students! There were 58 graduate posters and 13 undergraduate posters registered, in disciplines ranging from mathematics to environmental science. We had 11 first year graduate students presenting posters! This was my second year as Volunteer Captain and the volunteer turnout was amazing! I had a great time working with all the volunteers, meeting the presenters, talking to judges, and even got interviewed about Graduate Research Day! It was our first year in the new venue, air conditioned and a little larger it allowed for a little more comfort. Still, with the popularity of Research Day, we might already be outgrowing the space! My only regret is that I didn't get to read more of the posters this...

The Gulf Specimen Marine Lab is tucked in among really nice seaside residences. A small front building contains the gift shop and a small office, while the aquariums are pretty much all outdoor or in open air tents.  They have several touch tanks with various  shell-life and horseshoe crabs (mating, I  might add), but some tanks were strictly  "no touch".  The marine lab is a working lab  and human interference in the experiments  means trying to account for the errors you introduce or injury you cause (via the  chemicals on your hands) or starting the entire experiment over from scratch. It was a really cool place. They had a nurse shark pair and their calf. I think I had to take ten photos just to get one with one adult and the calf in the same shot. The parents swam in circles in the small-diameter of the tank (maybe ten feet). One stayed near the calf  nearly all the time, and following it when it swam off. Allie is a Loggerhead Sea ...