Summer...let the fun times begin

So now that classes are officially over, it is time to sit back, relax...no wait. It is time to work. I have been fortunate enough to get a position working with the IRF testing probes for NASA's MMS mission. Being a master's student, having something to do in the summer between years improves your image and makes you more appealing when going for a Ph.D. In any case, I actually get to work with instruments that will go into space in a few years doing quality analysis. It is a wonderful opportunity and I am glad I managed to work my way into it. I actually had to manufacture my own mounting mechanism for the probes which means I got to spend a day in the machine shop. I was literally like a kid in a candy shop. I was excited all day long.

Now let's talk about Sweden...the snow is gone, the grass is green, the sky is full of nitrogen. Granted, it does not get dark at night due to our latitude, the weather is wonderful. Getting sun and spending time outside is a necessity. Biking through town or hiking in the woods, it is an experience next to none. It makes the cold months seem almost worth it because it increases your appreciation for the natural beauty of Uppsala. Also, since it is a small town (and I am a fan of small towns), it just adds to the allure.

I also recently found out that the physics department is one of the largest on the planet given the number of physicists. It made my heart melt when I heard that there are so many people that share my interests (even if they have different profiles, their love for physics is awe inspiring).

Well, time to get to the lab and make sure that I earn my place. Hope to see some of you in the fall.

Swedish Spring

So spring has finally arrived...sort of. You still need a light jacket a few days and most evenings, but the plant life has bounced back faster than I thought it could. It is gorgeous and the sun starts to light the sky at around 3am (don't ask how I know). In any case, I presented a project yesterday for the IRF (Institutet för Rymdfysik), or the Swedish Institute for Space Physics and it went so well I am getting a contract to test space probes for NASA's MMS mission going up in two years. I say that is pretty good. :) I then had a seminar is Galaxy Physics which also went really well.

I also put the finishing touches on an Observational Astrophysics lab. We took pictures of M51 and used a program to edit the pictures to make our own color images. Here is one of my results...

Now I have to make a presentation for my Nuclear Astrophysics class on chemical abundances on the galactic thin and thick disk.

Oh yeah, one thing all prospective master's students should know...actually all students should know about Uppsala housing. It is difficult...and when you find a place, it is tradition to start looking for another one. :) Strange I know, but it can be kind of fun. You learn the town and are constantly meeting new people.

The interconnections of it all

Another week passed and another reason why this path I have chosen is a wonderful experience... In galaxy physics we had a seminar on AGNs (Active Galactic Nuclei for the non-indoctrinated) and galaxy clusters. In NAP, we had another guest lecturer, Prof. Edmunds. Both classes held my attention greatly...unfortunately not so much because of the material covered. The reason that my attention was held captive and I was enthralled and hanging on every single word was due to the interconnections between everything that I am learning here at Uppsala. During both the seminar and lectures, bits of information from other classes came up, which is to be expected, but the connections with things that I personally was studying made the lectures a wonderful experience. Being able to pick other people's brains from different places gives a much more varied image of the universe we live in and helps to be not only more objective, but to have different vantage points from which to draw conclusions. It also helps with memory retention. Having to access the same information in different contexts and at different times greatly improves understanding. I mean really...could it get any better when preparing for a career in research. :)