And I am so please to present the finalized version: The Knot is Tied!!!
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Shinny Things
If a picture is worth a thousand words, here's several that hopefully tell a story which makes me very happy :D
Monday, February 24, 2014
Science in Education vs. Educational Science
I have lived in the world of Science. From the 3am sample times to the grueling lab meetings, I have suffered for Science. During this chapter of my life, I have taught science as a tutor, teaching assistant, and mentor. I have recently begun a new chapter of my life: Chemistry Instructor. Which as it turns out, has little to do with the Science world in which I was so heavily integrated.
I would define Science in Education as what I was doing. The hands on research--cultural emersion within laboratory science. It is why I fell in love with science. Don't get me wrong, it's a love hate relationship. Then again, addictions are usually a love-hate relationship.
Research is addicting.
The one thing I never saw while emerged within that world. I miss it, and I probably will always miss it. I don't miss being an addict.
I've found a new drug: Teaching. Just as many highs and lows-- Just as many long and thankless hours. However, this time, I've embraced something that allows more of my gregarious personality to show. It's a chance to inspire through my passion.
All that said, teaching is missing something crucial to the world of Science. It's missing the cutting edge element of research. It's missing the dire necessity to "succeed or suffer ultimate failure" element that made science so addicting. The distillation of 100 years of careers into one 60 minute power point for a lesson plan is Educational Science. It is its own skill, its own thrill, and its own drug. It just doesn't taste quit like Science.
I would define Science in Education as what I was doing. The hands on research--cultural emersion within laboratory science. It is why I fell in love with science. Don't get me wrong, it's a love hate relationship. Then again, addictions are usually a love-hate relationship.
Research is addicting.
The one thing I never saw while emerged within that world. I miss it, and I probably will always miss it. I don't miss being an addict.
I've found a new drug: Teaching. Just as many highs and lows-- Just as many long and thankless hours. However, this time, I've embraced something that allows more of my gregarious personality to show. It's a chance to inspire through my passion.
All that said, teaching is missing something crucial to the world of Science. It's missing the cutting edge element of research. It's missing the dire necessity to "succeed or suffer ultimate failure" element that made science so addicting. The distillation of 100 years of careers into one 60 minute power point for a lesson plan is Educational Science. It is its own skill, its own thrill, and its own drug. It just doesn't taste quit like Science.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
A timely science
So part of the problem with the pursuit of acme, is you get used to 'talking science' to people who are very focused on the 'how.' The other problem with the pursuit of acme is you (or at least I), need to take a minute to remember how to describe the 'what'- Since that's what it's all about. In this particle case the what is your circadian clock.
Human, or highly trained fruit fly, if you are reading this, I guarantee you have a (more or less) functioning internal circadian clock. This circadian clock is how you coordinate your body with the twenty four hour day. In fact just about every cell in your body has an automatous circadian clock. However, without the brain doing what bosses do and slowing some clocks, while lighting a fire under the metaphorical asses of others, we would be very fast aging, low efficiency, and exhausted fruit flies. Or who knows what we would be actually- considering how early the circadian clock developed. Although plants typically have a different twist on it, their core circadian clock seems to look pretty much like ours.
With science we seem to learn about, in this case literally, the working clock by studying various kinds of broken ones. From many such studies, and personal experiences of how we look and feel after a night of poor sleep, the circadian clock is just beginning to be understood. The broken circadian clock has been connecting with increased rate of aging, a plethora of cancers, diabetes, personality disorders, and increased workers comp needs.
Getting technical, you have a lot of protein in your body. And that protein does a lot of different, important stuff. Although most of the protein does not stick around very long. The core proteins of the circadian clock is made up of basically four different proteins: Two passive feedback loop proteins, and two negative feedback loop proteins. One of these negative feed back loop proteins is (surprise surprise), named PERIOD. As a fruit fly you have one kinda period protein, named PERIOD. Go figure. As a human you have three kinds of these proteins, named PER1, PER2, and PER3. Although these proteins have exceptionally similar builds, they are not redundant. Part of what is fascinating about the build of these proteins is the extend duration that they seem to take to complete a task, consequently establishing your twenty four hour clock.
Which brings me to my actual point. As it turns out the build of PERIOD ( and PER1 PER2 and PER3) are also very similar to the build of a developmental timing protein LIN42 from a nematode kind of worm. Which begs the question, what is it about the build of PERIOD, or otherwise LIN42, that suits it so well as a time keeper?
Human, or highly trained fruit fly, if you are reading this, I guarantee you have a (more or less) functioning internal circadian clock. This circadian clock is how you coordinate your body with the twenty four hour day. In fact just about every cell in your body has an automatous circadian clock. However, without the brain doing what bosses do and slowing some clocks, while lighting a fire under the metaphorical asses of others, we would be very fast aging, low efficiency, and exhausted fruit flies. Or who knows what we would be actually- considering how early the circadian clock developed. Although plants typically have a different twist on it, their core circadian clock seems to look pretty much like ours.
With science we seem to learn about, in this case literally, the working clock by studying various kinds of broken ones. From many such studies, and personal experiences of how we look and feel after a night of poor sleep, the circadian clock is just beginning to be understood. The broken circadian clock has been connecting with increased rate of aging, a plethora of cancers, diabetes, personality disorders, and increased workers comp needs.
Getting technical, you have a lot of protein in your body. And that protein does a lot of different, important stuff. Although most of the protein does not stick around very long. The core proteins of the circadian clock is made up of basically four different proteins: Two passive feedback loop proteins, and two negative feedback loop proteins. One of these negative feed back loop proteins is (surprise surprise), named PERIOD. As a fruit fly you have one kinda period protein, named PERIOD. Go figure. As a human you have three kinds of these proteins, named PER1, PER2, and PER3. Although these proteins have exceptionally similar builds, they are not redundant. Part of what is fascinating about the build of these proteins is the extend duration that they seem to take to complete a task, consequently establishing your twenty four hour clock.
Which brings me to my actual point. As it turns out the build of PERIOD ( and PER1 PER2 and PER3) are also very similar to the build of a developmental timing protein LIN42 from a nematode kind of worm. Which begs the question, what is it about the build of PERIOD, or otherwise LIN42, that suits it so well as a time keeper?
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