Decisions, decision, decisions

This last week has been a week of orientation. Tuesday I took a seat in the Granger auditorium to be greeted by the department chair and be introduced to each other and the University of Wisconsin (coincidentally also called U-Dub). T Over the next few days, I received keys to access key areas of Engineering Hall, chose health, vision, and supplemental dental insurance, and received safety training. However, the real work begins next week when I get introduced more in depth to the research that each professor is doing.

The process of choosing an advisor is as follows:

1. Attend the research presentations by each member of the faculty on this coming Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
2. After narrowing the field of potential advisors somewhat, schedule appointments and visit with 5-8 professors.
3. After deciding on a professor or two (or three...) request references for journal articles that will give me a further introduction into their research, attend group meetings, and talk with their current students
4. Submit 3 names of professors with whom I'd like to work, in order of preference, on October 2nd.
5. Wait to hear back from the department

I'm very excited to begin (and finish) this process so that I can move full steam ahead with my research. I very well may end up studying in a more traditional area of chemical engineering such as catalysis but it is just as possible that I end up working with stem cells in tissue engineering. I'm just as anxious as you all to learn what it'll be.

While dealing with uncertainty was the main thrust of my research at the University of Utah, I don't particularly enjoy the uncertainty that I've been feeling as of late. It's not that I'm nervous per se; rather, I can't make any aggressive moves forward until I know what direction "forward" entails. However, I've had some good conversations with Adam Broderick, a 3rd year grad student here and a former co-worker of mine in Dr. Solen's lab.

In my conversation with Adam, I realized that my experience in obtaining a PhD is an educational experience. In addition to becoming highly specialized in a field, I will learn how to effectively perform independent research and will gain a new set of skills. I don't neceessary need to have prior skills in an area; indeed, in may actually be to my advantage that I delve into an unexplored area of chemical (and biological) engineering. This foray promises to be richly rewarding, figuratively and eventually literally. What matters the most is that I am passionate in what I do and that I do it well... really well.

I've had more free time that I like to I've done my best to keep busy. I went to Devils Lake State Park, location of the best rock climbing in the state. My initial impression? "Ho hum." Really not too impressive if you've been living in Utah and climbing in the Cascades. Still, I include some photos.

The most impressive rock formation in the park

A good bouldering rock (notice the chalk left by previous climbers)

Caving anyone?

A cool photo of the meandering, tree-bound lane into the Park. Some photos look SO much better in black and white....

I also got a group of grad students together to visit the Capitol Building here in Madison. It's a tremendous work of architecture, rivaling LDS temples in decor and majesty. I've included some of the photos for your perusal.

The statue of Wisconsin (the woman) with the Capitol Building in the background. Is that the angel Moroni on top?

The 4th largest dome in the world!

Looking out over the rotunda. Check out those sweet marble walls!

In case you are interested, there are 30 graduate students in my incoming class. Half are from the states and the others are from overseas, primarily from China and India but there are others from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, Turkey, and Korea. They seem like a good bunch.