Summer Camp Blog


6/6/2010

Sunday

Boring day.  Basically all I did was work on my paper.  I was a little nervous about the quality of the paper, so I worked really hard today to get it the way I wanted it.  Now I think the quality is much better.  I will probably edit it again for one last time tomorrow night before I must turn it in.  I also finished my discussion for the week.  So week 5 starts Tuesday and it consists of a major team project along with viewing the movie "Crimson Tide" with Denzel Washington to evaluate the leadership models exhibited in the movie.  Not my kind of movie, but oh well...its required, so I will do it...and maybe actually learn something about military command hierarchy and procedures while I am at it.  :-)

 

I am excited about tomorrow because I get to see the Jaguar and Kraken along with the Everest and hopefully I will get my new office area and my computer so I can start learning about what is expected of me and the software I will be using to evaluate this data.  Could be fun!  We also have four new teachers coming in tomorrow and maybe I will get to meet them.

 

6/5/2010

Saturday

 

My husband went back home today.  I have worked on my paper and worked on getting my wiki class ready.  I visited Target to pick up a few more supplies like bread, a long internet cable, head phones, memory card for the camera, and the stuff to make chocolate covered strawberries...Yum!  I also found out that my membership to the Memphis Zoo allows me free entrance to the Knoxville Zoo, so I may have a field trip next Saturday!  I love the zoo!

 

6/4/2010

Friday

What an exciting day!  I still didn't get an office area or a computer, but I did get to take some great pictures of Everest and I also met another research scientist, Huan Kim, that works in GIS (geographical information systems).  He mentioned that he has a biological scientist coming in at the end of the month to give a seminar on remote sensing marine mammals.  He asked if I would like to have some time to talk to her one-on-one.  I said, "OF COUSE"!  So I am being put on her agenda to meet with her after the seminar and I will have a wonderful 30 minutes with her!  How exciting is that??  I am sure I will have something to bring back to school to share with my students after that visit!

 

Later this evening, my husband and I went out to eat at Tony Corino's (italian) and then saw the new Shrek movie in 3D.  It was AWESOME! 

 

 

Very, very tired.  Got a lot of work to do in order to get my paper done and get my class ready.

  

6/3/2010

Thursday

I did more studying today and walked around to find the fastest computer in the world, the Jaguar, and the third fastest computer in the world, the Kraken.  They were also working on constructing a new computer but I don't know any details about it as of yet.  I also saw Everest which is a computer that takes up one whole wall of a huge "situation room" where scientists can monitor climate patterns, population patterns, and even the oil spill in the gulf region. 

 

The Jaguar - Classified as the fastest computer in the WORLD!

 

 

The Kraken - The 3rd fastest computer in the world!

 

 

Everest - a computer that displays the data in innovative ways.

 

Ashton is still organizing things to get me a room and computer to begin learning how to use the software I will need for my job as research assistant.  It looks like it may be Friday or even Monday.

 

I am currently located in an office area that has three college students that are part of a program that allows college students to do much the same work that I am doing for Raju.  They each have research scientists that are working with them to teach them not only what they do but how they can help them.

 

I completed my discussion questions for my doctoral program and will be working dilligently on my team project where my part is due Saturday.  I was nervous about being able to get it done, but with the delay in getting my office area and computer setup, it has freed me up to work on it at the lab.  That definitely relieved a little stress!

 

I am also getting geared up to teach the online class that teaches teachers how to use wikis effectively in their classrooms.  That starts officially next week, but I must get my classroom completed before it starts.  I will work more on that this week.

 

6/2/2010

Wednesday

I went in at 8:00am this morning.  Art and Vanissa walked me through all of the paperwork I must complete and I got kind of an overview of the program goals and what I will be expected to do.  I then went to meet my mentor, Dr. Ranga Raju Vatsavai (Raju).  He is very nice.  He spent some time teaching me some simple things about his research.  He studies crop patterns to see any changes that may affect human populations or economics.  He does this throuth remote sensing using satellites to take pictures and it interprets the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) as data which he manipulates and studies.  My first goal is to learn more about the science of what he does.  I also met Ashton, the department secretary, who helped me get settled in an office and she will be workin on getting my permanent office space and a computer (thin client) to work with.  Raju gave me two books to review that will help me learn more about the science of what he does.

 


 

When I got back to the hotel, I was exhausted.  No exploring Knoxville tonight.  Just straight to bed!

 

6/1/2010

Tuesday

My husband and I arrived at West Knoxville which is about 10 miles from Oak Ridge National Laboratories.  It was a 7 hour drive for us, so we are a little tired.  We got our stuff unpacked and decided to eat at Wasabi's, a japanese steak house.  It was GREAT!  I had the seafood platter that consisted of lobster, shrimp, and scallops.  I also had some california rolls which are my favorite.  Tomorrow I go in at 8:00am to get all of my paperwork and meet my mentor.  I am very excited!  But I must now go to bed to get enough sleep to be ready for tomorrow.

 

Candlewood Suites - The place I am staying for the next 8 weeks.