Kudos and a Philosophy

I like the Hilliard Symposium because, although it's difficult to give a good picture of your research in a 15 minute presentation, it is a good means for getting a glimpse of our department's research. Very impressive, guys! Even for me, the "Woman of Steel" who is only interested in metals, I was very intrigued and actually excited to learn about all the really cool stuff that our own classmates are doing.

Congrats to Mr. Almost Dr. Eric! The department better get that check to you..or else...!

During lunch I had the opportunity to sit with Prof. Lauhon. I asked him at what point did he know that he wanted to be a professor and how that came about. He said that he didn't always know, and that at one point he was at a crossroad and had to pick between either engineering or music. He chose materials science because he just loved physics so much. As years passed, he realized that this whole passion for science took over and his other hobbies faded away. Science is now a hobby for him.

WOW. After hearing all this, I think it is 100% confirmed that I CANNOT and WILL NOT be a professor ever in my life. I really do like science and engineering, but I am fully aware that there is a vast difference between my interest level and that of a professor. I assure you that Prof. Lauhon's story is nothing out of the ordinary. Every time I hear the G.B.O. talk about science and engineering, I am amazed at the depth to which he is interested in so many subjects. Every time I walk outside my office and hear Hersam discussing words I have no comprehension of, I understand that that cannot be me ever as well. I have always thought of mat sci as an interest, not a passion, and I am wondering whether this means I am not the ideal grad student (probably not). I'm okay with that, though, and I hope the rest of you are okay with this too. I think there's still a place for us people who have the just-kinda-sorta-yeah,this-is-okay attitude about research. You academia people, please don't look down on us =P. hehe. We all can't become professors anyway. We gotta make those planes fly! (Ref. to the keynote speech yesterday). For those of you who do find research so interesting that it is a hobby for you, well that's good, too! The world needs you guys too. For the rest of us, keep pressing on. The end is in sight...