This is my first semester teaching! Yay! I've been appointed as a TA for the undergraduate Introduction to Geochemistry course. My lab mate and previous research commander, Lisa Mayhew, is teaching the course for her first time. Sounds like we'll have quite the experience becoming teachers together - she as a professor and me as a teaching assistant.
Yesterday, the students were introduced to nucleosynthesis - the term applied to all the processes through which the elements were formed, specifically concerning the creation of the nuclides of the elements from nuclei of hydrogen, helium, and lithium within stars following the Big Bang. When Lisa was going over the material, I could see some faces in the class dropping (they looked like "deer in the headlights"). It's not that nucleosynthesis is hard to understand, but when we started talking about beta minus, beta plus, and alpha decay, the proton-proton chain, the triple-alpha process, and the CNO cycle in stars, the students definitely seemed to be thrown out of their comfort zones. That's good, though. The ones who really care will take that feeling of uncertainty and use it to drive their learning (of course, there are others who will either drop the course, or just hope they don't get quizzed too heavily on the material since they won't intend on studying - college is a silly business these days).
Here's hoping my office hours end up busy and full of interested students. I'd love to become a resource for those who are learning this material for the first time.
I am an astrobiologist, sci-fi geek, and professor of everything groovy. I write about science, culture, math, history, space, and science fiction. Perhaps like you, I'm seeking a greater understanding of the nature of life and asking myself why all of this really matters. Come with me, and we'll ask some questions together.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
2013, Here We Go!
After some awesome travels at the end of 2012 and a week of sickness leading us into 2013, I am finally back to work, back to my science, and back to my geeky life. Getting back to work isn't always the easiest after a long break, so I'm easing into it by cleaning up my desk and watching the MST3K riffing of Space Mutiny (a rather terrible and hilarious sci-fi produced by some South Africans which stole a lot of the video and sound from the original Battlestar Galactica).
For some good news, we watched Looper last night and, I must say, I was severely impressed. The story was original and well-written. The writer/director Rian Johnson did a fantastic job creating the story and the dialogue. I look forward to more awesomeness from Johnson in the future!
For some good news, we watched Looper last night and, I must say, I was severely impressed. The story was original and well-written. The writer/director Rian Johnson did a fantastic job creating the story and the dialogue. I look forward to more awesomeness from Johnson in the future!
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