I’d heard about a mythical method for extracting limonene from orange peel using supercritical carbon dioxide. Perhaps that doesn’t sound that exciting, but the fact that a friend of mine had seen this being done in a plastic tube, in an exhibition hall at a science education conference really got me thinking. How on earth can you get liquid carbon dioxide in a plastic tube? Surely the pressure would cause the tube to explode?
How Much do You Labor?
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Yesterday was Labor Day in the U.S. and aside from BBQ, it got us thinking about, well… labor. Our schedules as graduate students, postdocs, assistant professors, vice presidents, research scientists, etc. can vary tremendously. However, regardless of the actual number of hours, we all have a feeling of how fairly we’re being treated, particularly when we factor in our salaries.
Graduate School Year 5: Approaching the Finish Line
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In the final installment of our week-long Guide to Graduate School, we profile the final (hopefully…) full year. There’s no way to pull a Rosie Ruiz here – the only way to make it this far is to run the entire race…
Guide to Graduate School: Year 5
Coming out of the darkness of Year 4, this year is filled with a number of milestones that start to make graduation feel like a reality. As such, it can be a very exciting year. Busy, but exciting…
The Weers Ranch ‘Rita
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This weekend, backyards all over the US will be packed as friends and families celebrate Labor Day with a final BBQ. Sadly, it marks the unofficial end of the quintessential summer drink, the Margarita. So in honor of a great summer, here’s a recipe for simple, cheap and delicious Margaritas – perfect to serve at, or bring to, your Labor Day Celebration!
Graduate School Year 4: Hang in There
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In the fourth installment of our Guide to Graduate School, we profile what is arguably the toughest year.
Guide to Graduate School: Year 4
My fourth year made Glenlivet and Advil a lot of money…
For most people, this is a brutal one. We’ve been banging our heads against the wall trying to get the project to move forward and things just aren’t working. The long hours and constant failure are taking their toll. As we enter the fourth year, papers are now top of mind and there is an increasing pressure to get them out (if we haven’t already). The reality that we will not graduate until something gets published is starting to weigh heavily on the mind.
Graduate School Year 3: The Sun is Shining!
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Today we take a look at the third year of graduate school. With Year 1 and Year 2 completed, we’re nearing the halfway point.
Guide to Graduate School: Year 3
The clouds have parted and the sun is out! No classes. No teaching. No exams. The third year is a great one. The qualifying exam likely helped create a well-defined project for you and with all the distractions out of the way, it’s time to focus on making some progress. Finally, you’re doing what you came to grad school to do – research!
The Lab Panic Button
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Sitting in driver’s education class as a 15-year-old one hot summer day, two things stuck with me: 1) the idea that when driving, we should always leave ourselves an “out,” and 2) the horrific smell generated by a room full of teenagers, still struggling with the concept of deodorant.
Graduate School Year 2: A Few More Hoops
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In day two of our series, we profile the second year of grad school. Here’s what to expect after the first year is history.
Guide to Graduate School: Year 2
FINALLY classes are over! This is no small feat – after 20 years of sitting in a classroom, taking exams, you have reached the end. However, the time that was previously filled with classes and rotations will now likely be spent teaching and stressing about the qualifying exam, which looms on the horizon for most second-year students. But overall, it’s a good time and you’re one step closer to performing full-time research.
Eatin’ on the Cheap: Dahl
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I was never very good at chemistry. In my first year as an undergrad, I worked my butt off for a credit (that’s about 70% in Australia). I had an assignment due the next day and I knew it was going to be a late one. I was a smoker back in those days, so having cigarettes for a night of study was MUCH more important than nutrition. I had $10 in my pocket, and at the time cigarettes were $7 (they’re much more expensive than in the US). So this left me $3 for the nutrition component of the evening. I paced the aisles of the grocery store until I came across lentils.
Welcome to Graduate School!
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All over the country today a new crop of eager young scientists begin their journey of discovery. Graduate school is a great time of learning and exploration, but it can also be stressful – especially the beginning. Perhaps the hardest part about the transition to grad school is the uncertainty involved. When will I graduate? Who should I work for? What’s expected of me? Can I drink the lab ethanol?
