Adult Science Fair

As you may have figured out from reading my blog, I am a geologist. Specifically, a geochemist. I use fancy machines to collect data on tiny amounts of obscure elements. Here I am cracking up while collecting some data. I was probably a little delirious in this photo since I was running a fever and working under a fan blowing air that is about 55 degrees cold. Inside the machine is a plasma. Yes, plasma, that oft neglected form of matter made of a cloud of ions. I mean, should you need a scarf for this?? ( you know what I am sayin, right sarah?)

As part of my job I attend scientific conferences, and I have been busy preparing for the hum-dinger of them all – the Fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union. Thousands (I think more than 10,000 ) of geophysicists descend on the Moscone Center. You can easily spot them as they swarm around the convention center because
1) About 30% of them forget to take of their name badges
2) they are likely the only type of conference attendees to be seen carrying Nalgene water bottles and small hiking backpacks to a professional event. If it is raining look down to see a stampede of gore-tex hiking boots, and I guarantee there are more waterproof jackets than umbrellas
3) They are 70% old white men.

This year, my presentation will be a poster. As I start to prepare it (a whole week early) it hits me that this is the adult science fair. Really. In grade school I thought that even though I would surely be a scientist, I would never make a poster and label a section of it “abstract.” But I just did. I also noticed the most awesome thing…. My outfit wil match my poster.

snap.

Laura says:

December 5, 2006 at 6:36 am

But it’s a stylish scarf!

If there’s one thing I learned from Legally Blonde it’s that your outfit should match your presentation.

Have fun!

Chris says:

December 5, 2006 at 7:15 am

I love thinking of a conference that way! Good luck!

Sarah says:

December 5, 2006 at 8:46 am

not just an iso-problem but an ice-o-problem – I still *fondly* remember wearing more winter clothes in the lab in the summer than outside in the winter

Adam says:

December 5, 2006 at 12:52 pm

Hehe, it’s funny how each scientific or engineering discipline can be easily recognized in large packs.

Us engineers are the nerdy conservative ones, with our tucked in shirts, running shoes, jeans and way too many pens. I know that I feel naked if I don’t have a pen in my pocket.

Good luck with the poster, you’ll rock the house! (And be the only one who matches their poster I’m sure…)

Gladys says:

December 5, 2006 at 2:09 pm

Love the scarf and good luck with your grown up presentation 😉

moirae says:

December 5, 2006 at 7:47 pm

It’s always fun to play guess who is going to the conference. My husband is a mathematician and mathematics professors are readily identified, but I fear I do not know the exact details, as they do not tend to approach each other on the WAY to conference unless they already have been introduced. Still, they recognize their own!

My own group is made up of a hodge podge of environmentalists, so we get some engineers and architects, computer scientists, biologists, geologists, policy makers and planners. The big clue? Sometimes its the lack of make up, at others its the accessories that mark who they are. The engineers, planners and architects always have a pen with a rather fine tip, the computer scientists have a laptop, the biologists and geologists have water bottles, backpacks and or boots and the policy makers stick out by looking a little too polished for the room.

Is it just me, or do geologists like a lot of orange? I’m assuming that it shows up well for those who study glaciers or go hiking a lot and that those who study volcanoes are naturally drawn to it.