Spock8179
From MariachiWiki
Age: 18
Major: Biochemistry
Minor: Linguistics (tentative)
Hometown: Valley Stream, NY
Birthdate: March 31, 1987
Contents |
About Me
Hey there! My name is Nicole, and I am currently a freshman at Stony Brook University studying biochemistry. I am 100% Filipino, and quite proud of it. Uh, I have no pets, two sisters (16 and 3), lots of friends who are science nerds, and an inner child that's four years old lol, just kidding.
I came from Valley Stream Central High School and have been interested in science since tenth grade after taking regents chemistry and testing my legs in the newly instated INTEL program there, but am not a big fan of physics due to the fact that it involves alot of math... But after moving to Stony Brook, I think it is a challenge I can take. Right now I am enrolled in a program known as WISE, and required to try this really cool lab under the Wise187 class: Cosmic rays and particle physics (check it out at WISE 187). I've previously experimented with Common Molecular Techniques with Plasmids in a Microbiology, and Phototaxis in Euglina in Microbial Neurobiology and Biophysics w/ Prof. Lyman (yeah!).
Over the course of the last five years I have worked in Religious Education, a Miniature Golf Course in Hendrickson Park, and attempted to work in a hospital in order to conduct a study on Type 1 Diabetes with a friend of my father's (that didn't work out so well), but it was an interesting few experiences nevertheless. I really enjoyed debating with fellow scholars on similar topics of science... like how physics really doesnt exist or its just a made up fake science.... just kidding, or anything of a similar kind. And it was cool to learn how much of a science nerd I really am!
Hobbies and interests
In my spare time I like to read books like Memoirs of a Geisha, ahhh! Ken Watanabe!!, and of course the Harry Potter series... On occasion I will test out the intellectual waters, as I am currently reading "The Quantum World" by Kenneth Ford, and my religious side: "The Case for a Creator" by Lee Strobel. I also enjoy writing up stories like fanfiction and simming, while learning to play the acoustic guitar with my friends Amy and Krystal.
Other than that I'm your pretty typical (pseudo)asian... or Oceanic as my friends have labelled it. Standing 62 inches tall, my friends have dubbed me 'shortiee', and I pretty much stick to domesticated activities like listening to a wide variety of music: from Linkin Park to Bach. I hang out with teachers after school and stick to my computer watching re-runs of Justice League or DBZ, maybe do something social and talk on AIM... But thats pretty much it.
I hope to grow out of that junk and become a doctor like my grandfather. And if I have enough time and money, go on a real trip and see places outside of this little island... Particularly Japan, the world's coolest place for everything I'm interested in. I also wanted to try my hand at being an astronaut, but fat chance of that happening anytime soon, even though my AP physics teacher really believes he's going to Mars before I do. My earliest dream was to be the first person in the world to meet a Vulcan!
Where to find me
Contact me at Spock8179@aol.com, Facebook or even MySpace.
Favorite Links
The Kingdom of Loathing
Stargate SG-1 Online RPG/Simming
Gateworld.Net
WIKIPEDIA
Mythology Encyclopedia
Assignments
- Popcorn Lab Write Up: PDF File
Blog Section
Create a blog/journal entry on your personal page. Begin each entry with the date. After entering the date, write two or three sentences about your most recent class experience. In particular, write about what was accomplished in class. You should also write about a "lightbulb" moment and a "challenge" moment since the last class.
March 28, 2006
On our first 'real' class Tuesday afternoon consisted of the Popcorn Lab in which a tiny microphone was attached to a microwave, and utilized to measure the number of *pop* sounds over a period of approximately 100 seconds. Following at least two trials, and two snack breaks, we separated into groups and collected data from the computer. Our group's methodology was approximating the time and amplitude for the first five pops (where they were sure to be in small increments apart) and base our guestimations on length of time for multiple pops when measuring the highest rate of popping.
Lightbulb Moment: Upon creating a histogram chart utilizing large increments of time, the rate of pops vs. time appeared to take the form of a standard bell curve. This would sort of make sense in that, as we learned in class the popping of corn kernels is attributed to a chemical reaction activated by the removal of water.
Challenge Moment: Based on this information, the question becomes how does the removal of water affect the reaction rate and the number of kernels popped over a period of time, this includes popping at the same time, how many kernels are popped (and un-popped for that matter), and how to chart this information over the given intervals of time.
March 30, 2006
Thursday afternoon we were instructed to create four experiments (three of which we were only able to concieved) on cosmic rays. These experiments included identifying how well cosmic rays passed through certain objects, determining the origin of cosmic rays, and determining the speed at which cosmic rays travel. This was based on the information we posessed (quite small if I may say so) in that Cosmic Rays emanate from 'the cosmos', they pass through many things, and that cosmic rays can come from many different directions (therefore we must also compensate for that variable using a few techniques discussed during class).
Lightbulb Moment: Upon researching "Cosmic Rays" on google, I came upon cosmicrays.org and have discovered that cosmic rays themselves are affected by magnetic fields. Cosmic Rays are also a factor affecting weather. Also I have come to understand what a Forbush decreases is, something along the lines of a magnetic cloud created by a phenomenon similar to a solar flare. This in turn then prevents many cosmic rays from entering the atmosphere
Challenge Moment: A challenging moment we encountered was discovering that we truly were on our own in this session, that we were forced to leave the protection of a classroom environment and design our own projects with which we would perform and eventually be graded on... It was quite scary.
