Summer Projects in Academia

The spring I was finishing up my dissertation and nursing a newborn, Josh, Casen, and I flew to a university so I could interview for a chemistry professor job (it wasn't OC). During the whirlwind days of interview, the subject of summer teaching came up. I was surprised and dismayed when I was told I would be expected to teach summer classes; it wasn't really an option to just teach during my 10-month contract. I had been counting on having my summers free, especially while my kids were little. Fast-forward eleven years, and I'm enjoying working in the summer. Last summer was the first time all three kids were in school full day, and I had the whole month of May with my semester being over, but the kids were still in school. Just like last summer, I was able to acquire research funding for the first six weeks after the spring semester. The timing works out nicely with the kids being in school 3-4 weeks of that time.

Salicylic acid complexed with Fe(III),
picture courtesy of my RA

I ended up collaborating with a mechanical engineer on a materials project, which is related to both of our PhD work. As I was writing the proposal for a research grant, I got to geek out over scientific journal articles about materials chemistry, and I remembered why I love that area. I had a young, but independent research assistant who worked hard and smart. One of the hopeful outputs for this research is a joint laboratory experiment between my chemistry students and my collaborator's engineering students.

Downtown Vancouver

University of British Columbia hosted the conference

Conference time

The summer research time also gives me time to write. My philosophy collaborator, Myron, and I are working on revisions on a paper and a book chapter. Fingers crossed, there's some publications this year. I just got home from two conferences. I got to go to Vancouver to present a new philosophy of science paper about scientific realism and molecular structure.

Graduation in the Rose Garden at UBC

I did manage to get a couple of runs in when I wasn't working.

I always have most, if not all, of a presentation done before a conference, but that didn't happen this time. As a result, Myron and I had a lot of work to do at the conference, but the presentation got done, laying a nice foundation for a longer, more thorough one later related to quantum field theory in the summer. It also gave us some time to talk through ideas that are hard to do without being in person.

Making the case for being a realist about molecular structure

Explaining some chemistry history

Then I took a red eye flight back to OKC so I could hug the family and do laundry before leaving later in the day for the second conference in Lubbock. This conference was an interdisciplinary conference for academics at Church of Christ schools.

LCU campus was immaculate

Morning session

I presented in a session about Writing in the Sciences with my emphasis on having science majors write both technically and non-technically. There's nothing like getting to know colleagues while riding in a van for six hours. I ended up in a van with profs from other disciplines and as luck would have it, I was the navigator (I know. If you know me well, 'navigator' might not make sense, but with a map, I'm not as directionally-challenged.). The driver was an English professor who after asking me about my presentation, provided me with a framework for my scattered thoughts (I didn't have that presentation ready yet, either. Folks, it's been a LONG semester!).

Riding to dinner

Ran into my cousins unexpectedly made me happy

Conferences allow for such good opportunities to visit about research and learn how to make your work better. I also got to see some friends - science and bible profs - from other schools. As always, it was fun to catch up, heart-soothing to process rough times during this past academic year, and encouraging to talk about the future. I'm thankful for the friends I've made in my profession.

I got to see college friend, Melanie.
We survived undergrad as chem majors. 

Telling Amanda and Ben, "Until next time!"

I arrived home to Casen's favorite YouTube videos of the week, L Child and H's dance contest, and family movie night. My summer seems to be marching along, and I'm about to enter the part where I work more from home, but work less overall, and play in the sun with the kids. Life in academia isn't so bad.