Most stories require an introduction. I suppose the adventure of chasing my PhD is no different. So, in case you missed the basics, here is a summary.
This past May I graduated with a double major in geology and science education and a minor in biology from Olivet Nazarene University. I have accepted a Dean's Fellowship to pursue my PhD in Earth Science at Boston University starting in the Fall of 2011. In my first year, I will be starting method development for a totally new detrital garnet dating system, as well as learning the existing garnet dating technique used in BU's labs. Basically (for you non-geochemistry types) that means I'll be creating a brand new chemistry method to accurately figure out the ages of small pieces of transported garnet, which in turn can help us understand the time frames for the formation of some of the world's great mountain belts and other geologic structures. Blazing a new trail is sure to be difficult, but I guess I could say I'm no stranger to building my own path.
Therefore, I will be picking up my life and moving across the country on a brand new adventure. I'll have a new office, a new lab, new projects, new classes, new colleagues, a new apartment, a new roommate, a new church, a new school, a new city...that adds up to a whole bunch of new things. I hope that writing this blog will let me record some of the details of this adventure so that those I have physically left behind can keep up with my hectic life and also so that I can record the memories I don't want to forget. After all, in a little over a month I'll become GeoKate in the Bay State.
