Lyon, France Visit

This weekend I visited Lyon, which is the third largest city in France. On Saturday I toured the city, saw the Tour De France pass through, and on Sunday I celebrated Bastille Day with the locals. Here are some pictures, and a video of the tour below.

By the river in Lyon

View of the Lyon city center from across the river

Notre Dame de Fourvière

Roman Ruins

Roman Passageway

Roman Amphitheater 

Tour De France! 

A Visit to a Steel Plant

Unfortunately, I forgot to update my blog with a weekly post last week; however, our group was able to see a steel plant in Germany.  Honestly, I have to give Germany props for all the research and work that goes into making sure that the impact to the environment is minimal.  This visit was an interesting and unforgettable experience.  I loved being able to tour the facility and see the different steps of the process.  Some of the machinery was so complex that I just wanted to take it apart to see how everything worked inside.  On a side note, I wish I was able to most more of the pictures online, but I do not want any of those processes available on the Internet.  If any of those processes were online, different manufacturers in other countries could duplicate those processes which would hurt the business to the German steel mill.  I learned that this is actually a fear for many manufacturers.  Businesses in countries that do not adhere to environmental standards or human rights policies could duplicate all the processes at a much cheaper cost which would put the German steel company out of business.  Overall though, the experience was fabulous and we got to wear some very fashionable attire.

Review of Last Week's Research
In the past week, I prepared a new solution for Polypropylene and researched some other polymers that would be perfect as a separator in supercapacitors.  At the moment, our lab does not have tubing for electrospinning so I am stuck with reading massive amounts of literature and looking up different solutions and parameters for electrospinning.  At the end of last week, I also started to feel sick.  I was not able to really work on Thursday or Friday and it is possible that I have a sinus infection.  At some point this week, I will probably go to the doctors to see what exactly is wrong.

Sick in Stuttgart

This past weekend I visited Stuttgart.  The picture above shows the town square.  In Stuttgart, the main thing to do is visit the Mercedes-Benz Museum which is what we ended up doing.

Unfortunately, we were unable to tour the plant because tours only take place during the week.  What was interesting about the museum was the amount of American history that was incorporated into the museum.  I think I learned more from that museum than I ever did in American history class.  Below are just some pictures from the museum experience.  The first picture is just Mercedes.  In fact, Mercedes got its name from a car that was created and the man decided to name the car after his daughter, Mercedes.  The next picture is of some older Mercedes cars.  What I love about this picture is the married couple that is taking their wedding pictures in the museum.  The next picture is actually one of the first or the first versions of what we know as windshield wipers.  I always find windshield wipers interesting because literally we cannot find a better invention than windshield wipers for cars to this day.

Overall, I had a fun time hanging in Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Mainz.  In fact, we had such a good time that we forgot to take pictures of the rest of the cities.


Reflection: Month Number One is Done
On our first day at the university, our mentor, Dr. Atchison or Jenny, watched our faces light up as we were introduced to a new, different world.  I remember how we all said that we wanted to stay in Germany forever because we thought it was better here.  Jenny said that idea would change soon enough.  I recall thinking that I would never want to leave.

At the moment, I still feel as though I would love to stay in Germany, but part of me also misses Philly, which has always been home.  To be honest, I have more than just a sinus infection; I'm also a little homesick.  I would love the opportunity to be able to eat food that I have been accustomed to throughout my entire existence.  To be more specific, I would like to have a sandwich.  If I could go to the local Fresh Grocer, I would buy a half a pound of Land O'Lakes American Cheese, a half a pound of Dietz and Watson German Bologna, Heinz American Ketchup, Original South Philly Rye Bread, and Lays Lightly Salted Potato Chips.  The food is absolutely delicious in Germany and a sandwich in Germany may be better than the sandwich I described, but I want to taste something that reminds me of home.

Of course, in about a month, I will have that opportunity.  For now, I will enjoy the Argentinian steaks, schnitzel, and pommes.  Germany is not the best country in the world or even better than America.  I hardly believe that one can make a judgement like that.  I believe that both countries have their strengths and weaknesses in their infrastructures and cultures.  For example, from what I have witnessed, Germans seem to put more importance on health, happiness, and living well than Americans.  Most Americans place precedence on work and business.  This German idea is definitely a lesson that I am going to incorporate into my own life.  I think a balance should definitely exist but America seems to forget about that.

I thinking knowing that differences exist and those differences make those countries unique is what matters; however, when I get back to America, I will be very happy to rent bikes on Sundays which is a thing you cannot do here.

Bastille day in France

      This weekend I went Lyon France. On Saturday I got to see the Tour de France as it passed through Lyon and from my hotel i could see the outlying village fireworks. We also toured Lyon's Basilica. It was the most magnificent building i have ever seen. the were intricate mosaics on every wall beautiful bass-reliefs depicting the Passion. and multiple chapels.

Overall it was an awesome weekend.

Ants (and other bugs) In Our Pants

July 9, 2013
So we hiked up Serra Amigos today. I won’t complain about our daily climb anymore after that one. Compared to Serra Amigos, every incline is a reasonable one. At the almost top, (we didn’t go all the way to the summit because there is nothing up there but radio towers and land we aren’t suppose to be on) we had reached 1,740m (which is close to 5,000ft I think). Tessa, her knees troubling her from the abundance of hiking we’ve been doing lately, was a real trouper and hauled her butt up that mountain. Don’t let anyone ver tell you that there’s anything that can’t be accomplished with determination because that right there was impressive. We did have to make frequent stops to eat cookies and such. It was steep hill upon steep hill for a straight hour. We were all huffing and puffing by the time we reached the almost top. 

We had hoped to scout out Eciton at their highest limit. Either because it is pretty cold today and more so up higher or because they just weren’t around, we did not find any Eciton. We did however find a smaller species of army ants that we are doing thermotolernces on. We also saw, much to Kaitlin’s excitement, an ocelot! It ran right across the muddy road, attempted to climb the other bank and failed, probably severely freaked out by Kaitlin’s mad pointing and screaming “Oh My God! It’s an ocelot!”, and then returned up the bank that it came down on. Spot of the day.
We figure we’ve probably been hiking about 10 km a day. (No days off) So that would mean that we’ve probably hiked about 200 km in the time that we’ve been here so far. I really hope that counts as training for triathlon because I’m having a hard time doing anything else than hike and collapse on my bed, the couch, or the floor depending on which is closest. 

It’s funny. I find myself liking, enjoying even, things that I did not in the states. For instance, I have never been a fan of bananas. But here, when the bananas have been picked off the tree at the peaks of ripeness and not pre-ripe like they are when intended to ship to the states, they are so much more sweeter. We have been using bananas a lot in our cooking: banana pie, banana pancakes and Drunken Bananas. Drunken Bananas are bananas stuffed with chocolate and drizzled with rum and put in the oven until the alcohol is cooked off and the chocolate is melted. However, we didn’t spring for the imported hershey’s chocolate chips and used the cheeper bad halloween candy-esque chocoolate which refused to melt! I also accidentally over shot my rum quantity, which I blame on poor directions as to the amount needed (enough to soak it is not the same as a glug), and drowned mine. Though all the alcohol did burn off, Tessa had a good time laughing at me. “You’re not suppose to drown it!” My bad. Thus the name Drunken Bananas was made. The other thing that I’ve become used to is getting bit and stung by army ants. When you stand in the middle of their column and poke things into their bivouacs, they really aren’t happy with you. Everyone has been stung at least twice. For me, behind the ear was the most painful. (Little bugger climbed up a tree I was brushed against and got me.) Kaitlin though has had it the worst. Trying to keep us out of as much danger as she can, she’s the one how will do the more risky things around the ants resulting often in her being bitten on the butt. Numerous times.  

July 14, 2013
So Tessa and I have come down with something. We’ve been taking turns being too ill to hike in the morning and afternoon. We can’t leave Kaitlin without anyone to help. So unless my stomach pangs are really unbearable it’s a suck-it-up-buttercup kind of a situation. Kaitlin of course is very kind about it all. She’s the only one not ill. 
Despite of that, there have been daily hikes to Curi Cancha (about an hour hike away to get to the entrance and another 40 minutes to get to the top of the trail system where our highest bivouac is found. From there we can work our way down the mountainous park.) So far we have found four bivouacs in the park and since we are having trouble deciding if they are in their nomadic phase, or kinda nomadic phase since a lot of these higher elevation colonies are not moving every night, or if they are in a statery phase. It’s fun to look all professional researcher like when tourists walk by and then they ask what it is that we are doing and such. The down side to Curi Canch is that we are not allowed to collect specimens there which makes thermotolerances kinda hard to do when you don’t have any ants. Bad for me and my poster. I’m starting to feel the crunch to get as much data as possible. Only 2 weeks left until we leave Costa Rica. We did hike down the mountain yesterday afternoon and found a raid front. I say we found a raid front and not the bivouac because despite our best attempts, we could not find it. Even when Kaitlin cut her way up a cliff face made solely of fallen banana trees we could not find it. (Speaking of banana trees, they are the stupidest trees ever. They fall down easily yet remain incredibly sticky and just all around get on your way. Why can’t you just stand up like a NORMAL TREE?!? Though your fruit is delicious.)
There was a brief period earlier this week when we finally got ICE (the phone and internet company here) to come to the house to fix the internet. They don’t speak English so it was interesting. Instead of fixing the internet and using the router we already have to give us wifi, we ending up with broadband that only worked on Kaitlin’s computer... for a brief time. Then the internet blinked out as did the phone. Grr face. So now we have no phone and no internet. 
OH! Tessa would also like me to add that she found a dead wasp in her pants a couple nights ago so she would like me to include her contribution to the title. 
It can’t decide here what season it wants to be. Yesterday it was a typical rainy season day, really still in the morning and then pours at like 2 or 3, or a dry season day, breezy in the morning with a crystal clear blue sky and then it rains later in the evening. On rainy days in the morning, it is so clear in the mountains. Of course soon the clouds roll in and fog over the scenery, but in the morning, we can see all the way to the Bay of Nicoya and to the Pacific Ocean beyond it. 

Kalispera (good evening) !!

Kalispera! 

Wow, I can't believe I am already halfway thru my experience abroad in Crete! Besides doing research, I have been exploring the island and am falling more in love with it every day... My parents might want to watch out as I may never want to come home hahah! But anyway, here's a recap of my week: 

Monday: class day! Today we learned about the Cretan economy and history as well as some language skills on basic vocabulary. After that, my afternoon was spent working on my STAR research. I focused mostly on starting to organize stuff for my poster, prepping questions to ask for an interview on Thursday, and putting more notes together on exclusive economic zones, UNCLOS III, etc. 

Tuesday: Today was another field trip day. This time, I had the chance to travel to the eastern part of the island and see a different region and terrain from the one I was used to. I got to go to a banana plantation and see how the process worked, explore some beautiful monasteries (both old and new), and also see a very beautiful beach! 

Wednesday: Today was great and a change from the normal class days... We had a guest lecturer come in to speak to us about her studies and her profession, both of which were useful to my research. She was talking to us about her dissertation she was working on focused on economics and the challenges she was facing with it. She was a very bright woman and had a lot of knowledge on not only that but also on the cultural aspects of things. After her presentations and the end of class, I did more research on my own. Today I started to write out more of my notes into essay form as well as organize everything into a more concise manner. 

Thursday/Friday: both thurs and Friday were considered class/ research days. We went to the complete other end of the island towards Chania so we got to spend a night in the area around there. On Thursday we met with the author of a book about Venizelos, a very prominent man in the shaping of Crete, where I had the opportunity to ask him some questions for my research. We then took a quick tour around the city of Chania and met with the provost from the technical university of Chania who talked to us a bit about what he did as well as about the school. Lastly to end off the day, we went to both an olive oil and bread factory where I got the chance to taste the local products, all of which were delicious! On Friday, we took a boat cruise to two gorgeous beaches and islands right off the coast of "main land" Crete and also got to talk with the head of the company. 

Kaitlin and Her Antics

July 5, 2013

This place can be as creepy as it is beautiful. I feel like Steven King would get along well here. The fog rolls and laps across the untrimmed yard, laps at the house, tumbles over the roof. I can see it from the window, I can feel its chill even from within the safety of the bodaga (the large shed we use as lab space). Thunder has been oncoming for some time. You could hear its very distant ruble two hours ago. Once night falls at 5 or 6, bird calls that sound eerily like a wounded animal’s screams will echo through the forest that creeps onto the yard. Add some howler monkey calls to this scene and you have the perfect setting for a discovery of a dead body. (Have you ever heard a howler monkey’s call? Most hair raising sound ever. I had the unfortunate opportunity to appreciate it in its full when setting out Labidus traps in a foggy forest...trying to beat the on coming storm...with thunder booming...by myself.)When thermotolerance testing goes late into the night (and by late into the night I mean like 7 pm), I run the short covered gap from the back door to the bodaga.

Or so Steven King would write.

It doesn’t really take long for one to realize why this ecosystem is called the cloud forest.

July 7,2013

We’ve found a rhythm, the three of us. Kaitlin and I trade off meals, borrow each other’s copies of Walking With Wolf (a memoir about a resident here in Monteverde, I highly suggest it), and entertain each other on the long hikes with stories of our childhood escapades. Kaitlin’s are definitely the funniest. Kaitlin in general is pretty hilarious. Of all the grad students that I could’ve ended up working with, I’m so grateful that it’s Kaitlin Baudier. Not only is she incredibly passionate and excited about her work, she is in general an awesome, crazy, and chilled person. She always keeps Tessa and myself laughing. Here is one story of her craziness: Sour Milk.

It was my turn to cook last night. As a nice treat for all of us in celebration of surviving 3 weeks in Costa Rica (with no internet), I decided to make cinnamon rolls for dessert. This required milk. The issue we had was that there was the really good milk...or once good milk from the creamery down the road. Two days ago it started to smell funny but if we heated it, it was fine. But by last night, it was just getting too funky. Forgoing the risk associated with maybe possibly bad milk, I just used some from the cartons we have also. I just left the tub of mostly drunken, probably bad milk on the counter reasoning that we would figure out what to do with it later.

Well four hours later, after dinner, we are once again confronted with the decision of what to do with bad milk. (One does not simply throw anything away here in Monteverde.) For some reason, Kaitlin decided to really test how bad the milk was, knowing full well how...off it smelled four hours ago. She popped the lid off the jug and took a big wiff. 

“WHEW!” Though I do have to admit, the look on her face was priceless. We spent the next few minutes bent over laughing at each other. 

Just today, Kaitlin and I were discussing the unfortunate experiences of bad hand shakes. This was a response to the line “I’ve never really been good at handshakes” that I read in the book I’m reading (The Thirteenth Tale: Diane Setterfield). 

“What?” I exclaimed. “How can you be bad at giving a hand shake? It’s really not that difficult.”

“Well you do get people who give you the awkward ones,” Kaitlin offers.

“Or crush your hand.”

“Or gives you a dead fish.”

“Or offers you a really sweaty palm.”

“Ah! What’s worse is when they’re like ‘hold on a second’ and wipe their palm down the side of their jeans. I really don’t want to shake that but you went to all of the bother to wipe it for me.”

This is probably not what STAR wants me to blog about. So to add in some relevant stuff about our research: we found a bivouac in Curi Cancha which is both awesome and not awesome. It’s awesome because it is at a high elevation and exposed enough to get iButtons in. It is not awesome because it is an hour hike from here to the bivouac and we have to check on it everyday. Tomorrow Kaitlin wants to hike up to the radio tower on the adjacent mountain. I’m afraid if we find a bivouac up there, we’ll have to do that hike (3 hours from here to there I think) everyday as well. 

Investigating Carbon Expansion in EDLCs - Week 3

Investigating Carbon Expansion in Electrochemical Double Layer Capacitors  

Drexel iStar Summer Blog -  Week 3

Experimental Work

Automating Dilatometer Data Processing: The dilatometer, which as I mention in other blogs is used to measure carbon expansion, records data points every couple milliseconds, and runs for an entire week. Consequently, I have an enormous amount of data to process. This week I invested automating some of the data processing via Macros in Excel. 

Objective:  Automate Data Processing to Efficiently Analyze Dilatometry Data 

Challenges:

  -Agilent Software Crashes

  -Agilent Software Scrambles Some Data Points

  -Two Different Instruments Generate Data Files

  -Enormous Quantities of Data 

Approach:

  Initial: Use Excel Macros

  Long-Term: Write Program to Completely Automate Data Processing

Experimental Procedure: 

Personal  Notes

Not too much has changed since previous blogs. Next week we are planning on going to either Paris or a castle, so that should be awesome. This weekend I needed to get some experimental work done at the INM, so I stayed in Saarbrucken. The next couple weekends I plan on heading out to different cities in Germany and France. Thus far, the trip has been awesome, even just here in Saarbrucken, and I can't wait to see more! (Castles are awesome, just saying).