Elon Price, 2018 APS Career Programs Intern

Biography

SPS Chapter: North Carolina State University

My current home is at North Carolina State University where I major in Physics and minor in Mathematics. I expect to graduate in May 2019 and I am very excited to take the next time in my life-long learning journey. Outside of the classroom and the books, I mostly spend time doing research with the nuclear group in the physics department. I’m currently working on an independent project that involves background analysis of the PULSTAR reactor at State using a High Purity Germanium detector; a project I’ve been working on since last summer.

Outside of my physics world I try to keep my life balanced with various arts including violin, electric bass guitar, occasional piano, singing, and even some (bad) acting. I participate in jam sessions and quartets whenever possible and played 2nd violin with the Raleigh Civic Symphony for 3 years. Recently, I’ve focused my efforts at a local AME church as a violin instructor. This experience, along with many others, have inspired my most recent passion for teaching. I hope someday to be doing a combination of teaching physics, nuclear fusion research and musical composition.

Internship

Host: American Physical Society

Project

Abstract

As this year’s APS Careers intern, I worked on two major projects to promote physics as a profession with many potential pathways. The statistics (sourced from the AIP Statistical Center) are clear: only 1 in 7 physics majors go on to earn a Ph.D. and about half go straight into the workforce. I sought to deliver a creative message dispelling common misconceptions about what and who a physicist should be, and encouraged my audience to use their many resources to educate themselves. Most of my time was spent perfecting an informational video to be posted to the APS YouTube page. The approximately 5-minute video outlines the cool things you can do with a physics degree, addresses myths, and provides some statistics about diversity within the field. It also directs the viewers to the APS Careers webpage and recently updated Professional Development Guide. In addition to the video, I collaborated with the APS Marketing team to create an accompanying poster with a similar theme. Through this project I gained valuable project management and communication skills.

Final Presentation

Internship Blog

The First Week: Why Am I Always Getting Lost Though?

My head is spinning. I haven’t been able to function on less than 8 hours of sleep since way back in freshman year (because you know, that was FOREVER ago). For the first time in a while, I feel like I truly belong. This past week has been a whirlwind of new and exciting experiences and as I’m writing to you today is honestly the first time I’m processing it all.

It all started Friday. I left my quiet neighborhood (we call it the old people neighborhood) back in Clayton, NC and began the long journey to our nation’s capital. With me, I had my siblings (16 y.o. brother and 11 y.o. sister) and my mother. My dad wanted to be there but he had a conference in Texas (which turned out to be extremely hot) so I didn’t fault him for it. Anyway, we drove about 3 hours before we stopped at an old friend’s house in Virginia near Richmond. I call her Aunty Nikki because I’ve known her all my life and she has supported me like any other family member would. I admire her creativity and vigor and was glad to reconnect after way too long.

After that pitstop we headed to visit my other Aunty right outside of DC. It was too short of a visit but it’s relieving to know she’s nearby. I actually got to experience Maryland blue crabs for the first time ever at a true hole-in-the-wall named Fifer’s Seafood. It was an... interesting experience. They were no doubt the best crabs I’ve ever tasted in my life... so succulent and flavorful with a hint of sweetness. Being the food-lover I am, I enjoyed that night very much (even though I had to get my hands dirty).

At long last, I made it to my home for the summer. It was a wet, dark and busy move-in day but to me it was the best day ever. Despite the leaky shower, busted blinds, and burnt-out bulbs, I loved it. I loved it because it was mine (and those other three people lul). I felt it symbolized a new chapter in my life and I was ready for whatever came my way. After jazzing it up a bit and making three new friends in my suitemates, I finally retired for the night.

I awoke the next morning and literally hopped out of bed. I barely slept the night before because I was way too excited for orientation day. The four of us set out on the street to the metro. While transferring to the next train, we met up with two more awesome people and by the time we reached our destination I was 5 friends in.

Orientation was amazing. I sort of expected it to more like a “Don’t do this, and definitely don’t do that” type deal but it was more of a “Welcome to the family” situation. Everyone was so excited to meet us and they were all very friendly and interesting people. They fed us, bestowed words of wisdom, and told us all of the fun events they have in store. They genuinely wanted to hear more about us and what we had to say. And it was the same for all the other interns here. But the end of the first day, I had a whole new family.

After orientation, I met up with my mentor for the summer, Dr. Crystal Bailey. It was so great to meet her in person. She is an inspiring and lively woman with a “Let’s get this done!” type of attitude I live for. I appreciate that she allows my creativity to flow and is still there for support when I need. Although a bit challenging, I decided to take on a video project. This week I have been mostly doing research and writing the script for it. In short, I’m making a informational video about interesting careers in physics (there are A LOT) and how to go about getting them. Luckily, I have had some filmmaking experience before so I’m not going in blind (sure Elon, sure).

So if you made it this far, congrats! You’re finally going to understand the title. It seems I have made a habit of going the wrong way on the train... The first three times I was like “Whoops. Oh well...” but I have to say I’m starting to get a little... perturbed. It turns out in fact I shouldn’t feel comfortable solving Lagrangians when my stop is like 5 minutes away. Anywho, that’s all for today. Stayed tuned to find out if I ever figure out how to not get lost!

The Second Week: I’m a real filmmaker now!

So in case you were wondering this past week, no I still haven’t figured out how not to get lost on the Metro. But I’m steadily learning everyday! Sometimes I miss my stop (like this morning) but then I just get right on that reverse train and eventually get where I need to go.

I also very much enjoy walking around the city and exploring a new area everyday. It’s starting to get a little hotter around these parts so maybe a black blazer and pants aren’t the best walking material but I always make sure to have at least a liter of water with me. I love how there’s a little bit of nature and greenery somehow mixed in amongst this concrete, glass and metal world. It’s reminiscent of my City of Oaks (Raleigh, NC) and I can’t help but feel a tinge of nostalgia. Still, being here in DC reminds me of my desire to travel to a bunch of new places. I appreciate being able to turn the other corner and find a whole new uncharted territory.

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Last weekend was a blast! It started with reggae-jazz and highly competitive games of Uno and ended with ultimate brunching (yes, I made that a verb). Although it was my first experience with a pride parade, I’ve had no shortage of gatherings dispelling oppression and celebrating family, friends and the expression of diverse culture and personalities. I admit I saw some things maybe I wish I hadn’t but it was all part of a lifetime experience. In the end, I was super happy I went and of course enjoyed using all the crazy makeup colors I had no business buying.

Before watching the parade, we got the chance to do what I’m now coining as “Light Networking” at the OSA viewing party. The people there were so nice (I haven’t really met a not so nice person actually) and they seemed happy to meet us. There was lots of free food and colorful leis which we all took advantage of. We also got a tour of the OSA HQ which was recently (and still in the process) renovated. The building was beautiful with glass sliding doors on the offices, a very modern and homey kitchen area and even a holographic photo! There was also a balcony overlooking the parade grounds and other buildings and trees. Brigette really got the hook up!

After the tour and then the parade we made our way back to Sam’s room and watched Spiderman homecoming, for some it was a first-time experience that they thoroughly enjoyed. For me, it was still really cool the 4th time around. After the movie, I was pretty exhausted so I went to sleep much earlier than I expected which was very nice.

The next day everyone got up somewhat early (10:30 is pretty late for me lol) and we made our way to Teaism for brunch. It was nice to walk around the city on a sunny day with the gang, we had lively conversation along the way as usual so the walk went by super fast. At Teaism, like the name suggests, they had all kinds of exotic teas in wonderfully decorated boxes. I ended up ordering a plate with tea-cured smoked salmon with cilantro-ginger eggs and a iced chai latte. It was DElicious!

After a wonderful brunch and walk, I had the chance to get some meal prep in and made some cuban black beans, rice, peanut noodle salad, and vegan mandarin orange chicken. It was all so tasty and made my week go by a lot smoother.

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This week at work I made some final changes to the script for my video. I learned how to reserve conference rooms in the building so that I could record in a quiet environment. Detailed below is the steps to make an awesome video:

• Check the audio quality of your mic by recording some random stuff. If your sound sucks... figure it out.

• Record the full audio for the video in sections so that it might be easier to work whatever video editing software you’re using. If your total audio is longer than expected... figure it out.

• Review all your audio and realize you somehow forgot an entire section of your 3 page script and record the whole thing again. If you don’t recognize this until it’s wayyyy too late... then you’ll have to figure that out.

• Once you got all your audio content squared away, figure out how the heck a simple video editing project turned into a computer coding experiment.

So that’s it! If you follow the above steps you can easily make your own informational video! Okay so maybe don’t do any of those things but you catch my drift. Despite some speed bumps along the way, I’ve been enjoying my project a lot. It’s not everyday I get to combine my love for physics and my secret artsy side. What a dream come true! I always said one day I would be an astrophysicist that made sci-fi movies on the side (um, nuclear physics and non-fiction) ... I mean this is basically just that!

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Well it’s about that time when I think to myself, They’re never going to make it down this far in the blog Elon, so I’ll end it here for now. Thanks for reading! If you want to find out if I become the next Steven Spielberg, you’ll just have to stay tuned!

The Third Week: Out Here Making Moves

So I think I can confidently say, I will not be a YouTuber in the near future. Video editing is tough stuff! It took me so long just to figure out how to fade the music volume before the talking begins. But I eventually got it (after about an hour and a couple instructional videos) and now I’m chugging along!

This week work at ACP is really starting to pick up. Starting Monday, I had a meeting with my mentor and we discussed the script I created for my video. There were some parts that needed to be changed for a more positive vibe (sometimes I can get a little too passionate about diversity issues) and I also unintentionally maybe insulted theoretical physicists (sorry!). Not to mention it’s been a real challenge not to get too nerdy with my jokes, cause I can get carried away with that too! Overall, I think the script is just about finalized and after re-recording some sections it may be ready to be incorporated into the video.

I actually got the inspiration for this project from my younger brother (a computer genius) who has been building his YouTube channel for a couple years. He’s learned valuable editing and graphic design skills from a variety of programs and has been in my corner for whatever I need. I realize that in an ever-evolving technological society, most people (especially younger generations) like their information given to them fast but also entertainingly (I made it up).

Going off of that idea, I decided to make this video in the same style. It will be more like a video from a YouTuber named Ceeday; a collection of clips (videos and pictures) with some animated titles. My goal is to attract high schoolers and undergraduates to physics and to the APS Careers webpage where they can access more in depth information and resources. Essentially it’s like an advertisement.

In addition to this project, I’m also helping design a poster. The poster will have the same theme as the video (gotta get that consistent branding) and could be sent around the country. I met with the marketing folks yesterday to discuss and I’m really excited to make it happen! They will be doing most of the magic while I throw them the bare essentials. They are some amazing ladies and I have no doubt the poster will turn out flawless!

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In other news, last weekend was a blast! I finally got to check out my first 2 museums: Natural History and the Portrait Gallery! A few of us went out and spent the whole day exploring. There was a lot to see but we took in as much as we could. From meteorites to unfinished portraits of George Washington, it was a day full of discovery.

We also had a birthday celebration for Stephanie on Monday which was really fun. We played a very intense (and a little traumatizing) game called The Game of Real Life™. Unfortunately, my character ended up dying young and alone (I tried my best!). I also made a vegan meal of pulled “pork”, fries and coleslaw. Plus a vegan chocolate cake! Everyone really loved it and I enjoyed cooking for all of them. Cooking is very therapeutic for me and I don’t mind sharing my creations with friends.

Finally, yesterday we went on a super fun dinner cruise! There were a lot of SPS folks there and it was good to converse with people in a fun environment. It was also Michael’s 21st bday so we had to dance the night away! I also had some AMAZING jumbo crab cakes and a super decadent Odyssey signature cake with ice cream and a raspberry mint sauce. It was all very fancy and I was so grateful for the opportunity. Everyone looked so wonderful in their fancy outfits.

I’ve been having such a wonderful time here. Everyday is something new and exciting. I appreciate having these blogs as an opportunity to recap everything I have done. When I return home, I’ll be able to look back and read about the fun times and challenging yet fulfilling work. It’ll remind me of how much I have grown and what I have gained in only one summer.

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As always your support of these extremely unorganized and wordy blogs is highly appreciated. Stay tuned for next week’s adventure!

The Fourth Week: “Science is for everyone...we are all natural explorers.”

The title is a quote from astrophysicist Dr. Wanda Diaz-Merced. Please look up her very inspirational TED Talk!!

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It had been awhile since I got the opportunity to totally “nerd out” over Astronomy. If not for Astronomy, I’m certain I wouldn’t be here today. And I don’t mean that in a negative or morbid way, I just wanted to take a moment to appreciate the science that fed my young creative mind, showed me that there are things much bigger than me and inspired me to be the best person I can be.

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Last Saturday we all participated in Astronomy on the Mall. It was an outreach event organized by Dr. Donald Lubowich of Hofstra University. I think one of the coolest things about it, besides the actual astronomy, was that it was truly a community effort. There were numerous booths and demos from different organizations, universities, and astronomy clubs. There were also lots of volunteers from various backgrounds (including us!) and everyone did their part to make sure that the event ran smoothly.

SPS had quite a few tables full of demos including a gravity well, composition of the universe (my demo), eclipse, diffraction of light, trivia, galileoscope, and a dobsonian telescope. The people that came to my demo were of all ages, sizes, ethnicities, and knowledge levels. I was thoroughly impressed with the younger crowd there, they taught me some things I didn’t know and were very excited to hear what I had to say. It was the best feeling to be able to teach someone something, watch them process it and them ask me questions to know more. In the end, I was very appreciative to SPS for setting up this opportunity and I would definitely do it again if I could.

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Yesterday evening was an interesting experience. We all went out to a fancy Italian restaurant called Sette Osteria with Brad, James and AIP CEO Michael Moloney. Michael is a very kind spirit, I got the chance to talk with him on the boat cruise last week and he showed me a lot of cool sites from the boat. Despite some troubles with the food taking a long time, I definitely enjoyed myself. Sometimes all I need in life is cheesy science jokes, way too extra outfits, amazing food and good company. And lately, I’ve been pretty content.

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Also, my video project is finally starting to come into being. I’ve added the audio track and video clips I found along with some cool images and title animations. There’s still a lot to be done but I’m definitely leaving the vision stage and entering the reality phase. I met with Meghan White from the marketing department yesterday and we’re working together to create some eye-catching infographics for the poster. Some of the concepts she pitched were very creative and I can’t wait to see it all come together!

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Finally, next week is the week I’ve been waiting for since I found out I would be coming here. Independence Day in our nation’s capital! I’m pumped! As always, stay tuned to see how my project comes along and July 4th shenanigans.

The Fifth Week: African Art and American Pride

*Note: My apologies for this blog being later than usual, I’m finally getting over a virus I caught Thursday.

I want to start this post by crediting Stephanie Williams for my last blog post title. Stephanie is a passionate and intelligent person who, by simply basking in her presence, has made me a more informed individual. I very much appreciate the wealth of knowledge she brings to every lunch time and look forward to all the seemingly random facts she knows. Thank you Stephanie for being such an inspiration!

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It’s hot man. When I first came here I was enjoying the little bit of warmth, but it’s officially summer in every sense of the word. Most of this week was spent mentally and physically preparing myself to walk outside into the blazing, 90-something degree, and very humid weather.

Last weekend, however, turned out to be very fun! It started Friday with Brigette’s 20th birthday which I was honored to celebrate with her. The night went on pretty late and consisted of dancing and vibing to good music, intense games of “tiny uno”, and delicious brownies layered with oreos and cookie dough (baked by Stephanie).

The next day I went on a date with my one and only favorite roommate K-dubs (Krystina)!! We had some delicious raamen at a cute place called Daikaya. I got the spicy miso vegetable raamen and it was DELICIOUS. After one bite, I was instantly transported back in time 7 years to my very first meal when I moved to Okinawa, Japan. After the raamen we got some gelato at another small shop called Pitango Gelato. It was unlike any Gelato I’ve seen before. When the woman scooped it out for us, it stretched like a dough! I got a creamy custard flavor and chocolate hazelnut and Kryssi got pistachio and coconut. The gelato was so decadent, I felt like a fancy person just eating it.

After our food adventures we went to the African Art Museum. I couldn’t get over the fact that when we arrived, we had to take an elevator to go down into the lower levels. I also find it interesting that although they are described as art, these museums have so much history to tell. We saw things such as old arabic texts, golden jewelry, complex paintings, and overly bejeweled wine bottles. The art varied a lot depending one which country or region it had originated.

After the museum we walked around the gardens by the Smithsonian Castle and did a mini photo shoot. We must have looked like we were having a blast because people starting walking by asking us how the photoshoot was going. We also got the chance to sit down and relax and enjoy the beauty of being in nature.

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This past week at work has been mostly video editing, researching and 4th of July. When I first started this video project I saved a bunch of clips of pictures and videos that I thought would go nicely in my presentation. Now that I’ve put them all together, I noticed there are “holes” where there is nothing but a black screen, music, and my voice. That will definitely not do.

This week, I have been researching more images or video clips to fill in the spaces. It’s been a little tougher than I thought because I also want the images I include to make sense and be interesting. I’m also working to cut down the time on the video by possibly eliminating unnecessary repetitive portions and breaks in the audio. It’s getting close to crunch time now with the deadline to submit to the graphics team fast approaching. However, I am confident I can make it all work in time.

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At last, independence day in the capital was spectacular! It was definitely hot, crowded, and a little nerve-wracking but in the end I was happy to be there. Before making the trek to the capital, we enjoyed a nice lunch with Brad at (maybe ironically) a British pub called Elephant and Castle. It was an organic experience consisting of summer league basketball, not enough fries and debates about Hershey’s chocolate.

We said our goodbyes and from there some of us went to the capital. Although, we were two hours early it seemed we were a bit late. However we managed to find a decent spot among the vast sea of patriotic americans (and others lul) and settled down. After some games (or really just one long game) of Go Fish, finally the action started. From a jumbotron hanging from a crane and a nearby speaker we enjoyed performances from The Beach Boys, Jimmy Buffett, The Temptations, Pentatonix and more! After the concert the light up some awesome fireworks, including some that attempted to spell USA! All I could think of how lucky I (and the thousands of other people there) to be present for such a nice evening. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits and just having a good time.

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Looks like that concludes Week Five’s concise and long-awaited blog post (don’t kid yourself Elon)! I hope you enjoyed and you’ll stayed tuned for next week’s exciting post!

The Sixth Week: Wait, THE SIXTH WEEK?!?

This week was definitely a change of pace. But I welcomed it. I felt before this week I was beginning to get into a routine of waking up, going into work, grinding it out with my video project, going back to the dorms, gym, and then rewatching Luke Cage Season 1. It’s not that I have a problem with routines, in fact it’s the opposite. I can easily fall into a groove in any place I’m in, but I can also easily get stuck there.

Up until now, I have kept my promise to myself in making this summer one of adventure. Learning and discovering something new everyday. Maybe it was partially whatever virus I contracted last week slowing me down or maybe the super hot weather. In any case, the tours we went on this week gave me the inspiration I needed to continue making the most of my remaining four weeks in the Capitol.

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Tuesday we participated in a very informative career building workshop with Danielle Weiland. She gave us some ideas to consider about life after undergrad and helped us understand the difference between a CV and a resume. We went more in depth than any workshop I’ve had prior, breaking down every section of a sample resume. She also gave us some job descriptions and had us construct a resume based on that. The jobs she gave us were real jobs she’d found online. I was relieved to find that, after graduating next May, I will qualify for more than one of those jobs. Of course, I knew this from working on my projects with APS Careers but for me personally to see the descriptions and say “Hey, I can do that now!"; it made me a little less worried about my future.

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Yesterday (Thursday), we went on a tour of “the hill”, as people who work there fondly call it. We got an early start and visited Sarah’s office first; the minority office for the Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Then we went to a surprisingly entertaining hearing about AI and big data issues. The questions were perhaps the most interesting part of the whole thing. There was a range from people who knew enough to ask very pointed and intelligent inquiries to people who knew about the same as the average American. Although I was trying my best not to laugh at some of questions that didn’t make any sense to me, I felt the range of those asked was representative of the people of our country. Which I think was the point anyway. My career goals remain the same with teaching and research but I was definitely moved by this short experience with science policy... I may keep it in the back of my mind.

After the hearing we went to Sam’s building. We couldn’t go directly into his office because there was a senator in there but we did get to see Bernie Sanders’ office which was awesome! He’s become almost like a celebrity to me and many of my peers.

We also got the opportunity to tour the capitol building. It was so beautiful! Every bit of the architecture had some meaning and history. I admit I had felt apprehensive about visiting a building which my ancestors had been forced through slavery to construct, but it occured to me that they also built most of wondrous marvels our country has to offer. I can only imagine my own ideas of what they went through but I must say I am honored nonetheless to be able to see the magnificence they left behind. I was relieved they were recognized as the builders and celebrated what they accomplished.

Perhaps the most memorable part of the entire tour for me was seeing the old Supreme Court Chamber. The same chamber in which the famed Amistad case was held. As I walked through I remembered the lessons my mother had taught me several years back about the United States v. The Amistad. In the dimly lit room, with it’s red carpet floors and carefully preserved wooden desks, I thought of the hand-drawn pictures I had seen on the internet and pictured where Sengeh Pieh might have stood. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I can’t wait to tell my family all about it when I get home!

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The end of my time here is coming sooner than I’m prepared for. I’ve been having so much fun, even in the quieter moments, that I hadn’t understood how quickly the weeks have gone by. I intend to cherish the rest of the internship, strengthen the connections I’ve made, make new connections, and finish my projects!

I hope you’ll stick it out for a few more blogs! As always, stayed tuned for more updates!

The Seventh Week: Getting Close

We’ve pretty much all been in denial. I admit it’s hard to accept that the end is near (He, Infinity War reference, hehe). The 7 weeks of this summer has been filled with fun and chill times, exciting adventures and awesome new friends. Despite everyone trying to avoid bringing it up, I think I should start coming to terms with it. I’m really gonna miss this place and these people. I’m 7 weeks in and I still cannot believe I was chosen for this opportunity. I plan on making these last 3 weeks count!

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This week was a busier one than usual. I worked hard Monday and Tuesday to finished up a working copy of my video. I must say I’m proud of how far I’ve come, I had never attempted anything like this before and had a lot to learn. Thanks to Google and YouTube, I now have a potential skill to add to my resume.

In addition to the video, I’ve been collaborating with some folks in Marketing to make a poster version of my video. After viewing the first draft Monday I’m so excited for it to be printed and distributed around the country. My mentor and I also met on Monday and looked over it, we presented our feedback Wednesday morning and Meghan White (the main person working on the graphics) was very cooperative and attentive. We also got some extremely helpful advice from Erika Brown, the APS Bridge and IGEN programs manager. She helped to improve the diversity section of the poster to be a stronger and more positive message.

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Lastly, this past weekend I got the chance to go to the Air and Space museum after about 10 years. It was just as amazing and wondrous as I remembered and I learned a lot about different types of engines and planes in World War I. I also saw a planetarium showing of Dark Universe. Several years ago I participated in an after school Astrophysics course at the Natural History Museum in Manhattan where I got to see the pre-screening of Dark Universe. Everyone who contributed to making the film (technicians, programmers, musicians, etc.) were all there to celebrate it’s completion. It was an awesome experience and even cooler to see it again in a different planetarium miles away and years later. I enjoyed every second!

I’m afraid that’s gonna be all for today folks! I hope you’ll keep reading these blogs until they are no more and I appreciate your support. As always, stay tuned for more content!

The Eighth Week: NASA, NIST, and NuVegan

This past week has been an equal mix of excitement and down-time. Today is actually the first sunny and hot day in a while as most of this week has been rainy and stormy. Despite the weather, I found time to check out an awesome vegan spot near College Park and catch up on some sleep.

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Last Sunday Jesus and I made the adventure to NuVegan. I was super excited to find another person who not only embraced the vegan diet but also enjoyed good food as much as I do. The NuVegan food was especially delicious. They had all kind of soulfood options and everything was cooked to perfection. I ended up getting the vegan crabcakes, mac and cheese, and potato salad. I also got a cookie, and a raspberry cream shake. I was so full when we left there I could barely walk!

On the trek back we noticed it was starting to rain again. At first it was just a drizzle but soon enough we were caught in a full downpour. With a 10 minute walk ahead of us and one shared umbrella we decided to catch a Lyft. Despite the long distance and getting completely soaked, I can still confirm it was totally worth the trip.

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Tuesday we got up and headed to NIST a little early in the morning. Mostly everyone was pretty tired and slept on the hour and change Metro ride to Gaithersburg, MD. After arriving and resurrecting ourselves with some coffee, we received a very entertaining and somewhat improvised presentation from Jesus’s mentor Mr. Yaw Obeng. He helped us better understand what NIST was about and some of the things they were researching there. Perhaps the most interesting thing he discussed was using water as a dielectric. It seemed contradictory, but in a very thin layer it can be used as an insulator for electrical current.

We got a tour of many different labs and learned about things like nanotech, AFMs, and a big box with a controlled environment. In addition we took a tour of the museum where we saw a replica of the first neon sign, a model of the case holding the declaration of independence, and a missile design once guided by pigeons.

Outside of the museum library area we got to see an actual clone of Isaac Newton’s apple tree! The same one that is infamous for dropping an apple on his head and inspiring his laws of gravity. Many of us took photos under the tree, pretending to ponder things. I haven’t checked in, but as far as I know none of us have had any epiphanies about the laws of physics (hopefully just standing under the tree gave us some good luck though!).

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On Wednesday, we toured NASA Goddard in Greenbelt, MD. It was another early start but I was super excited to visit a NASA campus! We started by walking around the Science Jamboree until lunchtime. There we got a huge dose of all the different projects going on at NASA and there were tons of super cool demos. I learned a lot about initiatives like WFIRST (an infrared space telescope seeking out dark energy), and LISA (a collaborative effort between ESA and NASA to more accurately measure gravitational waves), Juno (a mission launched in 2011 to learn more about Jupiter’s composition, gravity field, magnetic field, and polar magnetosphere) and plenty more cool acronyms. There was even a VR booth. The VR was a simulation of a NASA lab where you could walk around and work on a satellite or just destroy everything like Daniel and Collin did.

After a delicious lunch of jerk tilapia, rice and peas, and patty from a Jamaican food truck, we all headed to visit some actual labs. One of the labs we visited had a super cool collection of wires and metal called SAM (Sample Analysis at Mars). Using SAM, NASA scientists can conduct experiments on Earth before they do it with the Curiosity. This way they can avoid any major damage or failure. One of the wildest things I learned is how outdated the SAM technology is. In fact, the reason most of the NASA technology seems a little outdated is because it has to go through a process of approval which could take many years. That essentially “freezes” it in one generation of technology.

However SAM still works really well and they’re currently in the process of upgrading the tech, making it more compact and efficient.

We also got see the labs where Daniel and Collin work. Collin’s lab was full of all kinds of instruments and electronics including an apparatus simulating potential exoplanet climates at really high temperatures. In retrospect, Daniel’s lab had a cryostat that operated at an extremely low temperature: about 0.3 Kelvin. This, along with helpful computer programs like COMPSOL, help in understanding the CMB, or Cosmic Microwave Background. We also received a very inspirational talk from Daniel’s mentor Dr. Edward Wollack. He’s a very intelligent individual who told us all about the history of the universe and important life lessons.

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Lastly, Thursday morning when returned to work after what seemed like forever I was pleasantly surprised to find the final printed version of my poster. It looks so awesome and after approval from Marketing and my mentor I am happy to say the first 200 copies will hopefully be distributed around the country at conferences, in classrooms and at universities.

It’s sad to think my time here is coming to a close, but I’m excited to take the experiences and lessons I’ve learned and apply them as my undergraduate career comes to a close. I appreciate you reading these blogs posts, no matter how unorganized. I hope you’ll stay tuned for the last two weeks!

The Ninth Week: Role Modelz

This week further affirmed my desire to become a teacher and provided me some assurance being a double minority in physics. I did a lot of networking and learned a lot about efforts to make physics teaching the best it can be!

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On Sunday Sarah and her friend, Amanda, Krystina, and I participated in a Lab Escape at the 2018 AAPT Summer Meeting. While waiting in an unusually cozy lounge for the game to start I met a women from Elizabeth City, NC. It was nice to connect with someone else from my state and I also learned she was teaching 5th grade math and attending graduate school for applied mathematics which is similar to what I’d like to do after I graduate.

Monday night I got the opportunity meet up with some of the members of AAWiP (African American Women in Physics). It was honestly a dream come true. Even though it was pouring down rain and I forgot my rainboots and umbrella I was more than determined to make it to the restaurant. We ended up going to a small, Panamanian hole-in-the-wall called Esencias Panamenas. The food was fabulous and reminded me of my Jamaican family’s get-togethers. We had more fried plantains than I’ve ever seen at one time, codfish cakes that were almost the size of burgers, and vegetarian carimañolas (yuca fritters). I also got an interesting drink called chicheme frío (hominy, milk, and spices).

It was so rewarding to meet so many beautiful black women physicists in one place. I always knew they were out there but to actually meet them in-person, learn their stories and shared experiences, was an honor. A couple of them were at the same stages in their lives as I was and most of them were exactly where I hope to be in the near-future. I hope we can stay in touch and meet up again soon!

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I also enjoyed the AAPT Meeting as well. The Teacher’s Lounges were especially fun, we basically tried out a bunch of cool demo’s called “DigiKits.” It essentially was a bunch of K-12 teachers just hanging out and having some creative fun. It was a good mix of people, from seasoned teachers to aspiring ones.

I also got the chance to hear some inspirational advice from Dr. Shirley Malcom, currently the Head of Education and Human Resources Programs at the AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) and recipient of 16 honorary degrees. She was an eloquent speaker whose answers to the panel’s questions were thoughtful and very quotable.

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My two main projects for this internship (YouTube video and poster design) are pretty much finished at this point so I’m currently working on my final presentation for next Friday. I’m excited for my final weekend in DC, starting with my first EDM concert tonight at Echostage! Stay tuned for my final post next week to see how it went!

The Last Week: A Fresh Look

I hope to live everyday of my life like I did this past week. Cherishing every second and grabbing every opportunity. From board meetings to amazing Maryland crabs to my final day at the gym, it was a blast. This past week strengthened my bonds further with the other interns and confirmed all the feelings I’ve had throughout the summer.

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The final presentations were a complete success, I really felt like everybody showed out. My presentation was towards the end which at first I wasn’t thrilled about but it gave me a chance to calm my nerves, have more coffee, and enjoy everyone else’s talks. Although I was a little nervous the whole time it was more than comforting to know that everyone was there to support my growth as a public speaker and that they all wanted to hear what I had to say.

After the talk we got some awesome gifts from the SPS team including a cool poster and special books for each of us. I almost choked up when we got to lunch and they decided to serve us the same meal as orientation. We left almost like the way we came, but I think this time it meant something different.

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The next morning was sadder than I expected. After spending the whole night packing up and playing card games and reflecting on the summer, the mood was low and the dreary weather didn’t help. Some people left super early, including my one and only, awesome roommate Krystina. After my brother and dad helped me pack up the car, I came back and said my goodbyes. All it took was one person to start sniffling and it finally hit me. I don’t know how they did it but the SPS team really picked the perfect bunch of people. From the first day we instantly connected, and everyone had a unique personality to bring.

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I also appreciate my mentor Crystal Bailey for making my internship the best it could be. She provided me the guidance I needed for my video project, which was a huge success and will be uploaded to the APS Physics YouTube page very soon! She also gave me new perspectives about physics careers that I can take back to NC State and pass on as well as use for my career going forward.

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Thanks again to everyone for helping make this summer an eye-opening and super fun time! Signing off for the last time, live long and prosper.