Journey To Down Under

I need to update this space more regularly. Yes I know it’s one year since my canberra trip, which is the whole purpose of this blog, but still I shd keep track of my thoughts right? And how my science comm journey has benefitted me! Heh Heh! That’s the whole point of an overseas education right? 

Till now, I have yet to have the ability to say (in perhaps 60s) what exactly i do in my line of work.

I finally officially got the scroll from the presiding officer in UCC =) Saw a colleague who is the valedictorian for graduate studies, and my students! My pioneer 2007 batch Wei Kang and  2009 batch Sihua! Both from my form class are doing math! And they are in the same commencement ceremony! Haha!

On twitter got to know that my 2007 student is the good friend of Stephanie! He only found out like recently! Despite the TONS of selfies we uploaded on FB back in canberra. And my thesis sup is the classmate of my HOD’s wife in university.

6 May 2015

The novelty of a shiny newly minted certificate screaming “Yes!! After all the endless nights plowing through the thesis, scouting for potential supervisors, losing hair over ethics essays, you made it!!!” - died down in less than a month.

All that is left as a memento in 2014 is just a piece of 100g A4 paper. My colleague was laughing that he could have just printed this for me! No different from what he had printed for college day.

I was way WAY more excited when I first gotten my first honors degree!

Perhaps it’s a sign of aging? After all you get more excited in your younger days.

So for the commencement,Grace and SH may not be attending the ceremony after all. My batch mates are still doing part time. Should I go? There’s no one else I know there. After all ceremonies are all about a part of your life; a way to celebrate milestones. I would love to put on the graduation robe and take a million pictures, with a bouquet of flowers in my hands. But seriously, it’s quite shallow isn’t it? Since all I wanted is to put on a gown and take pictures.

Back in my ANU days, i was always so easily excited when the High Tables were up for Bruce Hall dinners. And we get to wear robes like Harry Potter style then! Grace didn’t see the point of being so excited about wearing the robes. Jialing too, she didn't attend the ceremony. I was rather shocked to see her indifference then. Isn’t the commencement supposed to be a BIG thing? Especially she got it after 3 long years!

So why isn’t I’m excited this time round? Maybe it’s really that no one is celebrating with me. What’s the point of getting this 100g paper, and that’s it? Why the obsession with paper?

It's been the longest time since I posted an entry!

Dreamt about losing my luggage on my way to some place, with mates from my 2010 Aussie trip. I'm convinced that my brain is programmed to go back home.

I'm so proud of myself. Hahahha!

Am going to talk about these 2 scientists, their contributions, and sinster side of science during wednesday speaking of science lesson.

Realised I have been a fan of military and science all along, I love to read books on WWII, seals and scientists. Which brings me to this film Haber 2008. 

I haven't seen this film, but what got me interested was Fritz Haber, the German scientist who won a noble prize for the famous Haber Process which helped to feed the world, was also named the Father of Chemical Warfare. He was the first to use chemicals, chlorine gas in this case, to wipe out his enemies in WWI. This dark side of the scientist was relatively unknown (to me at least), till it was brought up by the ANU lecturer here. She also talked about another scientist in his time, Grignant, which came up with an equally toxic chemical warfare agent - phosgene.

Grignant, phosgene and Haber process are very commonly taught in A levels chemistry, but it never occur to me that these 2 scientists could be brought in a different perspective. One thing that really struck me what was Haber said, that Science belongs to the World during peace time, and belongs to the country during war time. The chem lecturer did try to lighten things up, that he compensated for his warfare deeds by coming up with ammonia which helps to feed the population. Without Haber process, we wouldn't be able to synthesize fertilizers so easily, and half the world population may have to go hungry.

This film, only 35 minutes talks about Fritz Haber and his family members, how his wife, the first woman who has received a Ph.D in chemistry eventually committed suicide because she couldn't reconcile with the fact that Haber is using Chlorine as a chemical warfare agent, and how Haber has left their 13 year old son to clear up the 'mess' after the mom died. Fritz Haber however, died a lonely death after WWII.

It's week 5 and I can't believe we are here for like 7 weeks already? That means my deadline for thesis is getting nearer, and that's not good news.

And no, I don't miss home hahahhaha heartless me. 

The days are getting longer, but not any warmer. It gets a bit rainy in spring, so I thought it was chillier than when I first arrived, though the weather forecast says otherwise.

So what's up with my life? We are going to Melbourne to catch Les Mis this Friday! Woohoo! =D And Great Ocean Road. The last time I went was with LJL and LCW and wife! 2010!! 4 years ago =) Totochan went too.

How's the life here? My cooking taste just as bad, the assignments are getting increasingly tougher. My Speaking of Science was supposed to be 4 assignments, which turned into like, 10, since Mike has decided that we should keep him entertained. Presentations are quite fun, but I totally suck at it. This week's we are supposed to talk about 2 scientists, and a documentary. The 2 scientists was quite easy for me since I teach Boyle's law in Gaseous State. BBC documentary is a 10 minute critique session, and I find it very hard to talk for 10 minutes, and not be looking like an idiot.

Realised that positive comments really drive people forward. Just got back my opinion piece on science funding. Have written it from a student's perspective, trying to get funding for his science competition, I got HD! Heh Heh. And that was quite a stressful week, cos the opinion piece and ethics 1000 essay was due on the same week, just 2 days apart. I don't think my ethics will do well this time, literally wrote crap!

Bioethics was way better. The lesson was on psycho-pharmacology drugs. The scientific study of drugs on mood, thinking and behavior. In simple English, here goes!

What do you think about the use of Ritalin, Prozac and Provigil to improve your concentration level, so you can perform better in stressful situations like EXAMS or rushing thesis? The effects are not that different from caffeine.

Do you consider this as cheating or just a way to boast your productivity?

Would it be good if shift workers such as surgeons, nurses, truck drivers to take such boasters since they work for long hours and their work requires immerse concentration as well?

Sports banned the use of 'enhancers' during competitions, but should the ban be extended to academia? After all, academia is not any different from sports, just that you exercise your brain muscles.

It's soooooooo intriguing! And many of the inputs were from the students! Totally love the lecturer, handing out coffee bean chocolates to bring her point, allowing the audience to contribute ideas and connect the dots into her lecture! She acknowledges that there are no answers and her argument, together with the students' argument are so insightful.

Which makes me think, why is it that we singaporeans are so passive about things? Why is it that I have no opinions of such, and no voice of my own, and it seemed that such issues drugs are so far away from me? And why are the aussies sooo vocal about their opinions? They do have a point, and no, they aren't empty vessels. Their ideas are sound, and the debate happens in the LT. Which is something you will never see in SG. Something must be very wrong with the SG education. We have no questions, but the aussies are BURSTING with questions. Real questions mind you. Not just to gain brownie points.

Studying abroad really excites and add colours to my life. =) 

Did I regret not coming early? Nope~ Having work for close to 8 years, I really appreciate the break to be back as a student. =) In fact, the child and shameless me feels no different from an undergrad hahaha.

Apart from that, I realised that, cooking is a valuable life-skill which I am obviously not gifted in, cleaning is constant distraction that destress me, and drinking is my one love that I hope never to give up.