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meanfreepath Spent a lot of time working on it this week, which is good. Got most of the chapter on SSX itself done yesterday. Still need to analyze some more data (mostly propagate out errors) and write about the IDS system itself, particularly the collection/input/exit optics. Fortunately I got the physics of IDS part written a long time ago. There are significant revisions to make to my theory section as well. Then the actual writeup of results/discussion, and the conclusion. A few minor things to fill in, maybe, about astrophysical contexts of reconnection and prior space measurements. But there is neither time nor inclination on my part to really delve into the physics of say, solar flares, about which one could write an entire library thesis.
My thesis is due 3/3, as it stands. Some of us have talked about perhaps appealing to the department for a few more days. Indeed, my advisor was surprised the theses were due before spring break this year -- in previous years, students have had spring break, and often a week or so after it, to finish their theses. At this point, I can at least see what remains to be finished. I really should try to have a draft by this coming weekend. That may be overly optimistic, but I have to try, if only so that my advisor/postdoc have time to review it, that a second reader (Carl Grossman) can look at it, and I can revise according to their comments.
Again... if only I could blow off everything else this week. But there's always music theory work to do. Psych has an attachment meeting this week -- I'll probably finish the reading for that on the van to/from Haverford tomorrow. The biggest thing this week is a Solid State midterm. I very much get the sense that unlike Swat seminar exams, this is something that one will have to much more actively study for. It won't be open book -- just an equation sheet with 20 equations, so "I know exactly where to look this up in Chapter 12 of Shankar" won't cut it. Jessica Gersh heard me unconsciously start singing "Eternal Father, Strong to Save", the Navy hymn, as I packed up yesterday afternoon, and asked me if I was drowning. Indeed, I think it is safe to say that I'm sort of drowning in work.
Here's the tentative list of places I've heard from, with at least some rough feelings:
Accepted
1. Wisconsin. Good plasma. Visit weekend 3/2-5 or 3/23-26, but the former is probably precluded by my thesis being due. Then again, I will know someone there if I visit the first weekend. I met a student from Washington when I was at the NUF Plasma Camp frosh summer. This October, at the APS/DPP meeting, her poster was across from mine. Now she's gotten into and will be visiting Wisconsin. Small world, I suppose.
2. Cornell
3. Maryland
4. MIT -- have RA to work with plasma group.
5. Colorado -- am supposed to call a plasma prof there tomorrow. Comments to follow.
Waiting to hear
1. Princeton Plasma -- somewhat less inclined to go there, but easy to visit
2. Harvard
3. Berkeley -- not so keen on Berkeley because of the distance
Right now Cornell and Maryland's open houses conflict, as does the 2nd Wisconsin weekend and MIT. There is one more prof I'm interested in listed as available for the 1st Wisconsin weekend as opposed to the 2nd, although if I go I would almost certainly need to appeal for extra time on my thesis as I would be out of town on the due date. So tough decision there. I could also visit places outside of the official weekends. MIT and Maryland would both be easy to visit over spring break. I am inclined to visit Maryland separately and be able to go to Cornell for the official visit.
Any thoughts from anyone?
[EDIT: I just got an email from Steve Maurer saying that this year's Algebra honors examiner will be Ed Mosteig, from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He was the algebra examiner last year too.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rose_garden, any comments on him? I'd also appreciate any comments you might have regarding grad school visits.]
My thesis is due 3/3, as it stands. Some of us have talked about perhaps appealing to the department for a few more days. Indeed, my advisor was surprised the theses were due before spring break this year -- in previous years, students have had spring break, and often a week or so after it, to finish their theses. At this point, I can at least see what remains to be finished. I really should try to have a draft by this coming weekend. That may be overly optimistic, but I have to try, if only so that my advisor/postdoc have time to review it, that a second reader (Carl Grossman) can look at it, and I can revise according to their comments.
Again... if only I could blow off everything else this week. But there's always music theory work to do. Psych has an attachment meeting this week -- I'll probably finish the reading for that on the van to/from Haverford tomorrow. The biggest thing this week is a Solid State midterm. I very much get the sense that unlike Swat seminar exams, this is something that one will have to much more actively study for. It won't be open book -- just an equation sheet with 20 equations, so "I know exactly where to look this up in Chapter 12 of Shankar" won't cut it. Jessica Gersh heard me unconsciously start singing "Eternal Father, Strong to Save", the Navy hymn, as I packed up yesterday afternoon, and asked me if I was drowning. Indeed, I think it is safe to say that I'm sort of drowning in work.
Here's the tentative list of places I've heard from, with at least some rough feelings:
Accepted
1. Wisconsin. Good plasma. Visit weekend 3/2-5 or 3/23-26, but the former is probably precluded by my thesis being due. Then again, I will know someone there if I visit the first weekend. I met a student from Washington when I was at the NUF Plasma Camp frosh summer. This October, at the APS/DPP meeting, her poster was across from mine. Now she's gotten into and will be visiting Wisconsin. Small world, I suppose.
2. Cornell
3. Maryland
4. MIT -- have RA to work with plasma group.
5. Colorado -- am supposed to call a plasma prof there tomorrow. Comments to follow.
Waiting to hear
1. Princeton Plasma -- somewhat less inclined to go there, but easy to visit
2. Harvard
3. Berkeley -- not so keen on Berkeley because of the distance
Right now Cornell and Maryland's open houses conflict, as does the 2nd Wisconsin weekend and MIT. There is one more prof I'm interested in listed as available for the 1st Wisconsin weekend as opposed to the 2nd, although if I go I would almost certainly need to appeal for extra time on my thesis as I would be out of town on the due date. So tough decision there. I could also visit places outside of the official weekends. MIT and Maryland would both be easy to visit over spring break. I am inclined to visit Maryland separately and be able to go to Cornell for the official visit.
Any thoughts from anyone?
[EDIT: I just got an email from Steve Maurer saying that this year's Algebra honors examiner will be Ed Mosteig, from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He was the algebra examiner last year too.
rose_garden, any comments on him? I'd also appreciate any comments you might have regarding grad school visits.]
