gloveboxfetish

I never cease to be amazed during my time at NanoDTC - the generosity of spirit I encountered today was breathtaking - to start....clean room madness and yes I got to have a go wearing the gloves in the box - it was so difficult to manipulate the samples - I have seen and engaged in the tasks that are repetitive pippet work and spin coating before but actually doing it through 3 layers of gloves within a nitrogen pressured space whilst just sweating was another experience. More than ever I want to try and manipulate my structures within this space. There were some excellent 'minimal' structures created to enable currents to flow through which will go on to inform the shapes of the devices I want to make. The work around the hand gestures continues and I made many short videos that I will work on later. It's obvious but each person's personality comes through the movement as well as the content of the information conveyed. The afternoon was the NanoDTC showcase - 30 presentations of individuals who would like to become associates. There were some familiar faces in the audience from the Autumn School which felt like I had some form of extended connection. It was fascinating watching these bite sized moments of humanity, again incredibly professional and worthy (in a good way). But - do we judge the science or the person? What will be the best fit? I enjoyed their general commitment to making the world a 'better' place and reflected on the practical aspects of that. There were some good attempts and actual examples of a commitment to communicating science to a wider community and this expansion of knowledge is something to consider both here but also to discuss later. They will also have to be a conduit between the wide range of students but there is a desire on most people's part to engage with others. When you are in the presence of a good presentation it actually lifts you, even though the full content isn't fully understood. Presentations of knowledge transfer next - some examples of existing projects and some that wish to be considered. Again the range of applications is vast and worthy. I am left thinking about a comment in an earlier practical about how to determine your PHD direction - the idea of deciding to explore a reproducible/replicable process and that of a more 'one off' theoretical process that might be derived from one afternoon in the lab and the data collected in that session. There is so no right answer.