ACADEMICS

Grad School

I've been at Harvard the last three years pursuing a Ph.D. in organic chemistry.  Classes are done.  Organic cumes are done.  Teaching is, with all probability, done.  My NSF Fellowship is done.  Research in the Whitesides Group, now solely on George's dime, continues.  Fortunately, this activity is immensely enjoyable and things are moving along well.

Coursework

	Fall 2002	Chem 153	Organotransitionmetal Chemistry
		Chem 158	Materials Chemistry
		Chem 206	Advanced Organic Chemistry
	Spring 2003	Chem 105	Physical-Organic Chemistry

Organic Cumulative Exams

In order to ensure students in our department have a broad grasp of the area of organic chemistry, each must pass eight "cumulative examinations."  Actually, each student used to have to pass eight cumulative examinations, but this requirement was eliminated in 2005, probably because the faculty saw no need for organic chemistry Ph.D. students to have a broad grasp of the subject.  Anyway, the individual professor writing the exam was a closely guarded secret and was done on a rotating basis.  The subject matter was anything he or she chose.  MacBeath's 12/2002 exam was practically 100% biology and Whitesides was rumored, on occasion, to give exams including questions about current events.  Basically, students had to spend three hours on one Wednesday a month in Pfizer Lecture Hall until they passed eight of these tests.  The CCB powers that be would get mad if you didn't manage to do this in 32 attempts, but it's more an issue of personal embarrassment than anything else; who wants to be the one G4 in an exam hall filled with G1s and G2s?

Anyway, this little party's over.  Thanks for the memories, CCB.

College

I had no idea of the existence of New York University until I received an Airborne Express package the day after being named a finalist in the 57th annual Westinghouse Science Talent Search competition.  The package contained a course catalogue and the offer of a full scholarship with a $20,000 unrestricted research grant.  It's important to go to a place where you're wanted, and they certainly showed a lot of interest.  While there are probably no "wrong" choices when it comes to selecting a school, the choice was certainly a good one.  NYU is a great place to be an undergrad.  You have the city, a huge student population, and undergrads are the main focus of the institution, which isn't the case for a number of "bigger name" schools out there.  In the natural sciences, where the grad programs are rather unspectacular, professors often rely on using undergraduates in the lab.  There's a great support structure for undergrad research, and if that's not your bag, there are also strong pre-professional programs and curricula.  Most of the science majors are pre-med anyway.

Coursework

Concurrently with my studies in high school, I took computer classes at Northern Virginia Community College.  I started by taking a pre-calc class in order to place out of the one at TJ.  As it turned out, the class was a joke and no where near adequate, but I stuck it out and took even more.  It gave me something else to do during weeknights and summers.

Coursework

	Spring 1998	IST 100	Introduction to Information Systems	4 cr.
		IST 220	Operating Systems / Architecture / Hardware	4 cr.
		IST 251		4 cr.
	Fall 1997	IST 212	Introduction to Telecommunications	4 cr.
		IST 216	PC Hardware Troubleshooting	4 cr.
		IST 278	Computer Programming: C++	4 cr.
				4 cr.

(I forget the rest...I'll finish this later)

High School

I attended high school at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST).  It was there that my chem dork preferences were born in the chem analysis tech lab run by Dr. John Liebermann.  TJs a great place:  it's less nerdy than you'd think, but people don't steal your stuff or rough you up.

Before TJ, I went to Longfellow Intermediate School, which boasts notable alumni such as Robert Waddams Spewak II of the "Don and Mike Show."  It's good to see that Mr. Lynch is still running the show.  Back in the day, when he was an assistant principal, I was hauled into his office for professing my love of him on a daily basis.  While seated in his office, I marveled at the fact that Vinny had collected dozens of hats that he had confiscated from students.  The life of an assistant principal is a sad existence.  (Unless of course he is reading this, in which case I'm sure it is not all bad.  Anyway, you can halfway cheer up because now you're a full-fledged principal.)

Elementary School

I am also a proud alumnus of Haycock Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia.  Lots of good memories, from the annual fun fairs, assemblies, and classes.  It seems like all of that stuff was eons ago, but it's been only a little over ten years.

Here's some junk I'm sure you remember.  These all deserve elaboration in the future, when I run out of productive things to do.

Stuff:  Sixth grade wills, 3-D movie assemblies, being told not to use drugs by oafish Redskins center Jeff Bostic, the Muppets PE show, capture the flag, field day, wallball, trailers, gravel tag, Agent USA, and more.

Field trips:  National Zoo, National Aquarium, Merrifield Post Office, Beowulf (Kennedy Center), Camp Highroads, Williamsburg, National Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History.

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