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The most important lesson I've learned in life so far, surprisingly, is that timing is everything! As the Scitable blog network relaunches, so is Our Science, recycling into a new stage of its existence.
Say goodbye to encyclopedic articles that throw up words and words of information , and hello to my renewed focus!
To truly define the new Our Science would impossible, because I don't know what is it either. Some days you might see journal-like entries about my personal experiences wrapped around science factoids, or commentary-filled covers of current controversial scientific debates, or explanations of significant news events & discoveries which may seem ridiculously irrelevant to you (I'll prove that you're wrong), or simple investigations into some fundamental concepts I've learned in my classes, or even the run-down on some nifty experiments performed in the past. Whatever it'll be, I promise a new exploratory Our Science that gets down and dirty into exploring my curiosities of everyday life without getting all caught up in the net of minuscule details.
The words 'time to update the blog!' have been breathing down my neck during the last couple of crazy months, so here it goes! Summer is finally here, and with it brings a slew of new experiences, discoveries, and blog posts. I have just finished my junior year of high school, including several AP's which have given me the gift of a bucket of information brimming to the rim. I'm now fueled up for compelling discussions, especially on topics in psychology and biology.
So, what's coming up?
I'll start with what's been most inspiring. Back in April, here in New York City, I was on the planning committee of the Science Online Teen (#scioteen), an unconference for high school students interested in the potion of online communities and science. Myself and a few classmates were struck by this potion a few years ago, when we connected up with blogging and organizations like Science Online and the Scitable blog network, thanks to our biology teacher Stacy Baker of Extreme Biology. So we were something like the teen "elders" at the unconference, bringing to it a friendly and mingling atmosphere and leading a session that introduced newcomers to the thought stream that is blogging. The day was overall really successful, and having helped as a conference organizers, I was excited about how it went; I'm sure not one student left that day without feeling a sense of empowerment. What I mean by empowerment is that, despite still being a 'kid,' young students do have the capability of doing anything if they set their mind to it. Our generation was generously given the gift of the Internet, a virtual portal, the information hive mind, melded from previous generations, which today gives us easy access to almost anything and tomorrow it may give us access to everything! Most of us who are lucky enough to have access to the Internet also have the power to decide how we are going to use it. But--I shouldn't go on a deep tangent, you'll read about it later!
The teenage guests at the Science Online Teen conference weren't the only ones who left with motivation and a renewed sense of opportunity, I did too! I managed to connect with some cool teens in other schools, who are turning into blogo-collaborators. So I'm looking forward to finally adding guest blog posts written by other teens, including interviews with a few real-life scientists/journalists/brainiacs that make up the virtual science realm, so I can introduce their work to you!
Here's what else has been going on...During the past months my family has introduced me to a new branch of science I have come to love: marine science. I've learned that you cannot just go out into the ocean and expect to find fish. Well, you will, but I've found that I've had to turn to the textbook, or the Internet, to learn many new things you wouldn't even expect could change a good day into a bad one. Did you know that the high and low tides are really pulled by the gravity of the Moon? Ok, maybe some of you did. But did you know that the infamous 'swimmer's itch' is an allergic reaction after your skin is exposed to parasites in seawater? I personally discovered many new things through my "adventures and times" becoming a boater, and as I continue to discover them this summer I am looking forward to travel-logging how those everyday experiences broadened my scientific scope.
Wait! - there is one more thing I must add! Last month, I embarked on a new journey by attending (a different sort of conference this time) the National Youth Leadership Forum in Boston, Massachusetts. As I hinted back in freshman year, I have always had an eye on medicine and I'm looking forward to going into detail about my introduction to the field I'll be eagerly jumping into as an adult from my exposure to many sessions, ranging from attending seminars by some of today's leading medical professionals, debating about current global medical & ethical issues, and seeing for myself the real-life action happening in medical schools and hospitals that I visited during my trip. This experience allowed me to harness my leadership abilities and realize how important they are to utilize in the real world.
Remember when I first started this blog, and I urged you not to be discouraged by its strict dictionary definition that made science seem to you as a constant force heavy-lifted by piles and piles of textbooks? I thought it would be a proper way to start this blog, but I will admit that I came at science from the wrong direction. It does not matter how one defines science, but the lens through which one views it. Science is everywhere; it is all around you right now. It is dynamic, changes day by day, and I hope through this blog I can teach you that all you need to be a scientist are the right tools to explore it.
Please feel free to comment below with your thoughts! My question is: what do you want to see explored on Our Science?