Hello Again!!

 

It has been a while since I wrote my last post. 

 

Well... here is a quick update of my life!

 

Early October, for the first time in my life, I participated in a national conference (The Geological Society of America Annual Meeting) in Minneapolis, MN. 

Here at this conference I presented my poster, and also I attended to various conferences. This was a great experience not only because I presented, but also because I met nice people and learned about things that i didn't know about their existence. I just have to say that I did have a good time there in the conferences and with the RESESS folks!

 

And now....

 

I'm just arriving from the departmental field trip in Eastern PR!! It was an awesome experience with nice people (camping, 5 professors, students) and an AWESOME geology (batholith, turbidites, xenoliths, conglomerates, volcanic rocks, pillow lavas). This field trip was one of the best field trip that I have ever been! I just have to say that if you have the opportunity of going on a field trip to PR do it, you are not going to regret it!!!

 

and.. Costa Rica field trip.....coming soon!!!

 

 

And now some pics of the field trip

Part of the group! (photo taken by: Doris Rivera)

it's time for the crazy pic!! (photo taken by: José Morales)

Hi folks!!

 

Well I have been missing RESESS, UNAVCO, USGS and Boulder so much, but I'm having an awesome time in PR!!

 

I'm having a nice time with my family, friends, and school.

 

During this semester I'm working on a completely new research, which is related with a recently recognized impact structure, the Santa Fe Impact Structure, and I'm looking for evidence of detrital shock zircon. Before starting to work in the project I collected the samples in Santa Fe, NM in April 2011 and wrote a proposal (August) to the faculty of my department. The nice news were that the Faculty approved the proposal and I'm now in the second stage of the research (preparing samples and collecting data).

 

For writing this proposal I applied the knowledge that I acquired in the writing workshop. One of the things that learned there was to start soon and write many drafts! I had 3 weeks for read the literature and write the proposal (5 pages, no less, no more). I did 3 drafts and sent them to my advisor, and when everything was done I submitted the proposal. 

 

So thanks to the writing workshop I wrote a successful proposal and I'mm now working in my new project.

 

 

See you later!

 

Cristina

 

Hello,

 

Well in this few lines I'm gonna describe my last weeks @ RESESS and the beginning of my new professional life!!

 

Ok, let's do it!

 

During the last weeks of work, I spent most of the time writing the paper, and while I was waiting for the results of my project to be ready I worked as an assistant in the Optically Stimulated Luminescence Lab aka "the dark room" @ USGS. My job in this lab was to prepare the samples for the dating analysis (sieve samples, separate minerals using a Frantz, separate quartz and feldspars). I had a fun time doing and learning of this dating technique and I hope in the future to apply this tool for my future projects.

 

When my results were ready, the hard, but fun part started. I didn't have the results that I expected, but such is Science, most of the time you don't have what you want. And after writing my results and discussion section, my paper was done!! YAY!!! And yeah, it was time to face the challenge, prepare an oral presentation, give the oral presentation, prepare the poster and present my poster at the Poster Session. 

 

I just have to say that my oral presentation was BOMBASTIC (my new word jejeje it means awesome for me) and the poster session was awesome. During this last days I had stress, I was happy and sad, it was a very emotional week!! I left  Colorado sad because I made such good friends, but I was happy because I was going home, with my fam, friends.

 

And now what??

 

I just started classes again, and I have another research project!!! I am happy too because my abstract has been accepted to GSA annual meeting!

 

And I learn....

I returned to PR with a new perspective of my life. This experience has made me more mature and it has contributed to my professional and personal growth. I am not going to lie, I was afraid before starting this journey.Living alone in another country, with another language were obstacles that I overcame. I made so many good friends and learn new things. Now I have a bigger family, and they know that they have a little space in my heart!!

 

This was the best summer of my life!!

 

_ Cristina

 

 

RESESS 2011

Hello!!

 

A little late but here it is!!

 

Well in my 4th week of work, I went again to the Snowmastodon Site, Snowmass Village, CO again. It was really awesome because the weather was warmer and the site was full of happy people. It was officially called a National Geographic Expedition, they were filming a documental of the site!!! Besides National Geographic, they were 27 scientists collecting samples for their investigations. I worked as an assistant to a professor of Ohio University, and to the USGS drilling team!! I also collected more samples for my project, which is getting shape now!!

 

@Snowmastodon!!

 

 

The site!

 

Lunch time!

With Ronna Bowers!! Drilling team!

Well, hello again!!

 

The second week of work was interesting. Finally I have my office (yay!) and I received lab training!! So, I spent most of the time crushing my samples, for the X-ray difractor analysis. Also I had a quick introduction about working in optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) lab, which is awesome and new stuff for me. I'm glad that my samples are in the lab and performing the analyses to them make me feel productive and that I'm a step forward oon my project. As every Friday we had our writing workshop @ UNAVCO and after a field trip to Lee Hill, Boulder!!

 

 

....................and......... on Saturday, I went hiking to Mt. Sanitas, Boulder with some of the SOARS people. It was awesome, but hard, I'm not kiding jjejejeejje!!!

 

3rd Week!!

 

Well 3rd week was kind of the same as the 2nd week. I spent most of the time working in the lab,and reading about glacial geology. The week was short because we had a field trip to the Rocky Mountains!!! I'm writing this post at YMCA, in where we are stayiing until tomorrow (Sunday)!!

 

Pictures time!!!!!!

Lee Hil!!

 

 

 

With SOARS

 

MT Sanitas

 

At the top of Mt. Sanitas

Field trip to Lee Hill 

 

 

Snow!!!

It was really cold at Rocky Mountains

Tundra

RESESS group!!

Hey!!

It's a little late  to post somethings about my first week of work, jejeje.....

 

Well in my first day of job I went to my fieldwork, which is located in Snowmass (like 4 hours from Denver). The only thing that I have to say is that AWESOME. I'm working in the Snowmass Mastodon Site (excavation site) with USGS. In this excavation site were found mastodon and mammoth bones (they are so huge), and there is more than 20 volunteers helping in the excavation zone. 

 

My job on the site consist in collect samples of a sedimentary unit and correlate it with the appearance of the bones. I have to perform chemical analysesfor know the minerals present and use OSL  (optical stimulated luminescence)  to date the sediments.

My fieldwork!!!

 

 

Collecting samples with the USGS team

With the bones!!!

Hello!!!

Well, the first week in RESESS has gone and I just have to said that.............. it was hilarious!! I met the other interns, which are great, met my mentors, UNAVCO staff, SOARS people and had a field trip. 

 

MMM, in the second day at Boulder, we went to Pearl Street Mall and for going to that place I had to take a bus ride, my first bus ride ever in my life. The following days we had a dinner with SOARS interns, met our mentors and know more about my project, leadership training and a nice field trip to Dinosaur Ridge and Red Rocks Amphitheater .

What are my hopes and expectations for this summer?

Let's see....

I hope to make a great job with my project, have better communication skills (oral and writing), make nice friends, improve my English and have a good time at Boulder.

 

If you wanna know more details about my project, you'll have to follow my blog, because next week I'll provide more details.

 

Bye!

 

ahh I forgot, here are some pics!!

 

Gneiss pic!!

 

 

Yay!!

Burrows at DInosaur ridge!

Foot prints!

Red Rocks!

 

Roommate pic!

 

Hello folks!!!

 

 I'm super mega excited because in just 11 days I'm gonna be in a complete new place for me. At this moment, I know who's going to be my roommate and some of the other girls. Thanks to facebook we are meeting each other and sharing our excitement of this super nice thing.

 

And finally............... I have the details of my project!!!!!!!! This is gonna be a cool nice experience!

 

Until next time,

Cristina  :)

Hey folks!!

 

Well, this is the first time in my life that I write in a blog, jejeje.

About a month ago I was notificated as one of the finalist for the RESESS program. I didn't believe that until I saw the official acceptance letter. I remember that I was with a few friends at the Geoology department and when I read the letter I just started to scream and jump. At that moment I realized that my efforts and work were bringing nice results. I have to thank to my professors, friends, and specially to my family, who are always giving me support  and always, always, always have believe in me.

 

So, that's all!!

 

Until the next time,

 

Cristina