When I delivered Parts 1 and 2 of the last lecture of Physics 1303 (Introduction to Mechanics) on May 2 and 3, 2022, I had an inkling that these might be my last ever lectures to SMU undergraduates. I prepared them with joy and love and care. It was emotionally wrenching for me to deliver… Continue reading Last Lectures at SMU: Alien Life and the Probability of Life
Spring Cleaning, Except it’s Packing to Move to Canada
Bittersweet moment #4 this week: we went to SMU and packed our personal things in our faculty offices. Did not get everything, but books and papers are done. This just leaves knick knacks to pack in my office.
A Change is Coming
The news became public for the first time yesterday: Jodi has been selected to be the next Executive Director of SNOLAB and has accepted the offer for the position. You can read more about this here in the press release from SNOLAB: Dr. Jodi Cooley named Executive Director of SNOLAB As we have shared with… Continue reading A Change is Coming
Equinox
Today is the spring equinox. From an orbital perspective, this marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. The tilt of the rotation of the Earth, relative to the line through the middle of the sun about which we orbit, is what drives seasons on this planet. For all my friends in the southern… Continue reading Equinox
Moar Ice
An ice storm is descending on the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Our car was encased in a thin shell of ice that was hard to scrape off. We left SMU as soon as we could today (right after my last class) and took side roads all the way home. We passed one accident – a smashed… Continue reading Moar Ice
Racing down the Omicron Mountain
North Texas, like many other parts of the U.S. Southwest, seems to be falling fast down the far slope of Omicron Mountain. The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 exploded across the globe and quickly became the dominant strain, now accounting for 98.8% of all COVID-19 cases world-wide. It led to a rapid rise in cases through… Continue reading Racing down the Omicron Mountain
A Day of Ice and Teaching
It warmed up just a little above freezing today, and the sun came out and played its light on the ice encasing the trees. It was a day for cold and for virtual teaching, as we continued to work remotely but classes moved forward. I dusted off my old remote teaching rig and, surprisingly, everything… Continue reading A Day of Ice and Teaching
Ice Day
A day of 20F temperatures, snow, ice, and sleet. This cold snap will last another two days before things warm up again. It really is quite beautiful, and I am able to work from home (even to teach class) during this weather event.
Couch time!
Sleet is falling outside. A winter storm is upon us! Only the couch can save us.
Down the Omicron Mountain
Collin County, Texas, is heading down the mountain of Omicron. This strain burned through the population of the Dallas-Fort Worth region, causing the most significant damage to people who have not been vaccinated. We have a ways to go, but the momentum is heading us back toward a lower level of SARS-CoV-2. Where we go… Continue reading Down the Omicron Mountain