Day 9

July 19th, 2012

Today I worked on reading a paper that I was told to read, and eventually give a 10 minute talk-thing on for Journal Club.  Journal Club is where astrophysicists/their paid underlings read papers and then report on them back to other people. It is pretty exciting, especially since I understand approximately 0.00000000001% of what is said in the meetings. I'll be presenting this paper next Tuesday (or at least, trying to present it...). At least Davide and Dmitry helped me with it, otherwise I would probably have died.


On the upside, tomorrow is Friday, and it's also the first annual Bring a Friend to Work Day for the interns, so I can have a friend with me! 

Day 8

July 18, 2012

Today I managed to hurt Denise's foot being a total klutz! I feel horrible about it. If you're reading this Denies, I am REALLY sorry!!! 

Here's how it happened.... 

It all started this morning, as the First Annual Intern "Derezzing" Competition began (a game of "assassin"-played with nerf guns. Everyone has a target they have to shoot). Denise and I were going to watch Bethany get derezzed (serving her right for getting me!) when I lost my balance, and knocked one of those heating vent thingies over onto her toe... which proceeded to bleed quite a lot. I then ran around to find somebody with a first aid kit, and then suddenly there were people from RIT security or something and an ambulance there. 

In other, not nearly as exciting news, I had yet MORE fun with IDL today. Basically, I was trying to make a picture of the center of galaxy NGC1386, which my group has been studying. Then I had to find the average systemic velocity of that region. 

Day 7

July 17, 2012

Today I finally perfected a program that I had been working on since yesterday. Approximately 20 seconds after I finished it, I was told that it turned out we didn't need that program after all... In addition, I also get to keep a researcher's diary, which will contain all of my day's progress.... or lack thereof, as it may turn out to be!

Day 6

July 16th, 2012

Today I tried to make a 10 line program work. For 4 hours. Eventually, after many, many, MANY attempts to fix the problem and making it worse, I just started over. Meanwhile, everyone in the office had an unofficial sighing competition. It was good to know that I wasn't alone as I sat there trying to do something that probably wasn't going to happen.

Day 5

July 13th, 2012

So today, much like the rest of this week, I had a tiny success, and thought I had figured something out, followed by the realization that I hadn't actually fixed anything... because the line I had "fixed" was commented out of the code... But at least I did SOMETHING. I think I'm really starting to understand what I'm doing more.  Or at least, what I think I'm supposed to be trying to do. Oh and today I was introduced to the wonders of IDL- a programming language I got to learn in under 2 hours.... well, more work and confusion next week! 

Day 4

July 12th, 2012 

Today I was once again lost in my computer's terminal... Well, sort of. I was using a program called IRAF to look at the stats of the data cube my group has been working with. I've learned a lot so far, but I am still at LEAST as confused as I thought I would be. I also went to a seminar/talk thing this afternoon. The speaker was someone who had actually been collaborating with my group. She was a great speaker! I really liked listening to her. I hope I can figure this stuff out tomorrow...

Day 3

July 11th, 2012

Today I spent my day getting lost in the terminal of my wonderful Mac laptop that I can barely use!!  I learned how to open ds9 (used to enhance photographs of galaxies) using xgterm, and how to run it from there. It was almost too much for my enormously geeky brain to stand!! I also got free pizza today. It was delicious.