Hello, world

Well, I just flew in from DC, and boy, are my arms tired. But seriously, folks…. It’s a fine thing to be asked to guestblog by the eminent Dr. Oilcan, and I’ll do my best to entertain you sporadically over the next few weeks. Like he said, I first met Chad back in his Usenet… Continue reading Hello, world

Stupid Math Tricks

One of the things Chad didn’t mention about me in his introduction is that in addition to being a physics major as an undergraduate, I also majored in mathematics. My research interests these days tend towards the exciting confluence of mathematics and high energy physics. So, in honor of that (but really completely unrelated), I… Continue reading Stupid Math Tricks

USVI: Love the Hat

One final vacation picture: what with all the snorkeling and boat-chartering and hiking, I was starting to worry that I might seem too cool to be a physicist. There was a chance that I might meet somebody, and not have them realize immediately what I do for a living. At the same time, my Northern… Continue reading USVI: Love the Hat

Fundamental Research Funding

Michael Nielsen, who’s so smart it’s like he’s posting from tomorrow, offers a couple of provocative questions about the perception of a crisis in funding for basic science: First, how much funding is enough for fundamental research? What criterion should be used to decide how much money is the right amount to spend on fundamental… Continue reading Fundamental Research Funding