Coming Soon to a Pacific City Near.... You!!

In the attempts to take a "creative" break from studying for final exams in two days, I've stumbled upon my poorly neglected blog. It's nearly been three seasons since I last wrote... summer and fall are long since gone, and we're about to get our first snow back east.

It's amazing how fast time slips away when you're busy living. My seventh (!) semester is rapidly coming to a close, and in seven days I'll be en route to Vancouver BC where I'll be living and working for the next four months. Here's a photo I took two years ago of the city skyline in wintertime... At the end of April, I'll fly home for a couple of days only to pack up my life again to head East...... France, Italy, and Egypt are in my plans from May-June. Part holiday (France) and part summer classes (Italy, Egypt), my spring will involve lots of living-out-0f-my-massive-orange-bag.

Once back in Boston around mid-June, I hope to fly down to sunny Florida to visit my sister and brother-in-law and my new baby nephew (as of this March 2011)!! I expect nothing but lots of cooing, cuddling, and catching up. July and August are still up in the air, but if all goes well at the environmental consulting agency, I'll most likely return to Vancouver.

Come September, I'll (hopefully) enroll in my last semester of classes for undergrad.

What's next?

Total world domination.





.... I actually have no idea. But something along those lines. Of course there will be hurdles, roadblocks, and things that will mess everything up in my plans - who out there can plan their lives day-by-day for the next year? Not me. But it never hurts to have an outline - I'll build the framework and the rest will come in time.

Keep posted for photos of my new home city of Vancouver. (It's the best kept secret if you ask me)

I love you all, and wish you a warm and comforting holiday season.

.Emily

Spring has Sprung!

Southern California is nothing short but glorious this time of year. Spring has always been my favorite season… it’s a time of renewal, rebirth, and rejuvenation for all. It’s a time when the earth emerges from its sleepy slumber into a boundless sun-filled splendor where growth is the only way up. And you always know when spring is inching its way into the final tailings of winter: birds begin to sing their praises in the morning, tiny buds peek out of sturdy tree branches, and vibrancy slowly begins to mask the solemn grays of winter. Oh and that smell … the sweetest smell of succulent nectars that emanate from flowering trees and annuals cannot be matched.

There is no doubt that I love spring, and I am so grateful to be able to capture its true beauty and essence for you. I did in fact treat myself to a new camera- one that suits my needs and passions as a budding photographer- and I couldn’t be happier with my investment! The photo quality of each image is remarkable and the nifty features allow me to expand my creativity in new and exciting ways. See for yourself!

Tom came to visit again last weekend. It’s always so much more fun to share experiences with someone you love! We explored several hot spots in Los Angeles… the La Brea Tarpits, Griffith Observatory, Huntington Gardens, Santa Monica, and we even took a lovely day trip to Santa Barbara. Tom seems to bring the sunshine with him wherever he goes because we had the warmest weather that weekend!

Work is going very well, and I’ve been very busy drawing up several hazard maps of two prospective landing sites for the MSL rover. It took me nine days to fully assess and delineate all hazards, and I just started working on the final site last Friday. Needless to say, it’s very time consuming and tedious work, but extremely rewarding once the final product is produced. It also doesn’t hurt that my supervisor loves the work I’m doing too!

I hope you all are enjoying the revitalization that each spring brings, and I will leave you with some words of wisdom from my new favorite book, A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle:

“Nature exists in a state of unconscious oneness with the whole… It is our purpose and destiny to bring a new dimension into this world by living in conscious oneness with the totality and conscious alignment with universal intelligence.” p. 276-277.

Think about this new dimension of transcended thought as you soak in the magnificent eartly treasures outside your window. Go outside. Escape from your home today and embrace the rebirth: Spring!

Counting Martian Rocks, Hiking, Flea Marketing, and a Demolition

Hello my loyal friends and readers. I am happy that you haven’t given up on me, seeing as my “weekly” blog post has turned “bi-monthly”. Nevertheless, I am here tonight to inform you of my recent discoveries and adventures while working at NASAs Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, CA.

Work is really starting to get busy, and I recently completed a pilot study to determine the effectiveness of a rock-counting software used in the four potential landing sites of the MSL rover. I analyzed 588 image tiles from HiRISE photos that ranged in rock-count from 1 rock to over 100…. Let’s just say that I’ve looked at a lot of rocks these past two weeks. I am however happy note that my data results do show a strong correlation between the computer automatic edit of 20% of the largest rocks in each tile and the de-selected “non-rocks” that a human determined in the same image. Do you know what this means?? I won’t be counting rocks on Mars by hand anymore!!! Well, we’re not 100% sure yet, and I am presenting my results and data analysis to the engineers who developed the test program early this week… wish me luck! Above is a photo from the Yellow Room in the Micro Devices Lab on base, which houses millions of dollars of equipment for producing nifty things like microchips and plenty of gadgets you and I have never heard of.

Outside of work, I’ve had many exciting opportunities to explore the local Foothill Flavor. My RDO (regular-day-off) Friday this week was spent at the Mecca of all electronics stores, the Ikea for anything you plug into a wall: Fry’s. I kid you not, this mammoth warehouse took up at least two/three WHOLE CITY BLOCKS! My intentions for visiting: I need a newer (and fancier) digital camera, and I went to Fry’s to play around with two close contenders. They are both very close in price, but vary slightly, making my decision all that much more difficult. I left empty handed, but I’ve narrowed down to two excellent Sony’s: the HX-1 and SLR A230. Any suggestions? I’m in limbo…

Saturday I geared up for a fun day hike with friends Diana and Nick (interns like me at JPL). I don’t exactly remember the name of the mountain, but it leads to this abandoned, and now leveled resort from the late 1800’s. Only remnants of the rail tracks and concrete foundation remain, but the hike was well worth it! Panoramic views of the valley below and an all-encompassing quiet blanketed us at the summit.Today, I was crowned a “true native” to LA County by visiting the Rose Bowl Flea Market. The plethora of trinkets, clothes, food, art, and all-around junk nearly drowned my senses. You can pretty much find anything you’re looking for, and everything you never thought existed at this world-famous flea market. If you give yourself a solid 3 ½ hours, you might be able to see each vendor’s colorful tent. I was content with my 2 ½ hours… and so were my feet. The Rose Bowl Flea Market is the Disney World of flea markets, where all the dreams of junk-seekers come true. I did manage to snag a really neat antique item, of which I cannot disclose due to its upcoming debut as a birthday present for Tom. In the meanwhile, you can enjoy this fun photo of me sitting in a throne fit for a queen!
On a final note, we are undergoing a complete kitchen renovation. The construction workers are super motivated and aim to finish in a matter of two weeks! Demolition was this past Monday, and it’s exciting to be a part of this transition here on Carmel Rd. The before-and-after photos will be fun to look at when the work is complete, and here is a fun photo of the wreckage.
That’s all for now my friends, and be sure to check back soon for more updates on my adventures out west! I’m certainly getting used to being a Californian!! Happy Week!

Do you need a new license to drive on Mars?

I suppose this post is a bit overdue, seeing as I haven’t updated any of you in a few weeks. It’s the end of week four for me, and Thursday is the new Friday… every other week employees have Fridays off. I am definitely in need of a nice long weekend!

The past few weeks were a roller-coaster of learning, observing, and exploring. Tom came out to visit for six days over valentine’s weekend… I was fortunate enough to snag a lengthy four-day’s break. Tom certainly brought the good weather with him – and I experienced the warmest weather here so far – high 70’s and mid 80’s. Saturday morning Tom and I rolled on over to the local farmer’s market, and we bought some delicious fresh produce and awesome hats! We also rented a car for a couple of days and visited good friends in Santa Monica and strolled along the beaches in Malibu… and of course watched the sun set over the pacific.

My favorite highlight from Tom’s visit were the Huntington Gardens in Pasadena. It is by far the most spectacular collection of plant species, both native and non-native that I have ever seen! The cactus gardens house massive succulents, and the landscape makes you feel like you’re in the middle of a Dr. Seuss story. You’ll know exactly what I mean when you look at my photos! We spent the entire afternoon exploring the gardens, and would have stayed longer if they hadn’t closed (or if our feet weren’t about to fall off from all of the walking). I am definitely retuning before the end of my stay.

Tuesday was by far the most exciting day of work for me at the JPL. My mentor extended the invitation to shadow him as he led a team of scientists operate the Mars Opportunity Rover! It’s really interesting to observe a machine - located on a completely different planet mind you – taking orders from a little control room on Earth. Now if you’re expecting to see a joystick and real-time imagery from the rover in this control room at the JPL, you’re wrong. Completely wrong.

Each morning that the rover “wakes up” it uplinks a bunch of data to a nearby satellite orbiting Mars. This satellite then downlinks this data to Earth, and is sent to fancy computers at the JPL Flight Operations Control Center. The scientists I observed yesterday analyzed this data, which involved interpreting high-resolution color images, GPS coordinates, energy levels, location hazards and so on. As my mentor mentioned, their task is to see if the rover was “a good boy” the day before, and had executed all ordered tasks. In Tuesday’s case, Opportunity was obedient, and operated perfectly.

Once this lengthy analysis is complete, the present scientists consult various other scientists via tele-conference throughout the US. Through collaboration of ideas and data results, this team decides exactly what to do with the rover the current sol (meaning “day” on Mars), and the following sol. The final steps involve writing specific commands that the rover can understand, down to the very last second of its operation time. Apparently, a film of dust covers the solar panels of Opportunity, which limits its net solar absorption and thus energy for work. Our team is hoping for a windstorm to clear off the sun-blocking gunk.

So no, there are no joysticks or robots speaking in a monotone voice when the rovers on Mars are operated. In fact, there is a 38-minute time lapse between Earth and Mars, so if you were to give it any commands, it would take that long for any kind of response. The fact that we do have communication with a robot on a neighboring planet is as close to Mars as I’ll ever be. I have to keep pinching myself to see if this is all a dream, and that I didn’t actually experience rover-driving on Mars… but I did! Tuesday’s observing was an incredible experience, and I’m crossing my fingers for another opportunity to be involved. I have a good feeling that I’ll be invited again…

- I'm standing in the overlook bay where the Mars Science laboratory (MSL) rover is under construction!

Greetings From... Mars!

I am happy to announce that I've survived my first week out here at the JPL! Looking back, these past seven days have flown right past me, although each day was full - I mean FULL - of learning. My mentor/ project supervisor is a Martian genius... I swear he knows the surface of Mars better than Earth!

I work on the eighth floor of an exensive research building at the JPL. My day is spent in the Lab, where I get to play with a super-fast (and massive) Mac computer. The computer includes two of the largest desktop screens I have ever seen, and they occupy my entire line of sight... they are really big! Unfortunately there are no windows in the Lab and I usually work alone, except when my supervisors assign me more tasks/ help me navigate through the vast computer systems.

So far, the majority of my work this week contributes to the research efforts of my mentor. I've had several interesting - and sometimes tedious - assignments involving scanning through countless HiRISE images in order to locate an impact crater cluster of interest. Once I've located them on a 6km x 20km high resolution image, I measure their individual and effective diameters. This is easy because all I have to do is zoom to the maximum scale, and count each pixel across the craters. Each HiRISE image captured by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has a resolution of 23 cm per pixel. It's amazing what we can see on the surface... sorry, no aliens - just really cool geologic features and rocks!

The second project I was just trained to work on involves the four potential landing sites for the Mars Science Laboratory rover, scheduled for take-off in late 2011. Our team is responsible for identifying hazards in each of these four sites. The primary dangers include large, angular boulders, steep hill slopes, and weak dust ground cover, all of which jeopardize the 1.6 billion dollar project. I was recently trained to work with a program designed for MATLAB, which automatically identifies rocks on the surface of these landing sites.

The program measures their relative diameters based upon their shadows. My task is to identify the false positives, or mistaken rocks, that the program identifies. For example, the software might identify a hill or scarp as a rock, and it's my job to re-classify those features. Although hills, thick dust, and scarps are still potentially hazardous to the MSL rover, we need to keep them separate from the rocks.

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL for short) rover is super awesome. It's about the size of a Voltzwagon Beetle, and is fully equipped with the most advanced technologies. The neatest feature, in my opinion, is a laser that shoots out of it's head. It is aimed at a rock, and depending on the color of flame that results, it's chemical and minerologic composition can be identified. Above is a photo with my new best friend.

I suppose I'll end this week with a two-thumbs-up for my internship this spring. Even though this week was a teensy bit daunting, I'm learning so much every day. The most valuable thing in the world is knowledge, and I am more than delighted to share mine with you!

Happy Week!

Settling In.

If you're like me, you often forget that Sunday is actually the first day of the week. When you're living in a system that runs 9-5 Monday thru Friday, it's easy to think that Sunday's are in fact part of the "week-end". They should make it so that Friday and Saturday are the designated weekend days, and leave Sunday alone, and give people the day off. I think a three day weekend would improve our lives substantially - people work too much!

Nevertheless, Sunday's are part of our seven-day routines, no matter if they are at the beginning or end of our week, and they are always a special day for me. This was my first Sunday here in California, and the day could not have been more beautiful! Sunny skies,

light breeze, and temperatures a comfortable 68 degrees.
I had to pinch myself a few times to remember that it is the last day in January, and not the first day of May... I have absolutely no regrets in my decision to abandon the frigid winter in New England!

Sunday's are special to me because they mark a fresh start to my week, where I can set new goals and inspirations to heart. One motivating ritual I've practiced throughout life is to attend a church service Sunday mornings. The readings and hymns really bring out a sense of love and unity throughout the congregation, and I often find comfort and gain new insight from them. The church-goers today welcomed me with smiles and hugs, and I felt a warm sense of encouragement and excitement for the work that lays ahead at the JPL. I've really started to connect with some of these dear, sweet people and couldn't be happier!

I hope your Sunday was just as enjoyable as mine... Happy Week!

ps- attached are photos of the church... it's a "store-front" church, located in the heart of a beautiful shopping village in Montrose. The Reading Room is next door!

I'm here! Where are you?

Whew! Today rolled by fast! I woke up bright and early this morning (5:15am to be exact) and began my day with a sleepy drive into Boston, to catch my flight out to Los Angeles. My 73-pound duffel bag containing 90% of my wardrobe and science textbooks was highly scrutinized at the check-in kiosk... the airline ended up charging me $125 for the extra weight. I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll be able to get a refund on that lumpy chunk of change...

I'm headed west today to

embark on a new

chapter in my life. I've been selected to participate as an intern at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to study the surface of Mars. Neat right? You'd think I was

an astro-physicist! It's a good thing that geology (my major) is just as exciting... I'll primarily interpret satellite images taken of several potential landing sites for the 2011 Mars Rover Mission (don't know the fancy name yet). My team of researchers will determine the safest and most valuable landing site by analyzing geologic and thermophysical properties. My first day is this Monday, 2/1/10...

I am living in a gorgeous, sun-filled home in the beautiful neighborhood of La Canada Flintridge. I just took a walk earlier this afternoon down the street, and up a wooded equestrian path which leads straight to the JPL. I live within walking distance to work! Above are some photos of the gorgeous views from the path.

I'm writing this blog as a way to keep you posted on how things are unfolding now- out here in sunny California- and beyond. I hope my travels and discoveries inspire you to have an adventure of your own, and that you can share your love and wisdom with others.