Indian Ameri

Never in a century I would have guessed that, were Denny’s restaurant and perverseness the key ingredients for my first proposal and the ultimate end goal for my PhD. This month’s monthly meeting included an ‘annual expected plan’ report on the side, and since I had these crazy ideas lingering in my mind every now and then, I decided to put them to my advisor. With 17 potential new ideas (related to what I’ve been working under), I assumed that it won’t be a great deal, if I’d put forth the ‘Straw System’ idea also to my advisor. In fact, I had it on the report as a joke.

With a really well elaborated report, which included preliminary experiments, dead lines, expected results, issues to be taken under consideration, potential outcomes, technical influences and a last minute self drawn biomedical nanodevices using paint – all made the idea perfect. The term ‘gut feeling’ really did its job. The two hour meeting finally ended up with a high note, especially with a ‘go for it’ on the ‘Straw System’. This could well be the start I’d been waiting long for. All I need to accomplish is to achieve the final step in my current project, wait for my senior lab mate to get his setup worked up, and give the system to me.

Every step involved in the process is going to be very critical from now on, and it is high time that I stand up to the challenge once more. With two more side projects, I’ve voluntarily accepted to go for; all I need now is a couple of undergrads working for me. The next one month definitely holds the key for getting some undergrads. If you really wanna know where the ‘Straw System’ got its idea from, then the next time you get a straw with the paper cover, try pushing the paper cover of the straw from the top, to the bottom making it into a spring like collapsed object. Now remove it from the straw, add drops of water to it and observe how it grows.