Day Eighteen: Ding Dong...Scanning is Done

I am afraid that the reader will not find a great deal that would serve to differentiate this day's entry from the last, and indeed this is much how the day has been...Beginning with post-processing of the 60 Degree projection data collected yesterday in the morning and culminating in the 90 Degree scanning in the afternoon, today's events deviate little from the mold that has characterized this past week; fortunately, for the reader's enjoyment as well as my own, today's scanning marathon marked the culmination of the scanning process for me, and next week's entries are sure to reflect the probable renewed rigor of my work here...

It seems that the post-processing of the scanning data is yielding particularly marvelous results...

And it seems that today's "Classical Piece" is...
Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue
Good Day,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Seventeen: And More Scanning...

Because the scanning marathon continues here at the MRI laboratory, the afternoon is consumed with processing and reading my book, as the reader is I am sure bored of hearing and I am equally bored of writing. Both the reader and I have next week to look forward to as my entries will probably have more substance as our scanning comes to a close...

It may be of interest and noteworthy to acknowledge that I did start creating a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel with algorithms that both "filter" noise from the data I have been collecting from the scanning procedures and compile the modified data into an experimental projection that, from what I gather, we will be comparing to the ideal projections that I constructed earlier in the internship on Matlab...

I do regret writing so little, but I will not have to regret not informing you of the identity of the "Classical Piece of the Day" because it is...
Maurice Ravel's Piece en form de habanera
Good Day,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Sixteen: You Guessed It...More Scanning

While the whole of my afternoon here was spent scanning as is typical this week - as I have probably overemphasized for the reader, - today's entry would not be complete without my commentary on the Coopervision visit this morning...

The brevity of this entry does not, I am afraid, give the plant, with its hospitable and professional staff and thoughtful accommodations, the degree of justice it deserves, but maybe I make my adulation clear with this phrase; beyond the amiable personnel, the view we were given of American industrial production in action was, in my mind, awe-inspiring. To see these workers attentively laboring at their machines to produce these seemingly trivial, 7 millimeter-in-diameter, plastic discs was a particularly fascinating experience for me, more so than our encounter with the manufacturing operations at Melles Griot. I suppose my interest - which I am aware verges on quixotic rambling - my be explained by my lack of experience, actual or otherwise, with true factory discipline apart from reading about the factories of the late-Nineteenth Century and early-Twentieth Century in a history textbook...As I alluded to in the beginning, I was also very impressed with the casualness of the tour guides and Bernie, who welcomed us and introduced us to his plant's operations. And a free hat and wheat bagel from Wegmas (I would know one anywhere!) to round off what I would say was a successful trip...

While scanning continues, I continue to read further into A History of the World in the Twentieth Century.

And as long as I continue to blog, I will continue to inform you that the "Classical Song of the Day" is...
Rachmaninoff Vocalise
Good Day,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Fifteen: Shuttle, Scanning, and Certificate

I fear that his entry will be the epitome of the "Terse Blog" that I have expressed apprehensions about in the previous two entries...

Thinking that I would have to forgo watching the space shuttle launch - an event that I have been in anticipation of for some time - I was delighted to find that I could view the happenings on the computers in the lab independent of the clamoring crowds in the reading room; afterwards, Allie and I worked to transcript the Crimean war discharge certificate that we have been imaging with Dr. Easton for the past several days.

And the afternoon was consumed with scanning, and because I had left my A History of the World in the Twentieth Century on my desk at home, my "down-time" was spent devising a formula to determine if and when the three hands of a analog clock will ever be in exactly the same degree of displacement on the dial from the 12; the answer, as I had originally surmised, is certainly negative...

As laconic as this entry may be, I could not end without informing the reader that the "Classical Piece of the Day" is...
Claude Debussy's Pavanne
Good Day,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Fourteen: The Scanning Begins...

As I have informed the reader in my last entry, I regrettingly surmise that my "blogging" will become uncharacteristically terse for the next week or so as we settle into the routine of scanning here at the MRI lab, a process that need not be explained in as great a detail as is evident in my normal entries; I suppose this entry is a manifestation of these circumstances...

Allie and I had a difficult time locating Dr. Easton this morning, and after some persistence, I elected to begin auxiliary research for the MRI presentation at the termination of the internship at the library, being as it is that I am not truly a part of the Ancient Document crew...

The afternoon saw the commencement of the scanning of my phantom in the Gosnell building, a process that consumed five hours today and promised to do similarly in the coming days, but because there is a great deal of "down-time" while one waits for the acquisition process to culminate, this week will give me the opportunity to resume my personal study of history with the fabulous book A History of the World in the Twentieth Century...

My week, I surmise, is going to boil down to reading and scanning, but I am looking forward to the Coopervision visit after my enjoyment of the Melles Griot trip.

My entry may be trite, but I would never end without informing you that the "Classical Piece of the Day" is...
Beethoven's Violin Concerto in (f minor?)
Good Day,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Thirteen: Forget Free Food: How About A Free Semester of Fourier Transform in Two Hours...

Although the events of the past few days have become increasingly interesting and rigorous, there has again developed a general trend in the layout and events of my days, and because of this, I regret that my I entries have the tendency to lack the true depth of my enthusiasm for the various days' events as this excitement becomes normal. Let the reader be advised that while the length of my entries and extent of detail may diminish, my valuation of the internship and the knowledge that I gain each day is not lessening...

The majority of the morning was spent with Dr. Easton in the Ancient Document Restoration lab attempting to improve the clarity of one particular palm leaf image we compiled two weeks ago for A.J. ; in the process of doing so, Dr. Easton was diverted into giving Allie and me a what turned into a two-hour "crash-course" (for lack of better term) in the mathematics and logic behind the Fourier transform. I am careful about my diction because I do not want the reader to have the wrong impression of my feeling towards the lesson: the explanation, even if a little lengthy, was exceedingly fascinating and made relatively simple with Dr. Easton's thought-out analysis and visualization, which amounted to twelve sheets of paper scribbled full with mathematical relations, formulas, and graphs in red pen. An immensely enjoyable time for me...It seems that I will now be welcome to work with Dr. Easton and Allie every morning, and I will look forward to every session.

After spending the noon hour in the library, which seems to be becoming the typical, the afternoon hours saw our preparation of my phantom for scanning when we return on Monday, a three-hour process that, in brief, involved aligning a desired radical axis to the r-axis of the Faraday cage scanning device and running two preparatory scans to acquaint myself with the sequence of steps in the scanning procedure. I look forward to a week of scanning...

I am elated to tell the reader that my CD writing problem, which did continue on for much of the day today, is finally been thwarted.

And I am also elated to inform you that the "Classical Piece of the Day" is...
Antonin Dvorak's Slavonic Dance No.8 in e minor
Good Day,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Twelve: A Slower Day...

Today's events did not compare to those of the past several days in rigor, I must say, but the day was nevertheless had its notable events of which I should note here.

Curious about the complete scope of modern MRI technology in the modern age, and thinking this information would elucidated some of the tactics we are using in the lab, I spent the first portion of the morning in the library perusing their collection of the journal entitled Magnetic Resonance Imaging - the periodical from which I copied some information on gelatin applications in NMR scanning. Allie and I then met Dr. Easton at the prearranged time of 10:00 and aided him in his imaging of, from what I could gather, a British military document from the Crimean War period (1856). We arranged to meet tomorrow at 9:00 to continue this work-not Archimedes, but no doubt and nevertheless fascinating... I am very fortunate to have this opportunity to work in both labs without great conflict.

The afternoon saw only a brief meeting with Tina discussing our direction for the next week, and it seems that we shall prepare my now-petroleum-filled phantom for scanning tomorrow...

I am now off to the Gosnell building, I suppose, to store the images I have taken with the microscope about which the reader has heard on a CD, but I am somewhat apprehensive as one of the documents I just tried to save a moment ago would not write...I do hope that all goes well.

But I must inform you that the "Classical Piece of the Day" is...
Claude Debussy's Reverie (Dream)
Good Day,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Eleven: More Presentations, Catch-up, and Remote Sensing

Indeed, today's events again have seen me experience a wide range of the scientific spectrum, as seems to be becoming the routine, although it is a much better "routine" than that which I used this word to describe before...the routine of computer work. I am happy to say that, regardless of my original conceptions of this internship, it is slowly manifesting itself as a worthwhile experience...

As I assured the reader yesterday, my morning hours were spent in the library interpreting the text of the article which I found yesterday during our "gelatin T2" search and thought might be of some use to Tina, and I employ the word "interpret" to allude that I found it much more expedient to summarize the contents of the article without copying it word for word. This summarization fortunately left me time to spare before the noon "lunch presentations," so I opted to explore the contents of the library: I have read about college libraries with several million volumes, but I suppose one does not fully comprehend the wealth of knowledge that represents until one sees it before them! Even though this library (at least what in my estimation) does not have much over a million volumes (probably less, in fact...), it was awe-inspiring to walk though the bound periodicals on the second floor and see the tremendous spectrum of knowledge covered by the titles of the journals: everything from education psychology to astrophysics to second language linguistics... It truly unfortunate that this store of knowledge is not accessible to a wider portion of the population.

I am glad to say that the noon presentations this time around did not leave me as perplexed as to their relevance to mass society as my first encounter with the discussions did, and I do see benefit in both the work concerning avalanche physics and the study of the inheritance of a hearing deficiency disease. I still maintain, however, that science ought to be totally aimed at the general public good, and it thus follows that science cannot be esoteric...It is for humans as a community to enjoy and understand the fruits of the scientists' labors, and although I left the presentation today with strong assurance that these researchers are on the right track, so to speak, I am still unsure as to the devotion of RIT students and staff to this duty to their community. I will also point out that the presentation skills exhibited by today's presenters were of much higher caliber than those of the previous presentations, and this my sway my interpretation, but I firmly assert my satisfaction with today's presentations.

After my scrutiny of the discussion (yes, I am aware that I my ramblings about the presentations may be justifiably construed as carping), we began melting petroleum jelly to pour into the phantom voids; while the melting process was transpiring, I ventured out to have a gander at the remote sensing group's work in the parking lot with car reflectivity. With a lack of interns for the time being, they quickly took my stopping by as an opportunity to use me as their camera man, a job which I was more than happy to help with. It was an enjoyable time, and I am glad that there is a degree of mobility, at least for me, within the imaging department as I work for the MRI lab mainly but donate some time with pleasure to the ancient document lab with Dr. Easton and now the remote sensing lab...Tomorrow, I am told, I might be able to aid Dr. Easton with his imaging of the pages of the famous Archimedes palamsest. I am exceedingly excited!

After my brief role as camera man I ventured back to fill the phantoms, and then, along with Tina, who seemed pleased to have the information on the article I spent the morning studying, I filled Allie in as to the course of our experimentation for the past four days while she has been out. Discussed the materials we have scanned and taught both Tina and Allie to use the microscope discussed in yesterday's entry.

I think I am going back to explore some more of the library for some time, but not before I inform you that the "Classical Piece of the Day" is...

Claude Debussy's La mer

Good Day,

Tyler C. Lucero

Day Ten: A Smorgasbord of Science: Flavorless, Viscous Jello Anyone...?

As the title I have chosen for this particular entry would suggest, today's events found me taking part in a wide variety of scientific responsibilities and experiences whose fascinating nature so contrasts with the experiences of the first week of my internship experience as I gazed lugubriously at a computer screen (see Entries #1 and #2). Although detractors will take note that today's experiences also involved a degree of reliance on my electronic friend, the computer, the tasks now set before us demand an augmented degree of pure human thought in a struggle against nature and knowledge (as opposed to using an inanimate object as an interface), and though it is a romantic concept of science, this is nevertheless my unadorned personal concept of true scientific thought... In any case, my point is that today's experiences fit the mold of quixotic science with much greater ease than those of the earlier portions of this work experience.

Spending the morning solidifying my confidence that the material Tina utilizes in her scanning methods is some sort of petroleum jelly, which was indeed a correct surmise, the arrival of the phantoms meant that the first order of business this afternoon was the calibration and cleaning of the phantoms; the cleaning required that we place the teflon cylinders in a bath of rubbing alcohol for about four hours, so we then ventured to the Gosnell building to test the gelatin in the NMR scanning machine. After nearly two hours of tweaking the parameters of our scan, Tina reports that the jello scanning yielded a huge signal; I say that this peculiar but nonetheless welcome news was reported to me because, in an attempt to correctly set the parameters for the scanning of this obscure substance, Tina thought it expedient to try to find these measurements in published scientific writing and thus set me to the library to find a specific article. After being informed of its presence in the library by their "Einstein" catalog but unsuccessfully locating the particular text, I proceeded to request assistance from several librarians (which I might say were something less than professional in their demeanor and actions and something less than helpful in their assistance). All in all, after an hour of searching, I concluded that they simply did not have the article as their files had led me to believe. Although the experience left me with a general disdain for the RIT Wallace Library as a whole, this is not to say that the search was not an enjoyable one; quite contrary, the experience was certainly an amusing introduction to scientific research, even if it was a less than perfect experience with RIT staff members...Not wishing to report back to Tina empty-handed, however, an Internet search yielded another article (Prospective Tissue-Mimicking Material for Use in NMR Imaging Phantoms) that seemed by its abstract to relate to our experimentation, and indeed I was able to find this text relatively quickly and I hope to work tomorrow to copy a good majority of the work by hand for use by Tina, although it seems that despite our realization that gelatin is a useful "phantom filler," its refrigeration requirements and the potential for bacterial growth on it pose a problem, so we may "stick with" petroleum jelly rather than sticky jello...

But it would be negligent to omit the excitement that learning to use a large scientific microscope with Dr. Langer brought to the course of today's events. To be entrusted with such an important and useful piece of hardware is an honor, and after using the microscope briefly after the lesson with Dr. Langer to view sand granules, I look forward to both instructing both Tina and Allie in its use and using for further study...

So jello, sand granules, pesky librarians, and rubbing alcohol sums up my day...

I have signed up for the "lunch presentations" tomorrow, and I am anxious to see if they repudiate or validate the assessment I made of RIT's standards and objectives last week...
Speaking of presentations, and always being one who enjoys teaching others, I am looking forward to, as Tina has requested, filling in Allie as to the course of the experimentation for the past four days.

And the "Classical Piece of the Day" is...
Vaughn Williams' "Variations on a Theme by Thomas Tallis"

Good Day,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Nine: Scanning Silica Sand; Next Up...Jello

After a morning consumed by the elusive search for a hydrogen-rich-nontoxic-noncorrosive-solid-at-room-temperature-but-fluid-enough- low-self-diffusion-coefficient-cleanable material to fill the voids in my phantom, which Tina has informed me is done and will need to be cleaned tomorrow afternoon, that only turned up polyethylene as a potentail candidate, the afternoon saw my use of the NMR scanner to examine the signal produced by fused silica; while amusing in its preparation and execution (it was required that we chose a sand with small granules and that we hydrate the sediments before placing them in the NMR machine), the experimentation did not yield a clearly defined signal. While waiting for the acquisition to finish, Tina suggested that we investigate the NMR potential of gelatin, so I find myself carrying home a bottle of pure water with which to make favorless, hard gelatin tonight. I anxiously await the results of this most peculiar test...

After the scanning, I proceeded to my usual residence in the computer lab, where I calculated the dimensions of my virtual phantom on Matlab so that we may check the similarity of the physical phantom during calibration (tomorrow?); in addition, I printed out projections of the modified phantom at 10 degree intervals, and of course resumed my search for NMR compatible materials after setting my polyethylene proposal before Tina. The prospective list has now grown only to include petroleum in some form... hope the search will bear fruit soon.

Tina - Yes, I do have a copy of Holst's The Planets, and yes, it may be borrowed...I will bring it in tomorrow along with the jello.

And today's "Classical Piece of the Day" is...
Jules Massenet's "Meditation" from Thais
Off to make jello,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Eight: Introduction to Scanning, and to Optical Manufacturing

Deviating from the routine that seemed to be taking root in my workday, today's events were considerably more enjoyable than those of days past. While the beginning of the day saw me at my typical position in the computer lab transferring the modified phantom code that I had run into problems with yesterday (I was relieved by this operation's success), the remainder of the day found me out of the rut of "Matlab" work and exploring, in my perspective fascinating new topics...
Despite the fact that optical science is not a field that I plan to investigate further in the future, this morning's excursion to the Melles Griot company's local building was certainly, in my perspective, a worthwhile experience. As I progress through my time here at the Imaging Science Center, I am certainly gaining a deeper appreciation for the application of scientific thought in what I will refer to as the hackneyed "real world." Any high schooler who finds themselves questioning the pertinence of the thin-film interference theory they learn in physics class would have an answer after Melles Griot tour. It is not that I ever questioned the validity or importance of the topics learned in high school, but merely that I am fascinated by how these principles do appear in the technological industries of modern America, even if my quixotic perception of science has been utterly repudiated. I only bring up this realization because I believe the excursion to the optical facility was an excellent illustration, and for me a confirming experience, of the technology that spurs from the pure science taught in classrooms. And very hospitable people and free handbags...what more could you want? On a more serious note, I would certainly join in the crowd to show my appreciation and interest in the tour today. To use another cliched phrase, I would "certainly recommend the Melles Griot tour to a friend."
After returning around 1:00 from this excursion, I had an amusing introduction to the scanning machine that I will be using in the not to distant future to test the phantom I have created. I am exceedingly glad that Tina has recently been delving further into the physics and science hidden behind the Matlab assignments and computer work that I have seen for the past week. Seeing the science finally at work as the acquisition appeared on the computer screen took the internship a little closer in my mind to the way I had conceived of it when I applied. I do look forward to more days of scanning rather than coding...
My first experience at Pizza Hut (a statistic that seemed to shock everyone) for lunch today was not as exciting, but only a minor glitch in a day that saw new height for this internship for me...
I could not close without informing you that the "Classical Piece of the Day" is...
Aaron Copland's "Billy the Kid Suite"
Good Day,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Seven: Problems with Matlab

Firstly, I would like to clarify for Tina some of my wording in my last entry. When I wrote "being more of a scientist than an engineer", I was refering to my own personality and describing that the dicussions we have had on the physics of MRI technology have, because I am more of a scientist in sentiment, been very interesting. I do realize after rereading the passage you commented about that it seems that I am refering to you in the sentence, especially after I mentioned you in the sentence before. In fact, in mentioning my preference toward science rather than engineering in the entry I was drawing a parallel to the comment you had made yesterday about the difference in the thought-processes of scientists as compared to engineers as evidenced by your contrasts, as an engineer, with the disposition of Dr. Hornak, a scientist. Sorry for the confusion...
While I must say that most of the day was typical and followed the trend of augmented fascination with the work that has been seen in the last few days, I have been struggling with a computer-originated error in Matlab for the past three hours after I modified the phantom I have been creating to have more rectangular slots. (the same trouble Allie was having with her computer the other day on another computer! - "SCRIPT phantom error") The root of the problem seems to be that someone that used the computer previously saved a file named "phantom" and, this being the code for a particular command in my program, my program now believes I wish to access that other file by coding "phantom". I suppose the only solution is to transfer the program to another computer, which will require a CD. Hope to see the problem solved tomorrow.
And in regard to the scotopic/photopic question...
As far as I can tell from my internet research, it is possible for one human eye to function scotopically while the other operates photopically due to the fact that dark adaptation is an independent process in each eye. This effect was experienced today when we remained in a dark environment (at which time the rods in one's eye contribute to scotopic vision), then exposed one eye to bright light, causing the cones to start photopic function in the exposed eye. When we returned to the dark room, the eye exposed was still functioning photopically and seemed not to function (as it was trying to take in bright light) while the other eye not exposed, which had been trained to function scotopically, allowed us to see in the dark. There is my brief, but I think sufficient answer.
I am running short on time, but we could not end without the "Classical Piece of the Day"...
Gustav Holst's "The Planets"
Good Day,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Six: Presentations and Projections

Of course, I am still using Matlab, and am now taking specific projections from the phantom I have created. However, to my elation, we discussed a great deal of the physics behind the MRI scanning machine today, and I have also received two papers concerning geophysical application of MRI technology from my advisor; being more of a scientist than an engineer in spirit, these discussions on the science of MRI and its use allows me to see a side of this MRI technology more interesting - in my mind - than the Matlab and technical side I have thus far come in contact with.

While admittedly enjoyable and thought-provoking, after listening to and absorbing the information discussed today at the College of Science's "noon presentations", I must say that I am quite perplexed as to the reasoning that compelled the various groups of presenting students to research the subjects they discussed. In my mind, although interesting and - I am sure - challenging in its execution, the experimentation and research presented did not seem original nor progressive in its objective. It is possible that the poor manner in which the material was presented was to blame for my judgement, in which case it may be a misjudgement, but I was not convinced that society has a need or would improve with the addition of a 3-D visualization of the human body added to the medicial education repertoire, and I would be rich if I had a penny for all the instances that I have heard about research concerning the immunity of bacteria to human antiboitics. In other words, the research presented today, in my opinion, seemed trivial. Call me an idealist, but a technological institution should be more progressive and innovative - "on the cutting edge" of science - than these presentations showed the college's standards to be.

I do hope that, even if it is not original, my presentation at the end of this internship will be better prepared and more insightful than the "noon presentations" the group saw today.

I only ramble about the presentations because there is little else to discuss about this day that has not now become typical for my work here.

...and the "Classical Piece of the Day" is...
Igor Stravinsky's "Le Sacre du Printemps"

Good Day,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Five: "Getting into the Swing of Things"

I will admit that the grumblings that saturate my previous entries were a little premature, for as use of Matlab becomes a routine business and thus I become more proficient in its use, I am finding the internship more enjoyable. Feeling increasingly confident with the program, I took the initiative to move on beyond the assignment to be discussed today and code the phantom we were given on the first day. After the mental chaos trying to learn the totally new science of computer coding of the first few days on the job, I am very surprised that I can now utilize the program to complete the assignments my advisor sets before me; given the task of pulling projections from the phantom scan I had completed ahead of schedule this morning, I finished in fifteen minutes. I suppose that now the software and field is no longer completely new and I am not focusing the great majority of my energy on learning, I have the ablity to focus that energy on utilization. The reader will sense, I am sure, the magnitude of my joviality that this apprehensoin of Matlab has faded...

In addition, my advisor discussed her work seeking to apply the NMR technology to sub-surface geological analysis, and, although not as fascinating as actually participating, the talk was interesting nonetheless. Moreover, having reached a stage at which I am actually coding phantoms and applying Matlab to facilitate needs for my MRI presentation, I am enjoying the daily work at a relatively greater degree.

There might be further opportunities for me to help out in the Ancient Document laboratory, according to my advisor, which I nevertheless do look forward to.

All in all, I think I am "getting into the Swing of Things"...

And the "Classical Piece of the Day" is...
Antonin Dvorak's 'American' String Quartet in A Major, Op. 96
Good Day,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Four: More Matlab, but Admittedly Better

Admittedly - as the title of this entry suggests - the experience has been relatively more exciting than the previous two entries make this internship seem. While I am still not going to work with geological science this summer as hoped, the computer work today came much easier than the previous three; as I become more aquianted with the methodology of the Matlab program, tasks are becoming less frustrating - as the two previous entires illustrate - and more fascinating (although still not as interesting as geology!). Where the assignment I worked on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning took seven lines of code and ten hours to complete, the task my advisor set down for me today required staring at the computer only roughly an hour and a quarter and required eight lines of code. Of course, that rate is still pathetic (as the graduate student next to me laughs), but I am proud to see the improvement: it means I will not be required to stare at a computer screen so long in the future. Still no geology, though...

To compete with Jason's blog, I find that I must post my own "Classical Piece of the Day" to counter his entries:
...and today's Classical Song of the Day (posted to compete with Jason) is...
Claude Debussy's String Quartet in g minor, Op. 10
Good Day,
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Three: Ancient Palms and More Matlab

When I applied for this internship - specifically, when I expressed interest joining the MRI laboratory - it was advertised, if you will, as the chance to join in a project working to apply MRI technology to geophysical science, and geosciences being of particular career interest to me, I snatched the oppurtunity to take part in what seemed to me to be a worthwhile experience. To my utter revulsion, however, I find myself placed in front of a computer all day teaching myself, as the case was today, to create a contour graph and to furthermore interpolate data to smooth the contours. I found after ten hours of experimentation and combination (my advisor apparently finds it more expedient to have me decipher the perplexities of Matlab myself rather than give a simple lesson on the program or give me a manual, even after a simple request) on the computer, I had produced a contour graph with six lines of code; but again I find myself in this afternoon in the second floor computer lab working on a computer assignment. I have gathered that a) my advisor is done with her geophysics project that had lured me in the first place, and b) she is not going to invovle me in her true MRI research. This has become, and seems to have the trend of continuing to be, a lecture on MRI technology (I see my advisor once a day during the designated fifteen-minute "lecture" period at 1:00) rather than a geophysics experiment, for it seems that my advisor would like to spend the summer preparing me for the end-of internship presentation; admittedly, I appreciate that she is providing experience that will culminate in a presentation, but I would like to be a part of some sort of true research. Also, I admit MRI technology is fascinating in itself, yet I wish that I had not been misled to the extent that I now find myself sitting for ten hours daily in front of a computer tinkering with Matlab with an aid (the reader will detect my slight frustration with computer work).
Solace did come today, I should add, when I was allowed to take a look at the work of the Ancient Document Restoration Laboratory. Watching the digitalization photographs of characters written on palm leaves held much greater fascination for me than my typical computer meddling.
I will repeat my hope that this summer is not wasted away in front of a computer screen.
Tyler C. Lucero

Day Two: "Matlab" and Projections

Although apprehensive that the program "Matlab" described to me yesterday would be difficult to utilize - I arrived at 7:20 so as to allow enough time to decipher the program and use it to graph the various functions assigned - the tremendous difficulties that I had envisioned did not materialize; it seems that "Matlab," at least for simple tasks like graphing functions, is simple, while I will admit it took me some time to learn of the perplexities and, in my opinion, unnecessary burdens of computer language, this being my first experience with such realms of knowledge! For several hours, I neglected to imput vital syntax into my commands, and, unaware of the source of my dilemma, I was puzzled for some time. All in all, by 12:00, I had produced three function graphs. The reader may detect my continuing ambivalence about the program, however. Indeed, my apprehensions have again arisen after sitting since 1:00 trying, with not a great deal of progress, to complete the task Ms. Bray has assigned for tomorrow. I do hope this fog of uncertainty will break tomorrow morning.
I also hold an ambivalence toward the general tendencies that I already detect forming in my duties this summer. While I enjoy expanding my understanding of the pertainance of the computer to modern science, all that I feel I have accomplished thus far is lugubrious dittling on a keyboard and not analyzing geology as I was led to believe. I can only say that I hope the majority of the summer is not spent gazing mindlessly at a computer moniter.

Tyler C. Lucero