Saturday, March 08, 2008

Nano nano

So, I am a scientist as whenever I tell people, like at a party or something, unless they are scientists or did science in college or somehting, their eyes invariably glaze over followed by a ... like what exactly do you do...? etc... Know what I mean?

Well my research area is nanotechnology, yes that the science, engineering and applied physics of nanoscale materials and devices. Fuck what the hell is that!!! (I hear y'all say) Well nanoscale means anything that is on the scale of nanometre; that's a billionth of a metre or a millionth of a millimetre. I work on the synthesis and investigate the really cool properties of nanoparticles of a range of different materials.

So what's the point of any of this? Well the picture above is for one of those dorky academic conferences that scientists like to go to. But the thing is that although these things are extremely esoteric, they are really cool for those who work in that field and are passionate about the stuff they do. In this case the conference is about the role that nanomaterials can play in developing technologies that will play a crucial role in achieving sustainable generation of energy. Fuel cells, photovoltaics (i.e. solar cells), catalysts, batteries, new light sources etc... Dude, the future begins right here!!!

10 comments:

  1. It's interesting to me, although I know nothing about it all.

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  2. Well hurry up about it! Alternatives to nuclear energy? How affordable will it be, will the government actually do soemthing about it or leave it up to the individual rich person to fund a few round the country as they have done with other sustainable sources of energy so far.

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  3. And no mention of Mork and Mindy....

    (wasn't the title his catchphrase?)

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  4. one of the few things the government is putting money into, unlike health etc..., is nanotechnology. Plenty of grants from SFI going if your research proposals are any good!!

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  5. I thought science wasn't a good career option? If you want to be broke and have your wife walk out on you be a scientist!

    I think it doesn't matter what people do for a living, I'd rather have a conversation with a road sweeper who was passionate about his job than a movie producer who was jaded and tired of it all!

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  6. What about a road sweeper who was making a film about himself and had hit a brick wall?

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  7. I am SOOOOO waiting for the nano-tech dudes to come up with tiny cool things that will find and fix whatever is causing pain. Pain sucks. Technology rules. Go nerds! Go!

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  8. I would like them to finally get around to creating Seven Of Nine. But that's probably a while away yet.

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  9. Yeah, and it'll be a while before you can afford her too...

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