Our brand new Bad Elf Bluetooth GPS unit(s) just arrived. Super cool. These things hang around your neck and Bluetooth into your favorite mapping app on your phone or other mobile device. The Pro+ retails for $300 and has an accuracy of ± 2m. The GNSS Surveyor retails for $600 and has an accuracy of […]
Our swag has arrived! Our shirts and hats from BlueCotton look great. I can’t wait to get them to our students.
Our new mini cards just arrived and they look great! We ordered these from Moo.com. Anyone interested in a diversity of business card options (sustainable printing, alternative sizing, varying thicknesses, etc.) should check out their web-friendly store front.
It seems like a distant memory that a trip to London through the communication program just might be a possibility this year. I remember when Dr. Jenkins first mentioned it to me- we were just finishing up with our Mentorship meeting and he quickly said that he was trying to pull it off. No further details were discussed, but I knew I had to be part of that group. Knowing how many communication majors there were and how many of them were closer to finishing their degree than me, I figured my chances of making it into the class were slim. Still, I was hopeful.
Flash forward a few months, a few emails, and a few deposits later, I found myself sitting in a classroom with 14 other students, figuring out how to work WhatsApp, learning about thousands of years worth of architecture in 13 hours, and anticipating my first flight outside of the country.
We learned a lot about London- from its most famous attractions to some of the most unique experiences it has to offer. Currently, I’m in San Francisco and seeing Gothic style churches, all sorts of cantilevers built everywhere, and the greatest thing- finding myself in awe of every bit of architecture. Without a doubt, Dr. J is to thank for teaching fascinating information and allowing me to have the chance to grow a love for buildings.
Speaking of buildings, the picture attached to this post is one of the most interesting ones I saw while on this trip. Its a Victorian style greenhouse- the biggest of its kind on this side of the Thames River.
They say that London’s famous Kew Gardens is actually mimicked after Golden Gate Park’s large garden and Conservatory of Flowers. The greenhouses at the Kew Gardens mirror the original greenhouse in San Francisco. Had it not been for this class (and university for that matter) my multicultural competence and appreciation wouldn’t be this great.
As this trip to Northern California nears an end and my trip to London draws closer, I can’t help but think about how lucky I am to have been given the opportunity of a lifetime. I can’t wait to experience what London has to offer and fall in love with it.
P.S. Stay posted for more posts from all of us!
To keep up with the daily weather and general wonderful climate on the islands there is a satellite website. It shows most of the South Pacific Islands around New Zealand. On the map, Aitutaki is one of the smaller dots in the middle of the screen at 160w and 20s. There looks to be some […]
I am most excited to experience a new place, completely different to anything I know. I’ve never been out of the country so this will be awesome! Learning how to free dive and snorkel while doing research is probably one of the things I am most looking forward to. I’ve always loved the water, and […]
As you all know, we will be joined by yet another Brit on this crazy adventure of ours! Guy Trimby hails from the UK’s Plymouth Marine Lab (PML). PML engages in research covering a wide range of fields, these include air-sea gas exchange, biodiversity and ecosystem function, coastal production processes, ecosystem modelling and forecasting, geo-engineering […]
Cook Islands Preparation Update #2
Yesterday 07/21/15
After further investigation, we found that many of our ROVs had several small nicks in the wires. This allowed salt water to enter the plastic jacketing which corroded the wires. Some were corroded all the way into the electronics capsule, which necessitates replacement of the wiring harness. At this point we only have enough spare parts to get three of our five OpenROV’s completely operational. We always leave a spare ROV behind in case something happens; we also do a lot of educational outreach, and having non-functioning units makes that difficult.
There is a lot of work ahead for the team, replacing an entire wiring harness is one of the most time consuming portion of building an ROV. Since we only have one additional wiring harness, Leviathan will be receiving the transplant, along with our trial of a DIY neutrally buoyant tether from poly rope, which was donated to us by a volunteer with our team.
Today 07/22/15
Our team leader Paul has been hard at work with 3D modeling and printing: finalizing the design for his payload rail, making parts for the tether reels, and making adapters to fit Guy Trimby’s florescent coral detecting LED payload to the ROV, and finishing the new tether reels.
Thanks to team member Chris, we were able to finish the repairs to Leviathan and it booted up successfully! There are only two items remaining before the ROVs are ready to their journey: building one more tether reel, and testing both units thoroughly!
One of the last things that Paul needed to finish up his aerial mapping system, was to set up a First Person View (FPV) camera system. Paul wears glasses, and because of this, he had a difficult time finding a set of FPV goggles for flying. After trying a set that that did not fit, which was supposed to be made for people with glasses, he decided to construct one from a welding helmet!
July 22, 2015
As I sit here thinking about what I might forget to pack for my journey to London, England, I realize it still hasn’t hit me that I will be in Europe in a less then a week. Visiting Europe has been on my bucket list for some time, but I didn’t think I would be checking it off so young, and for that I am grateful. After doing research on some of the popular activities in London, I’m excited to go on a bike tour through and around London. Two options are available on this tour either The Grand London Tour or The Secret London Tour. Since we will be hitting the major spots as a group I would like to try The Secret London Tour. This tour will include seeing Diagon Alley and Leaky Cauldron from Harry Potter, Jack the Ripper Murder Scene, some world famous street art, and cycling alongside a hidden canal. Furthermore I would like to experience some of the unique cuisine and craft beers while I’m studying abroad. Another highlight to this trip is a new Samsung 21x optical zoom camera, which I’m excited to utilize in capturing some of London’s beauty. Above all I’m excited to take a tour around The Tower of London and see the Crown Jewels and the The White Castle. In addition I would like to see the differences between the architecture in the innermost ward, inner ward, and outer ward, since they were all built at different times in history. Now it’s just time to finish packing and get through the twelve hour flight and get this show on the road.
– Colton
I am so excited to go to the Cook Islands! I am looking forward to everything on this trip! I love learning about different cultures and am so excited to add research to the mix. I am looking forward to learning about and seeing different species I have never encountered. I am also eager to […]
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