Definition of GRIT:
Firmness of character; indomitable spirit (the Merriam-Webster dictionary)
Perseverance and passion for long-term goals (Dr. Angela Duckworth)
Let’s be gritty in 2019 ;)
Thanks to Dr. Noah McLean, I am very grateful for the opportunity to talk about my research at the Department of Geology, University of Kansas.
https://kucoga.blog/event/colloquium-tomoko-bell-university-of-tokyo/
I would say this department has the most beautiful laboratory that I have ever seen! This research institute is filled with the ambiance of creativities and innovations. For example, the dinosaur hanging from the ceiling, and there are whiteboards everywhere along the stairs to write down fruitful ideas. Based on my experience, I know some exciting ideas can be born anytime anywhere!
My talk was at the very modern auditorium, Beren Center, Slawson Hall. We had undergraduate, graduate students, professors from the department and researchers from Kansas Geological Survey.
I talked about Dr. Yusuke Yokoyama’s lab (how awesome he and our lab members are!), and mainly about my dissertation project: why coral Sr/Ca rocks and why Mg/Ca does not? By using the results from coral genome data, culture experiments including fertilization of corals and RNA extraction, I hope that I was able to introduce a new view to evaluate paleotemperature proxies using calcium carbonate. The question and answer time was very constructive, and by digesting all that feedback, I am very thrilled to submit a new paper this spring to elucidate more about Mg incorporation into aragonite crystals.
I am very thankful for all the courtesy of Dr. McLean and everybody at the department. I was able to have a nice lunch with Christine, Clark and Julie at a local brewery, and we enjoyed talking about their research and career choices. I should mention that this was the very first time to try soup with fresh beer. After the talk, Dr. Enos, Dr. Hasiuk, and Dr. McLean and I enjoyed happy hour at McLain’s Market on the campus. I was pleased to find the beer called “Ad Astra Ale” named from Kansas motto (Ad Astra per Aspera), which has been my motivational quote to get through the past two years as written out on the first page of my dissertation.
To finish off the day, I had a wonderful dinner with Dr. McLean and Dr. Stotler near the campus. It is such an amazing feeling to meet and get connected to new people through my research. Downtown Lawrence was decorated with Christmas lights, and I had such a blessed day as a researcher. Again, I sincerely thank Dr. McLean and everybody at the Department of Geology, University of Kansas.
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| Ashley and Element at the lab |
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| the Earth, Energy and Environment Center |
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| Entrance of the building |
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| Happy Hour with Dr. Enos, Dr. McLean and Dr. Hasiuk |
