Gold

I probably should have made this one of the first posts, but with such a precious metal today, there seemed like no better time to tell the story behind CHEM GIRLS FOREVER. The Chem Girls came about the summer between my junior and senior year of college when the professor I was doing research with took on 7 girls with 7 different research projects for the summer. Three of us bonded over the frustration of never being able to talk to said professor and realized that our nerdy quirks for the periodic table were uncanny.

Enter in Katherine's besty Ben, who lived with us that summer. Ben became a regular hanging out with Taylor, Katherine, and I, and credit is due to him for dubbing us the Chem Girls. Ben was soon included as a Chem Girl (despite his science background being poli-sci :) ). So there you have it - Chem Girls. And with any group of friends, especially those with super nerdiness that most people don't understand, it lasts forever <3

Chem Girls (minus 1) and the surprise coordination of our outfits.

The last Chem Girl :)

Chem Girls graduating (look at those honor cords)!

Fun Fact: All the gold ever mined during the human race could fit into a cube that measures 60 feet across on each edge. 

Platinum

So in my delay of this blog post, I was somehow disillusioned into believing that I hadn't blogged about the automotive industry and catalytic converters...boo palladium.

Instead, I found this gem of an article the other day about the rising value of a science degree (which is nice to hear considering that I am slowly going mad with this Master's program). Here are some tasty tidbits:

1. STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics) fields are the second fasted growing occupational group in the U.S. behind health care (cough...also science related...cough)
2. Contrary to popular belief, computer engineering and lab research account for only 5% of STEM occupations. Others include manufacturing, transportation, mining, and sales and management.
3. STEM has been referred to as "common currency in the labor market" as companies have started focusing on technology.
4. Of those graduating with STEM degrees, only 10% go into related fields such as engineering, physical science, or architecture (I admit - I am totally guilty BUT I am [hopefully] fostering the next generation of STEM)
5. 65% of people holding a Bachelor's degree in a STEM field earn more than those holding a Master's degree in other subjects.
6. 63% of people holding an Associate's degree in science or technology earn more than those holding a Bachelor's degree in other subjects.

Here's the one kicker (there are many, but I don't like to be Negative Nancy) - employers continually complain that STEM workers “can’t talk and can’t write a memo and have horrible interpersonal skills.” If any of you STEMers are reading this, start rocking some liberal arts classes :)

Common Occurrences: Platinum is generally recognized as being a precious metal for jewelry, but it also well known in the automotive industry as a catalytic converter.

Fun Fact: "It has been estimated that one of every five products made today uses platinum, either directly in the product itself or as part of the manufacturing process for the product" (A Guide to the Elements, Albert Stwertka)

Iridium

Oh, chemistry books. It figures that my mom and sister would find me a "chemistry experiments at home" book and that I would find myself another book about the periodic table :) Check them out!

Find it here!

Find it here!

Maybe I've started to open my eyes to chemistry, but I think the periodic table is making a style comeback (no, but seriously). Today in Barnes and Noble, I was tempted to buy a 1000 piece puzzle of the elements (how easy would that be to figure out?!) AND they have 2012 planners with the elements. Science, my friends, is clearly cool. Or, I am clearly a dork - your choice.


Fun Fact: Spark plugs containing iridium can last up to 100,000 miles - you'd maybe replace those twice in a car's lifetime.

Osmium

Today was Bullying Awareness Day and what a surprise that I would experience bullying in my classroom in a new, overt, and frightening way. To give you a taste, here is an excerpt that I wrote to my victimized student:

"I am hoping that you never have to hear someone tell you those things again, but if it does happen, don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. When you assert yourself, act in a way that maintains your integrity as a good person. From experience, I can tell you that making rude or disrespectful remarks back at people does not help the situation. During high school I was just like you - tall and thin. People called me "skeleton," "matchstick," and "ruler" constantly, but those remarks stopped when I acted like I wasn't phased by those comments. While it still hurt to be called those names, acting like I didn't care did not give people the reaction they wanted and eventually the name-calling stopped altogether.

"I want to take this time to remind you how wonderful a student you are to have in class. My mornings always start on a positive note with your "good mornings" and it is always nice to see your hand up when I ask a question in class. I am so impressed that as a 9th grader you treat people with so much respect - that is a rare and valuable quality."

I admit - I had my bullying days in high school - where I was the bully, the victim, and the bystander. And many times we revert to being a bystander and say "kids will be kids." But when does it go too far?

Fun Fact: Osmium is the hardest pure metal, which allows for its use in pen nibs and old phonograph needles.

Rhenium

It's my birthday today! Which means I get to geek out by showing you videos about birthday candles and the fun things you can do with them.

But before the videos, here are some milestones from the past year:
1) I graduated from college and started a Master's program
2) I moved to Michigan (obvious I know)
3) I missed seeing the ACTUAL Stanley Cup 3 times (twice in Lake Placid, once in Michigan)
4) I don't wear my hair in a ponytail everyday (this my friends is HUGE)

I am sure I am forgetting a bunch of things, but Year 21 was so hampered by school, school, school, and well more school that it was hard to really find things that were milestone worthy (although I still count an A in P-Chem as a mega-milestone). Here's to Year 22 being better :)

Fun Fact: Before its discovery in Germany in 1925, rhenium was discovered by Masataka Ogawa in Japan in 1908. Unfortunately "nipponium" (Ogawa's name for rhenium) was misidentified as technetium, so Japan's name for the element was nullified. Instead the element was named for the Rhine River in Europe.

Tungsten

You know it is finally Fall in Michigan when the grocery store has mums and pumpkins outside and there is more than one variety of red apples.  :)

But seriously, it is finally Fall here and the leaves are changing (despite it being shorts weather). While I remain a NY/Adirondack snob in that Fall in the ADK's is far superior to what I've seen in Michigan so far, here are some pictures from today (I apologize for the poor quality on the last two - I was trying out my tripod and auto-timer).

I saw this tree on the way to the grocery store this morning which prompted my need to take pictures. It's SWEET, right?

A little bit up the street from me.

I couldn't help but document the fact that I was wearing shorts today. This weather is NUTS.

Fun Fact: Tungsten filaments are found in incandescent light bulbs, but only 10 percent of the electricity the light bulb uses is converted to visible light. 

Eco-Friendly Fun Fact: For every $2 that is invested in compact fluorescent lights, a thousand pounds of carbon dioxide emissions are saved. Go switch over the last of you incandescent light bulbs RIGHT NOW.

Tantalum

The Nobel Prize for Chemistry was announced today with Israeli scientist Dan Shechtman winning for his discovery of quasicrystals. For the non-doctorate chemists out there, quasicrystals are materials that are tightly packed with a non-repeating pattern (read: like a solid but without the repetition we love and know). Here's a picture from the NY Times - it would make a pretty sick blog background if you were pondering :)

(Picture from NY Times)

Sometimes I feel like my students are quasicrystals - you think you can predict their next move, but they surprise you every day. Take for instance the following examples:

1) I may never wear colored or patterned tights again. Today I was wearing polka dot tights and my kids thought I was some kind of leper. "Miss Labbate, why are your legs so bumpy?" (said more like "Miss Laaaabate, why yo legz so bumpay?"). "Miss Labbate, what is going on with your legs?" Needless to say, another pair of tights banished to the back of the drawer.

2) In high school and college, I was told I was intimidating. Today one of my kids told me that even if I was "100% mad," he could never take me seriously because I look too sweet/nice. And with that comment, my rough and tough persona along with my ego went flying out the window...

3) Teacher/dress shoes are for "old people." I was told I needed to "get me some Jordans."

And some less funny ones...

4) Apparently being white and having brown eyes is impossible. That one was a new one for me (please go tell that to my Italian relatives...)

5) Being called a "hot piece of white ass" by your most well-behaved kid? Yeah, that happens too.

Expect the unexpected friends. You'll never know what happens next.


Common Occurrences: Tantalum capacitors are found in cell phones, computers, medical equipment, radios, video games and even talking dolls!

Historical Reference: Tantalum filaments were used in light bulbs on the Titanic. The ship boasted that lights could be kept on through the night without the worry of fire.

Fun Fact: Tantalum is one of two elements to have had an organized boycott against it! Tantalum is often boycotted because its mines are around the habitats of endangered gorillas.