Hi everyone! I'm Simon, an undergraduate studying chemical sciences (nanotechnology and materials) at UQ, Australia.
I came to love chemistry later than most; I didn't have the option of taking it in high school, and it was only when I had turned 25 and earned a Diploma of Science did I realise that chemistry was the path I wanted to pursue. Prior to that I had worked in business and retail, having been mentored by a retired head of Occidental Chemicals. It was somewhat financially rewarding, but I felt a growing regret that I hadn't pursued the dream I'd had as a young teen; to be actively involved in the burgeoning field of nanotechnology and try to change the world! After receiving admission to my local university (James Cook, a world leader in ecology and environmental research, but sadly not so much in chemistry), I handed in my leave notice and began my long road as a science student. I was offered a transfer to the University of Queensland in Brisbane to join the Advanced Study Program in Science, which has allowed me to learn under some truly remarkable leaders and teachers.
I am driven by the current era of innovation and technological advancement; whenever the stresses of study get me down, or the pressure of student poverty becomes too much, or the doubts of being an older student in a class of barely drinking-aged kids makes me falter; I look to the human advances that are made with exponentially increasing acceleration and I remember:
I want to be a part of that. I don't just want to live to see the new humanity we make for ourselves, I want to have had a hand in it.
Chemically, I'm chiefly interested in organic synthesis, natural product characterisation and synthesis, self-assembly and organometallic chemistry in drug design. I have a fascination with enzymes as nanomachines, but find biochemical lab work to be unsatisfying (unlike chemistry lab work, which I find extremely rewarding).
Outside of academia, I barbecue anything delicious I can get my hands on, argue with my friends over beer about important issues like why Risk was the superior board game to Monopoly, read whatever books that fall into my clutches (hard sci-fi, speculative nonfiction, RPG core books and the philosophies of Nietzsche and Rand seem to be the preference) and go hiking and camping in the bush with my girlfriend. I also read
far too much Wikipedia late at night.
Well that's me, all the very best to you all, and I hope to one day meet and perhaps work with some of the members of the forum. Also, I am in the process of learning to speak Russian, so if anyone is fluent and would like an Australian chem-pal (oo, terrible almost-pun) please let me know!
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Topic: Introduce Yourself (Read 618835 times)