Tuesday, May 25, 2010

dear sister,


Happy Birthday, Mel!

I can't believe you turn 24 today (oldie), and that you're celebrating it at the California Institute of Sciences. You totally knew I really really wanted to go, and you invited me on facebook just to spite me. :(. Not cool.

Anyway, happy birthday, and I'm glad you're my sister even though you used to force me to play ballet studio and barbies with you. I remember when you used to tape a list of rules on your door that you made me follow before I could go in. And back when we used to share a room, you'd draw a line down the middle and not let me cross it. We still had some good times though, like when we'd turn our top bunk into a fort, and when we pulled down the living room curtain rod and got in trouble because of your stupid ballet studio. I could go on, but i'll stop here.

Have fun celebrating today-- no wait. your week-long national holiday.


love,
me

Sunday, May 9, 2010

happy mother's day

Syracuse, New York, 1991
I'm the one in purple.


Thanks mom, for everything you do.

Monday, May 3, 2010

technology of the future


In 5 years, 10 years, 30 years, where do you see technology? Greener, faster, more energy efficient?

free public wi-fi networks.

OLEDs.

affordable living... on the moon.

A machine that's able to xerox cells to create tissue and healthy organs for transplants.

Cleaner burning fuels with no harmful emissions.

Maybe these ideas aren't so creative, but hey, its midterms week and i'm grabbing these off the top of my head.

Anyway, onto the point... while we go at our daily (sometimes mundane) lives, there are people out there who are wrapping their minds around how they could really change the world and make it a better place. They imagine it and work to make it happen. These ideas become a reality, and down the line, transform the ways we think, live, access education, ideas, healthcare... you name it. And I'm really proud to know a group of awesome people who are working to do that exact thing. Presenting...


The grand prize winners of the 2010 Imagine Cup!

Congratulations Wilson, Jason, Helena, and Kayvon!

These four went to Washington D.C. last weekend to compete in the national round of the annual Imagine Cup competition. Their program (hardware and software), MobiLife, won the grand prize for the software development invitational. In layman's terms (i'm no scientist/computer programmer myself), the program enables medical field workers to detect and diagnose diabetes, sickle cell anemia, and hypertension in young children, just from taking a photo of the microcirculation in the eye. The images would be sent to a lab, and the results would then be bounced back. It all sounds so fast and easy... it's amazing how everyday technology like a cameraphone can be turned into a medical diagnostic tool. I really give my friends props for giving life to an idea, and after months and months of working, taking it this far. Good job, guys, and best of luck in the final round (in Poland!) this summer!

So what innovative ideas do you have that could potentially change science, society, and the world? The opportunities are endless!