Introductions

Hi! My name is Suzanne, and I'm a participant in the Distributed Mentoring Program for the Summer of 2006. While it isn't my main journal, I will be keeping it for the rest of the summer. I can't promise you that I will post every day (it does get pretty hectic!), but I will try to make it as near daily as possible. In here, I hope to share with you some of my researching accomplishments and frustrations, my little triumphs and tears. Whatever the case, I won't lay a cry fest on you :-)

Now then! On to introductions! So here's a picture of me:

This is how I looked at home. Now that I'm in the hot, blazing heat that is a Texas summer however, my hair is usually tied back in a ponytail. Alas, the day will come when my hair will be allowed to fall freely, without fear of certain frizzy doom!

My mentor is Tiffani Williams. She's an assistant professor of Computer Science at Texas A&M. Her main research area is phylogeny. I don't have a picture of her yet, but when I get one, I will put it up here. She's incredibly nice and very professional, and I like her a lot. I'm really excited to work with her this summer.

Last, but not certainly the least, is my research accomplice and much talked about inspiration for various famous papers I am yet to write, is:

Dan Bear, the lovable and adoringly sweet teddy bear I got for Christmas last year. I brought him to Texas this summer so I'd have some company, since his namesake will not be able to keep me company this summer.

Although no pictures are provided, I should also mention Lana and Phoenix, my two trusty computers, who, I should add, are utterly indispensable to this reasearch. I am very lucky to have them both.

Anyway, by now you are probably bored with the introductions, and revving to find out about the wonderful research I have to do! I shall place that information in the next couple of posts. After today, this journal will actually act like it's purpose: it will be a real journal, talking about my research as it progresses on a near daily basis.

That's all for now! It was good to meet you too!