Friday, August 29, 2008

It's All Coming Back To Me...

In my new job, I have had the opportunity to come back to chemistry.

This may seem like a strange statement, as after I got my degree in chemistry, I then did a PhD in forensic chemistry, and followed this with postdoctoral research predominantly in the fields of bio-chemistry and protein chemistry.

Here's the thing... My PhD ended up being more forensic chemistry, and my postdoctoral research more bio-chemistry and protein chemistry.

Now don't get me wrong, chemistry is a wide ranging term that covers so many things, all of which are chemistry. What I wanted, however, is to get back to chemistry in it's most basic form:
Chemical A + Chemical B => Chemical C

Luckily, that's what I'm doing now! Oscillating reactions, electrolysis of water, limewater tests... basic chemistry full of simple beauty.

Of course, this has lead to another issue: much like riding a bike, you can always do it once you learn how, but you're going to be a bit shaky at first! So I have been! Some plastic-ware has been damaged, some occupational health and safety rules overlooked, and my confidence in my knowledge and expertise has needed to grow, but slowly and surely it is all coming back to me... and I could not be happier!

2 comments:

JollyRgr said...

More importantly.....have you blown anything up yet???? set anything on fire????? set off the fire alarms or caused an evacuation????

C'mon! (Lleyton Hewett style).....you can do it!!

Odyssey said...

Yeah, there's nothing like a big eyebrow-singeing flaming explosion to turn those students on to chemistry!