So for my last post, I had quite an experience finding the necessary sources. I ended up talking to Dr. Lukehart, the primary research contact I had, because he was my professor for Nanochemistry, which was one of my favorite Vanderbilt science classes and a large part of that was his excitement about the topic. I found a paper he had recently published, and decided to talk to him about it. He was so easy to talk to and ask questions of, and gave me the lock and key metaphor I was really proud of in the article.
For my second source, I had a bit more trouble. I emailed Dr. Wright, another one of my professors at Vanderbilt. He taught BioInorganic Chemistry, which is exactly where these nano-particles could be studied. They are used in human life (bio), they are metal (inorganic) and they are used by reactions (chemistry). The article was due Friday at 6, and 3 pm rolled around that day and he still hadn't gotten back to me. I decided to go to his office in person to find him and get a quote. As soon as I stepped off the elevator in the Chemistry building on campus, I saw him in a conference room talking to his graduate students. I waited outside the room for him, then as he came out got a chance to walk and talk with him to his office as he told me what he thought was important about the nanoparticles.
For my final source, Dr. Hallahan, I emailed him about finding a chance to talk, and his graduate student responded to me, and we set up a time for me to call. Unfortunately, the night before the phone call I found out that I would be on a roof, nailing up shingles at the same time our phone call was scheduled. For fall break I went on a service trip to Knoxville, and I accidentally figured the time change in the wrong direction. Oops. So I sent a quick email apologizing for the change of plans and a few questions I was going to ask in the hopes that he would still respond over email. Lucky for me, he did, and I got the information I needed to finish the article in time for my second deadline.
Finding sources was definitely the most difficult part of writing this article, but I can see how it paid off in the final product. I'm pretty proud of my little news article.
For my second source, I had a bit more trouble. I emailed Dr. Wright, another one of my professors at Vanderbilt. He taught BioInorganic Chemistry, which is exactly where these nano-particles could be studied. They are used in human life (bio), they are metal (inorganic) and they are used by reactions (chemistry). The article was due Friday at 6, and 3 pm rolled around that day and he still hadn't gotten back to me. I decided to go to his office in person to find him and get a quote. As soon as I stepped off the elevator in the Chemistry building on campus, I saw him in a conference room talking to his graduate students. I waited outside the room for him, then as he came out got a chance to walk and talk with him to his office as he told me what he thought was important about the nanoparticles.
For my final source, Dr. Hallahan, I emailed him about finding a chance to talk, and his graduate student responded to me, and we set up a time for me to call. Unfortunately, the night before the phone call I found out that I would be on a roof, nailing up shingles at the same time our phone call was scheduled. For fall break I went on a service trip to Knoxville, and I accidentally figured the time change in the wrong direction. Oops. So I sent a quick email apologizing for the change of plans and a few questions I was going to ask in the hopes that he would still respond over email. Lucky for me, he did, and I got the information I needed to finish the article in time for my second deadline.
Finding sources was definitely the most difficult part of writing this article, but I can see how it paid off in the final product. I'm pretty proud of my little news article.
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