August 2, 2005

Well, the first day on the job and I am trying to get settled and organized before classes start later this month.  Unfortunately, the construction to my lab is moving slowly.  Some lights have been moved but the lab pretty much looks like it did on April when I visited it last.  As you can see there are not any walls yet! 

The beginning of something great!

Hopefully, this situation will be remedied soon.  When constructed, the lab facilities should be superb. In the mean time I can shop around for some optical tables and other necessities.  Already I have a fusion splicer and and a continuous wave laser source. Ebay, here I come.

August 5, 2005

Good news, the ordering of the walls has begun. It only should take six to eight weeks to get the lab constructed.

My first purchase

August 22, 2005

First day of classes.  Although this has nothing to do with the lab, it does impact me since I am teaching this semester.  Fortunately, I start  with a easy load this year: two recitations and a seminar.  Not too bad for now, but things will get more difficult later.  This job is a tough balancing act of academics and research; and you got to be good at both.

I have not used a chalkboard in a while (been using whiteboards previously) so I usually make a mess. You can usually track my path out of the classroom to my office by following the white foot prints.

                        A typical classroom at Kstate                                          Doc Washburn has been here