eco science nerd fest 2010

I'm back in the sweltering STL after a week in Pittsburgh communing with my fellow eco science nerds. I know that the only thing more boring that attending a week long conference is reading someone's recap of it, but there are a few things that I feel I must note about the meetings, the venue, and the host city itself. I'll be brief.

Which way to the conference? Follow the throngs of sport sandals and hiking backpacks.

No one knows how to dress-down the already dressed-down business casual of conference attire like biologists.

How can you tell you're at a ecology meeting? When you're asking yourself "are these flip-flops too dressy?"

Also: I cannot remember the last time I was surround by so many super fit white people. It is making me wonder about the demographic breakdown across scientific disciplines. Is ecology the whitest science?

I was happy to notice that the upward trend in female graduate students and young faculty that I've noticed in my own city seems to carry across the field. But the senior scientists are still largely male. Is it only a matter of time until we all move through the ranks or are we dropping out before we get there? There are books and theses that delve into this topic, so I won't attempt to parse it here, but I remain optimistic.

***UPDATE*** I almost forgot to mention that I got to meet an internet pal in the flesh. Here's to putting faces to pseudonyms!

Pittsburgh? I salute you.

Who knew that Pittsburgh is actually kind of interesting? While I didn't get to explore very much at all, I was lucky to be staying in a B&B in a neighborhood (Lawrenceville) outside of the downtown conference-center area, so I got a small glimpse of the city on my route in. It's like an entire city made out of Greenpoint, Brooklyn. In a good way. In an 1800s-houses-with-1950s-awnings sort of way.

The best part was all of the really excellent murals and street art. Dear St. Louis-- why can't we make this happen here?

Some of my favorites:

This awesome mural is by artist John Pena. lovelovelovelovelove this. passed it every day on the bus.

This one is so excellent in person:

(mural by Brian Holderman, pic via Cardboard Sea)

And there was Shepard Fairey stuff everywhere. Maybe a little played out if you live in LA or NY, but unexpected in Pittsburgh, if you ask me.

(pic via justseeds.org)

ALSO? It was not 105 degrees there. So, that was nice too.

on the road again

Raise your hand if you're ready to spend a weekend at home.

chasing the trains

I've lost track, and I forgot to check before I got out of the car tonight, but I'm up somewhere around 2500 miles travelled in the past week. Crisscrossing the desert from field site to field site. I'm feeling very tired, very antsy, and very much in need of some fresh vegetables and some exercise.

I arrived at the latest site this eve. A research station this time, so I have a 'real' bed tonight, but all that means is a foam mattress in a bunkhouse. Twelve hours of driving and I arrived in the dark. Up before 6 tomorrow to get cracking on the field work.

No one came out to greet me when I arrived, although supposedly they knew I was coming. The lights didn't work in the building where I was supposed to be staying, and as I was clamoring around in the dark, searching for another switch it occurred to me that this is how scary movies start. A woman, alone, in the West Texas rangelands, pulling into a dusty cluster of buildings in the dark. It crossed my mind that I may be getting too old for this nonsense.

I elected to move myself to the kitchen building, which also has beds in it, and functioning lights. And door locks. No cell phone signal here, but at least they have wifi.

Everything will look (and feel) better in the morning.

also bisbee

Original jail. Now an event space.
Available for your next family gathering!

bisbee copper mine

950 feet down.

It feels like you're standing on the edge of a volcano.

misplaced

A touch if Maine on the desert highway.

las cruces, nm

My last night in a real bed for 2 weeks. Whole lot of desert (car)camping coming my way.

In related news: Tamarind frozen fruit popsicle (with chili & lime!) is, in fact, not good. Not good at all. In fact, it was kind of salty. Like eating a hint-o-lime Tostito flavored popsicle. So, now you know.

weather progression

day 1 : snow past your knees.
cross-country skied to pyramid point.


day 2 : fog covered the entire state of michigan as we tried to drive home. i wondered if it was some kind of conspiracy by the cyborgs to block something sinister from the view of the satellites.



day 3 : arrived back in the STL to temps in the 50s.


this is crazy-making.