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Signing Off
Well, this is it. In a couple of weeks, I'll be leaving my post
as editor of The Photon online (and coordinator-of-a-lot-of-stuff)
to head off to grad school.
So what is the most appropriate way to say goodbye as editor? I
have no idea.
So instead, I'd like to:
1) Brag about the department.
2) Have a contest.
So, the bragging part. The physics graduates and I are saying goodbye,
but there are some impressive newcomers on the way. This fall, our
anticipated freshman class will have an average 1346 SAT score and
a 3.91 weighted GPA. We expect to donate Dell laptops to about 10
Banneker-Key and President's Scholar freshmen. Not only that, we're
excited to welcome a class comprised of 30% women, an extremely
high number relative to the rest of the U.S.
But, wait, there's more. It is my personal priviledge to introduce
Sheldon Smith, the next editor of The Photon (and coordinator-of-a-lot-of-stuff)
who will be making an appearance in the middle of July. Make sure
to give him a great welcome.
With a bachelor's in journalism from Howard University, Sheldon
comes to us from the DC National Guard Public Affairs Office, where
he coordinated media relations efforts, developed and evaluated
the office's strategic communications plan and much, much more.
That's just the tip of the iceberg, let me tell ya. Here are some
suggested conversation starters. What's the Taste of DC? Or, how
exactly did you get involved with the Vietnam Women's Memorial Project?
Or, well, that's enough. Just talk to him.
Now, onto the contest. My collegues and I in the truly dignified
Office of the Chair are asking our Photon readers to participate
as judges in a contest that began when I first arrived--the tackiest-object-bought-for-under-$2-outside-the-DC-metro-
area contest. The contestants are shown in the picture below as
follows (left to right):
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| A plastic wind-up Maine lobster that rolls
along while moving its claws; a bronze slot machine that doubles
as a pencil sharpener; a crab with google eyes from Destin,
Florida that moves across the floor after you turn a plastic
nob in the back; a small, plastic, green turtle that also "walks"
(or swims, depending on how you see it) after you wind it up;
a flamigo snowglobe with the fake snow AND little rings that
the owner should attempt to hook around the neck (also from
Florida); a pink foam cactus car antenna decoration complete
with sunglasses, a scarf (with a "Rugrats" print)
around the neck and a red cowboy hat that is not attached to
the cactus in any fashion; an orange and brown giraffe that
collapses (or dances, depending on how you see it) in different
directions when you press up on its base (just come look at
it); a small decorative ceramic plate of England's Queen Mum
on a complimentary plastic stand; a plastic cactus that serves
as a pencil sharper and desk ornament; and a coconut monkey
with wire rim glasses and the word "Hawaii" emblazoned
on its belly that serves as both decoration and bank (with no
way of getting the money out). |
These are the contestants. Now step
right up and send us your top three (one being the tackiest
of all). You're also free to come see the contestants live and in-person
(depending how you look at it) during the week in 1117 Physics.
Well, ok, I guess that I actually do have something to say. I will
miss you all--the inanimate objects that I have spent so much time
with like The Photon, and the not-so-inanimate objects around here
like Reka Shanmugavel.
As an editor with a rudimentary physics background (one high school
class), part of the excitement of this job was the continual challenge
to stretch my brain, ask the right questions (mainly, "Could
you explain that part again?") and communicate the true beauty
of the physics featured in any given issue. That may sound cheesy,
but I really, truly mean it. Physics can be beautiful, astounding,
even funny at times, and of course, phun. It's my hope that just
a touch of that came through on these pages.
Upward and onward--
Hannah
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