Last day in USA

Well I am sitting on the floor in Los Angeles airport writing this - with a 5 hour stopover!

Hard to believe my nine and a half weeks is almost over. Been a wonderful experience.

Spent four days at Purdue University – chatting with lots of people both staff and grad students, gave a seminar – mostly to the graduate students, attended a couple of classes, worked in the office they lent me. Superbly looked after, Loretta was incredibly helpful to make my stay easy. David R showed me around campus, a campus full of tradition… and I got the opportunity to go to an Advisory Boad dinner and see the status of their alumni! Real powerhouses of industry! Amazing campus and so well supported by their alumni.
Took an airport coach across the plains to Chicago – all cornfields – mostly stubble at this time, with lots of people with homes decorated for Halloween – they take this festival very seriously round here – people even came in to the uni dressed up!

Flight to Detroit on time! I cant believe my luck – I am not experiencing any problems with UA. Karen and husband Tom met me and off to a Turkish restaurant – lovely fresh food – Detroit an interesting city – I didn’t realise the depth of their economic despair – lots of unoccupied buildings with graffiti and empty lots where buildings torn down even in the center of the city.
Spent about 5 hours talking about my work and Karen’s – really valuable – then we went for a brief drive – didn’t realise Canada was the width of the river away- just over a bridge! to Windsor, CA. T and K live in a “Bauhaus” style townhouse in an enclave that is really pretty and close to the city. Went to the Hubbard Street Dance grou pin the old Detroit Opera Theater on Sat night – really neat! Had a brief stop at the Detroit art museum to see the Rivera murals – reflecting Detroit history in the motor industry. Apparently Henry Ford was not a good employer – if people were striking he just brought in labour from some part of the world where they needed jobs – accounts for the very wide range of ethnicities in Detroit.
Then off to Seattle. – again uneventful flights. Stayed at Silver Cloud Inn, nice hotel next to University Village shopping center which has gone very upmarket compared to 16 years ago. Beautiful campus with magnificent old buildings, lots of trees still with autumn colours- and dominated by views of Mt Rainier ( on a clear day) and the Huskies stadium by the lake.

Kaya and I spent election day morning at Pike Place Market and went out for dinner that evening to Ivar’s Salmon house – which is built and decorated by Native American influences. Election raised amazement everywhere – no one could believe it had been accomplished seemingly without incident and with a clear majority. I like Obama – his style, sincerity, eloquence and focus on unity. I do hope he can stand up to the expectations being placed upon him. Emotions running very high around the university.
Got my second paper in to JEE and it is under review. After hearing that many of the people I admire did not get their papers accepted I am not going to hold my breath!
After meeting with some really competent insightful researchers I alternate between inspiration and frustration that I don’t have a mandate to develop stuff back home – but I will hopefully return back to my optimism and plan what I can do, and do a report with recommendations that will reflect all I have learned on this trip.

Somewhat sad and definitely a feeling of physical exhaustion on this my last day in USA. My visa expires today so I need to go!

But what a wonderful experience and the year is not yet over!

Conference and on to Purdue

Well Saratoga Springs conference went well although I got a very stuffy head and sore throat - too much air conditioning and changes of temperature methinks. Nice town, lots of trees and statues of horses everywhere. The Conference reception was held at the Saratoga Racing museum - very famous racetrack and lots of historical info - but I dont know much about racehorses.

Met some really neat people, networked like crazy and heard some interesting talks - particularly a group trying to define a Philosophy of Engineering education!

Left there on Sunday and took a shuttle bus to Albany airport, a flight to Chicago ( it left early!!) then a flight to Indianopolis, then another shuttle bus to West Lafayette, got picked up by the hotel shuttle and then picked up from hotel by a lovely couple from Purdue Uni who took me home for a Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding dinner! Dont know but I felt great!

Temperature is just above freezing - very windy. This is a real university town - big prestigious uni with a long tradition - very proud of the fact that they have had about 12 astronauts through the engineering school including Neil Armstrong, Roger Chaffey, Gus Grissom and ..... Their football team is called the Boilermakers - something to do with the beginnings of the town and making boilers for steam locomotives I think!

Everybody making me most welcome - photos in next episode.

I have quite mixed feelings as my time in the USA is running out - be nice to be home, and I am so glad all is well with Peter and Louie, but wish I could have more time to assimilate all that I am learning - spend most of my spare time on the computer trying to summarise or prepare for the next event.

More later

Canada

After leaving Washington I stayed with Ann and Carla in Ann’s very centrally located wee house in Toronto for a couple of days– always feel so welcome there. Lovely old house filled with artworks and memories of Ann’s travels – three storeys and a cellar.
Had lunch with Marta who is a Civil engineer I met last time I was in Toronto – she is heavily involved with Ontario professional engineers, especially the Women in Engineering Community.
Travelled down to Cornwall on Sunday afternoon – after a leisurely morning – before we left went for a walk to a lovely park up the road, beautiful trees, did a little bit of gardening and just generally chatted and caught up on lots of news. Beautiful drive down – all the trees looking a picture – lovely day, past the “Thousand Islands” – beautiful area with cottages close to the water, and arrived at Carlas house – another lovely house – three storey ( + basement). Lots of houses with Hallowe’en scarecrows and pumpkins.
Monday – just took it easy doing some reading, and long talks with Ann about her work for women inengineering and an International Task force on Women in ICT, then had lunch in town with Carla and Stacey. Ann and I did a test run over the US border to make sure they would let us through tomorrow ( Ann had forgotten her passport) – all OK, so home and I made apple crumble!
Another pleasant evening… getting colder – temperature down to 10 deg C – quite a change from Washington.
Tuesday
Left Cornwall about 9 am and went over the high bridge to the USA on a drizzly morning- – through Mohawk territory and then into northern NY state. Drizzly and wet but still a beautiful drive through Chateaugay and Mooers ( yes that is its name), to Rouses Point where I was to get the train – unbelievably decrepit looking station – but all organised even with a US Customs and Border protection site.
Train ran alongside the lake Champlain - beautiful train trip into the Adirondacks– all the trees were glowing yellow through to red – if it had been a sunny day would have looked as if the trees were on fire, but even in the drizzle bright and inviting…cottages perched alongside the lake – ground paved with leaves – I like riding on the Amtrak – have a fold down table, even a power plug although mine is not working. Not a very speedy train but time to see the lakeside scenery -
Arrived at Saratoga Springs – and nice hotel – conference tomorrow!

One more day in Washington DC

Well one more day in Washington DC and then I am off.

Worked quietly away last week - got a bit depressed with my progress, but kept plugging away - the paper has grown to 15,000 words which takes a bit of sorting.

Then had a lovely day on Saturday with Kitty who works part time in our Center. I took the train to the stop nearest to her home in Virginia and then we had a day driving down into the Horse country of Virginia - autumn ( fall ) colours, big open green paddocks - they mow them, not a sheep in sight, and houses that look like they came out of Gone with the Wind. Civil war sites like the one on the left which was the site of a famous battle. Lots of places selling big orange pumpkins for Hallowe'en which is taken very seriously here.

The building with the pillars is a butchers shop in the "village" of Middleburg, VA!

Lovely hot day - in pleasant company - and on Sunday I tried to do a bit of sightseeing but really I am Washington'd out. So happy to come back to my little apartment and carry on writing and preparing stuff.

Monday was a workshop looking at Promising teaching and Learning Practices in Science and Engineering Education ( at universities). Quite interesting and got into a good conversation with a woman who is interested in the work Jonny and I have been doing. We took ourselves out to dinner on my birthday, so I wasn't alone.

Been plugging away at the writing this week. N. said second paper was almost there so I was quite cheered up - hard to work entirely alone ( for me ). Took some photos of the beautiful trees on the Mall outside our building, then some of the National Academies building, and the chap who is the Director of the Center here - he does a really good job, faciliating an enormous amount of research, conferences, and "empowering" of people like me.

So on Friday I am off to Canada for three days to stay with a couple of friends I have visited before and then to a conference in upper New York state.

Over half way now - home in three and a half weeks.

Another week hard at work (or trying!)

Was a pretty quiet week last week – worked every day and evening – got a bit bogged down but I’m working on it!
Still a very warm and sunny, and the trees on the Mall are just beginning to change colour. There are some pretty streets right near where I am staying in Foggy Bottom which are classified as heritage areas.

The TV is non stop politics here – or American football ( and I can’t work out the rules – very stop start sort of game), or else you find a channel which plays non stop episodes of Law and Order, Charmed or Closer! So don’t watch TV much – good incentive to keep writing.

I decided to work at least some of the weekend, as my time is running out, but I did find a post office, got my photo taken with (cardboard cutouts of) Barack Obama and John Mc Cain – and enjoyed the subshine.

Although I think Barack Obama is ahead, anything could happen. The “hockey mom” Sarah Palin who is John McCain’s running mate is getting a lot of attention – whilst I admire her spunk, I am wary of letting someone like that “a heartbeat away” from running the most powerful country in the world. She is convinced she has a God given mandate ...

Not sure how the election campaign back home is going, I hope it isn’t as dirty as this campaign.

Went to a free Duke Ellington Jazz festival outdoors on the mall on Saturday – very hot so I only watched for a couple of hours, great music especially a grouof about 40 7-12 year olds from Kentucky who played percussion jazz on xylophones, drums and other percussion instruments. They were great – the Louisville Leopards – and awfully cute as well. Walked around a bit, it seemed that the Mall was full of tourists, and locals enjoying the sunshine. The locals were playing Ultimate Frisbee, some sort of Handball game, baseball and soccer – in social teams on all the available grass on the Mall. Quite fun for people-watching. Sunday I went to a free film festival at the National Geographic Society which was quietly relaxing.

Back at work this week, my time is running out here in Washington, and once I leave here I will be meeting and talking with lots of people so working hard now is good. Ooh, writing is sometimes like drawing out teeth - painful!

Off to the Blue Ridge Mountains

Well, another b usy week - I was preparing a powerpoint to give at Virginia Tech where I had been asked to go and give a seminar to their graduate students. Quite challenging as it was being real time videoed to three other universities and questions could come from any of them! The building where I work in Washington is the National Academies of Science and has a huge statue of Einstein outside - apparently it is traditional to get one's photo taken in the arms of Einstein - so here I am.

Thursday night I went down on quite a small plane to Roanoke which is the nearest airport to Blacksburg where Virginia Tech is located. Roanoke is in the New River Valley which is just by the Blue Ridge Mountains - which I have read many stories about - people making moonshine whisky, and in one set of stories apparently full of Scottish immigrants from long ago.

Very beautiful country although didn't get a very good view as we flew in as there was drizzly grey rain. But green and lots of trees - starting to change colour with the autumn. I was picked up by a lovely person from the Engineering Education Dept and we drove to Blacksburg where I had been booked in at the "Inn at Virginia Tech" - an onsite hotel.

Virginia tech is the site of a particularly awful massacre of students and one engineering faculty member a couple of years ago. It was not mentioned but there is a memorial with "We will prevail" on a stone. Apparently alumni of VT have put up scholarships in the names of each of the victims.

Virginia tech is the main reason for the small town of Blacksburg and since it has been there since 1872 - you can imagine how much tradition there is - they have "Hokie" memorabilia everywhere - and at least half of the students around are wearing T shirts or sweatshirts i nthe distinctive maroon and bright orange. They have special T shirts for games when the football team plays away and a different colour when the team plays home - they have Tshirts, mugs with "Hokie" Dad ."Hokie" baby - and a Hokie is apparently a turkey so they have noisemakers that sound like turkeys gobbling!

The buildings are all made, even the new ones, of the special "Hokie" stone which is quarried nearby, so it all looks old, even the new buildings. - Beautiful grounds - leaves just changing colour - huge drill field and in their military tradition they have military cadets (they all attend classes in white pants and blue jackets with white braid - and the male cadets all shaved heads
My photos all look a bit grey, grey stone buildings and drizzly grey skies but I am going to get a postcard scanned - with lovely views taken in sunshine and add to my collection.

I had a very full schedule with meeting over breakfast then three more then another meeting over lunch then interviewed and then my seminar! Nice welcoming people - think it went well. They asked questions and good practice for me!

They get huge amounts in grant money to do research - often on things we just take for granted. But great networking opportunity.

Very interesting - a place I would love to come back to - didnt really get a chance to get the full flavour of the area or the university. I spent Saturday morning walking up the main street, didnt take long, I even saw a poster advertising a "Gathering of the Clans" up in the mountains... reminded me of Diana Gabaldon's books.

Then a fairly uneventful trip back - time consuming ( only a 26 minute flight but left Blacksburg at 12.50pm and back to my apartment at 5:30 pm)!

Staying in Washington for the next two and a half weeks - need to keep writing - before my time runs out!

Back from New York!

Well, last week was hectic - I worked flat out to rewrite the paper I thought I had done the week before - aiming for a higher rated Journal with encouragement from the director of the Center - I was a real engineer - long hours to a deadline- even pulled an all nighter to get it done before I headed off to New York.

Helped U of A at a Post graduate fair in Washington on Thursday afternoon - then on Friday headed to New York to help them again at the New York fair.

Little bit excited - beautiful weather - after arriving in the late afternoon I walked until my legs dropped off - our hotel was right in the middle of everything - ( dont ask the price! glad I wasnt paying) - close to Central park - horsedrawn carriages - it is a beautiful park - and quite huge....

do you recognise the bridge in the photo on left - I am sure it has been in countless movies.

Then walked down to Times Square - Friday afternoon, lots! of traffic, yellow taxis everywhere, bumper to bumper - and not as polite as Washington traffic.

Skyscrapers everywhere - although I had seen some in Chicago - the way they line up here - like canyons is quite amazing - get dizzy looking up.

Saturday morning - I sat on a double decker Hop On-Hop Off tourist bus and just rode around - worked like crazy at the fair in the afternoon, and had a meal at a lovely Greek restaurant with the U of A team. They wanted to go to bed early as jet lagged, so no Broadway show - next time!Then Sunday morning, I took a lovely little boat trip - 90 minutes of NY skyline and historical commentary - got to see the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and yes it was lovely!

Sunday afternoon, picked up by Jane D. who I had first met in 1991 in Melbourne and then again in 1992 when I visited Purdue. She is now based in Washington - we had a lovely afternoon driving around Manhattan island - getting a bit stuck in traffic - lunch over on the New Jersey side and then after a bit of a fright when we missed the correct off ramp - did arrive in time for my flight.

Safely back in my little apartment - and now working like crazy again to get a presentation ready for the seminar I am giving at Virginia Tech on Friday and getting started on the next paper.

I miss home, but getting to talk to Peter on Skype every couple of days, and occasionally ring other people up - I love technology!!

Love to all