From Barneys to Hostel

Today we met with Rebecca Smith and her grad students that participate in the Science Education Partnership. We met her in a classroom at UCSF Parnassus, which is typically an all graduate student campus.

Rebecca's efforts with the Science Education Partnership include pairing classrooms of students in the San Francisco area with scientists. The scientist are not paired withe classrooms for merely one week or one month; but for an extended period of time, such as a whole year. This time is meant to be more of a mentorship than a quest lecturer situation.

The scientists that are chosen to participate in the program are volunteers and do not have to be prominent scientist to participate. Most of the scientists are in post grad or post doc positions. A scientist can even be an undergrad; this opened my eyes to realize that you do not have to be extremely successful and have many papers published to be a "real scientist." This inspired me because I have always felt inferior because I am just a 2nd year undergrad and I have never seen myself as a "real scientist." Hearing about Rebecca's efforts outside of reading her papers, made the importance of science education a major thought of mine.

The rest of the day was full of sight seeing and going to the lookout at the top of the "De Young Museum." It was so cool to be atop of the look out tower and feel like I could see all of San Francisco. What was startling was the layer of fog/smog that covered the entirety of the view. This put into perspective the effects on the environment that humans cause.

The night ended with a walk around Union Square with some great friends (also some shopping at my favorite stores.) Xoxo.

Buffalo

Lookout at the museum

View from Union Square

Quaint coffee shop