Reflection of trip

Though this technically wasn't part of the trip, on my fifth day there, I woke up several times between 5-6 to say good bye to my friends as they left. It made me a bit sad that we didn't have at least one last good bye together as a group that day, but I knew I would be able to keep in contact with them.

Overall, I felt that the trip was too short. I had made new friends that I was truly beginning to appreciate, as well as learning about other people's projects. I didn't get to meet as many people as I would have liked to. During the time on Friday when we were supposed to stand by our posters, I wish we had been given the opportunity to be allowed to go around to other people's posters and ask them questions about their project. Sure, during the power point presentation session, we got to learn in details some people's projects, but what I loved when I was walking around, was that I was able to talk to people who's projects interested me. 

There were certainly many different diverse topics, and many diverse people to go along with it. I got to meet people from places I may never visit, such as Massachusetts, Texas, and Illinois. At the convention itself, I got to learn about interesting topics. Honestly, I had never heard of several different things I was introduced to. Aqua pores? I would probably hear about it in college, but it certainly wouldn't be as interesting as hearing the new and current research that was being done on it. Also, there were several different lectures from different scientists from all fields. If that isn't cool, I don't know what is. Expose to other sciences is like being exposed to different mini worlds. Everything is interconnected, yet so different.

The exhibit hall was my favorite at the convention. The booths there, such as Riken from Japan, the Thirty Meter Telescope booth, etc... I was able to learn a lot about different organizations, as well as new inventions. For one of the booths, they asked us to say why this one company was so wonderful. I'm in it! I don't have a speaking part in it, but here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xIvEmHNC94

It was fun, but on my fifth day there, I went back to the booth part and talked to several different companies. It was exciting, because several times I was asked if I was a teacher or a student. I was told since I was only a high school student, that I could keep in touch with them, or they would keep in touch with me, and that in years time when I was old enough, I could check out the opportunities that they provide to older students. I forgot which companies told me that, but I look forward to it. One I specifically remember is Rikken, the one in Japan.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself over this trip. I learned that I don't find anti matter all that interesting (haha), as well as environmental science. I also found out how much I didn't know, and saw a little bit of how much it takes to become an expert in a particular field. [It takes a lot of knowledge! Almost made my head spin.]

I would love to do AJAS next year as well. I hear it's in DC? It would be awesome if I ended up getting accepted into American. It would be so convenient, haha!

I apologize that this blog took so long to write. I've been bogged with so much homework. And I heard senior year was easy, hah.

I think that any student who's interested in science would thoroughly enjoy AJAS. Thank you for providing this opportunity for me, Washington State Academy of Science! Special thanks to Ms. Jeanne Chowning, for telling me about this. And to Dr. Robert Bates for being there with me.