Science in the City

After attempting to extract DNA, it’s necessary to run a ‘check’ gel to verify that any product has survived the crushing, spinning, filtering and chemically washing of the plant sample. In a research lab, this involves the use of chemistry a little more carcinogenic than is usually accomodated in public schools. The chemicals [...]

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At school on Tuesday, we had many, but not all of the components we needed to run the DNA extraction as I had done at james Cook University. Instead of ethanol, we had access to the less drink-able ethanol. There was no TBE to elute the DNA, so we had to use warm [...]

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The seagrass collected in Tampa Bay sat in a bucket of seawater by the front door, tantalizing me with its pungent, sulfurous wafting. I would steal harried moments in passing to dangle a bit of it before attending to the next chore at hand. Finally, late the following night, I had an opportunity [...]

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After getting back to the states, it’s been all but impossible to reflect on the experience of the barcoding work recently undertaken in Australia. The pressure of school and home have left little time to make progress on anything not immediately and practically demanding my attention.
So when a quick trip back to Florida [...]

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he last full day of work began with a sense of accomplishment mingled with a nagging thought for the many tasks left to complete before finishing up at the Green Island / Monkman Station. Unfortunately, the idyllic spell of weather we’d enjoyed for the first several days of the field trip gave way to [...]

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Besides packing up, and reviewing the last-minute plans to rendezvous for the trip up to Green Island, Friday was spent reviewing papers and looking at websites on the topic of the DNA barcoding.  This left some extra time to visit other departments of the campus I haven’t had an opportunity to suss out, yet.
One of [...]

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Today was a relatively ‘light’ task day since the thrust of the work now focuses on next week’s trip to Green Island for the collection of sea grass samples.  There’s little to do except to pack up supplies, prepare whatever personal effects will be transported and get as smart as possible as fast as possible [...]

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One of the first things you notice, fauna-wise, is the number of exotic-looking birds on campus here at JCU Townsville. Armed with the Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds loaned to me by my colleague Jordan back in the states, I’ve been merrily identifying the most conspicuous birds I’ve come across so far. In the [...]

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After checking out of the Civic House, I bought some stamps, and waited for the 1A bus to Hospital and University. The ride out of town took about twenty minutes, with stops at a small mall and several other unassuming points along a long roadway heading out of Townsville. The campus is set on a [...]

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Monday in Townsville was a public holiday, which happens when the carnival comes to town. Since the University was likewise closed, I booked a room at a modest accommodation in town, frequented by pensioners, backpackers and apparently the fair folk, as well.

After securing my stuff in my room, I walked to the nearby supermarket [...]

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