Tag Archives: modern science

UCLA chemistry graduate student ready for her Nobel journey

By Guest PostJune 17, 2013Education, Scienceamericans, anastassia alexandrova, antelope valley, artificial enzymes, biochemistry, california nanosystems institute, catalysis, chemistry, crystal valdez, east los angeles, electronic structure, Germany, graduate student, lindau, medieval city, miguel garcia garibay, modern science, molecular, nano levels, nobel journey, nobel laureates, synthetic step, ucla

Crystal Valdez selected to meet with 34 laureates at international conference

From the time she was a young girl, Crystal Valdez was fascinated by science. “When I first learned we are composed of cells and that cells are composed of molecules and atoms, I was amazed and wanted to understand how it all works,” the chemistry graduate student recalled.

That curiosity ultimately led her to the laboratory of Anastassia Alexandrova at UCLA, where Valdez has earned a reputation for her research on the design and function of enzymes. (more…)

The Universe in the Middle of Nowhere

By Guest PostFebruary 17, 2013Culture, General, Scienceastronomy, atomic nuclei, big bang theory, buddhist monastics, buddhist philosophy, chris impey, conflict, cosmology, dalai lama, dharamsala, early universe, earth, ed prather, einstein, finite, forms of religion, fundamental buddhist precepts, gail burd, Galaxy, geological happenings, geshe lhakdor, geshe yeshi choephel, harmonious meeting, hubble expansion, human history, India, infinite, jime gyatso, john templeton foundation, knowledge, mathematics, mexican wrestling masks, middle, model atomic nuclei, modern science, monks program, neuroscience, ngawang lobsang, nowhere, quantum physics, relativity, Science, science and technology, science religion conflict, scientific inquiry, sonam choephel, space and time, spiritual leader, steward observatory, thabke lodoe, tibetan buddhist monastics, tibetan people, tibetan works, universe, university of arizona, weak nuclear force, western educators, zoob

The UA’s Chris Impey has taught cosmology to Tibetan Buddhist monastics in remote parts of India each summer for the past five years. With a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, he detailed his experiences in a book, “Humble Before the Void,” which likely will publish in 2014.

Chris Impey thinks back to the time he spent living on the edge of Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, teaching modern cosmology to Buddhist monastics in India: “On a typical day, they would be up at 5 a.m. and have prayed for a few hours or done meditation before you even see them. And their attention is just as good at the end of a long day as at the beginning.” (more…)