Lately

I was surprised when I realized I haven't blogged in like a month and a half. I hope I still have readers out there.

There have been lots of things I've thought about blogging about, some I even started, but never got around to it.

But let me catch you up on the last two weeks, as it's been the most eventful. There's just a lot that happened.

First. This summer I've been working on research. My main goal is to finish a project I started working on while I was at STScI. I worked a lot on it back then, but it wasn't publishable yet, as we were waiting (and waiting, and waiting...) for STScI to come out with better calibration files for the relatively new instrument. ("Why would we get decent flats out for WFC3 when it's only been up for 18 months?") They came out with them literally 2 weeks before I moved to Virginia. Then teaching started, and I had no time. But I still worked on this project on all my school breaks, trying to make progress. But in reality, not moving fast enough. During that time, the data went into the public archive. When school ended, I attacked it full time. I'd made some good progress in the last month.

My former supervisor at STScI was at a conference last week. The first day of the conference, he ran into a member of a competing group. This guy informed him that they had a paper coming out very soon with our data. My supervisor sent me an email to that effect. The subject of the email (appropriately so) was: "Scooped!"

My life over the next week was a lot like this:

Only with more crying.

I still haven't seen their paper, so I don't know if anything I've done is still publishable, or if it's all in vain now. We'll see soon, I suppose.

Second. This happened a week later (so this past Monday). Around 9:45am, I got a call from my department chair on my cell phone. (I was still at home.) He told me that, while he didn't have details yet, he had learned that the professor in our department who was teaching the non-calc intro physics class during the second summer term (which started last week), didn't show up for class that morning, and was in the ER. He wanted to know if I would be able to cover the class, starting the next day. (Or, he said, if I needed time to get my wits about me, we could wait until Wednesday.) I agreed. (Hey, I suddenly had a lot more time, right?)

He called me again 30 minutes later with more details. Professor had been in a bad car accident, and was being flown to the hospital at UVa in Charlottesville. It looked like they'd need me to take over the remainder of the class. I agreed. I said I would be ready to start the next day. (Tuesday.)

I was worried about Professor. He occupies the office next to mine, and he and I would talk often. He gave me a lot of help and advice as I attempted to navigate my first experience teaching physics. Sometimes he would just come by to say hi, or tell me a joke. Often when he would leave at the end of the day, and I was still working busily, he'd stop in my doorway and say, "It's time to go home." He was probably the oldest non-emeritus professor in the department, and his health had degraded somewhat in recent years. Any injuries could be serious.

While all this uncertainty was happening, I had to turn on teacher mode. Summer term at JMU is intense. The term is only four weeks long. Class meets for 3 hours everyday. Exams every Friday. One day of class is like a week during the regular semester. Missing Monday was going to be tough to make up. And this class, second semester non-calc physics (E&M, optics, and modern), is a TOUGH one for the students. Fortunately I just taught it last semester, so the material was fresh and I had everything ready to go. However, there were tons of logistical things, like getting me access to blackboard, the online homework system, and re-configuring my powerpoints for 3 hour lectures, rather than hour-long lectures. (Honestly, I think anyone who takes this class during the summer is certifiably insane.) And what about all the work they did last week? Their exam from Friday, and quizzes during the week? (I didn't know where they were.) Lots to sort out and figure out, and not much time. But the good news is, since this is the second summer term, and the second half of the class, the students I have are those that passed the first half. (There are 14...whittled down from the term last month.) So my students are good and know what they're in for. (But let's be honest...no one REALLY knows what they're getting into when they start studying E&M.)

I survived the first week. We got back on schedule. The students are being great about it and helpful. We're going to get through the next few weeks together. Honestly, despite the extra stress, I'm just so glad to be able to help the department in this way. This week it seemed like every time I walked down the hallway, the other faculty would say to me, "Thank you so much for taking this class."(And you know they were also relieved that they didn't have to.)

As I was leaving Tuesday, we got another email from the chair. Professor wasn't going to make it. He never regained consciousness. He passed away on Wednesday.

I don't know what to say. I still don't really. Professor had one of the most brilliant minds in the department. Or maybe of any other department anywhere. He'd taught here for over 30 years. He was an amazing teacher, and had so much knowledge and wisdom that he was willing to share when asked. (I certainly took advantage of being his office neighbor on more than one occasion.) And all of it was gone. Just like that. It didn't seem possible. This is a huge loss for our department.

This is one of the comics he had hanging outside his office door. It was appropriate because this was totally him. Anytime during faculty meetings, whenever I'd look over, he was almost ALWAYS sketching diagrams and writing equations out.

In the meantime, I've got to keep focused on keeping the class running. Just over two weeks left. Still lots of things to figure out. (Like how to incorporate the stuff they did last week -- which I finally got Thursday morning -- with the stuff they'll do here on out, etc.)

The second exam went as scheduled for yesterday morning. (I used and revised one of my own exams; I don't have his exams.) Professor's funeral was scheduled for the same time. I wanted to attend the funeral, and sent an email to the entire department seeing if anyone was not going (or had a trusted student) who could proctor my exam. Seemed like no one was available, most people were going. Then I found out the chair had forwarded my email to the chair of the chemistry department, and one of their profs is covered it for me. I was very grateful. So I was able to attend the funeral yesterday. It was the first time I'd ever attended a Jewish funeral. It was beautiful and moving, and at times heart rending. Just such sad circumstances. My heart really goes out to his family, especially his wife.

While it's been a stressful time, and will continue to be as I work to finish up the term and then get back on track with research. But I'm sure everything will go fine with the class and me. And who knows, my career will probably even survive the setback from being scooped too, and maybe I'll actually figure out some answers in my soul searching. I certainly have some renewed perspective. But I know that the department at JMU will never be the same. We've truly lost a giant, and he will be greatly missed.


Here's a local news story about it, including some comments from other professors in the department. There was supposed to be video with it; I saw the reporter, and asked her if the video would be online. She said it would be, but I can't find it. :( Anyway, it's worth a read:

http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/JMU_Professors_Remember_Don_Chodrow_159967725.html