Gordon Waller

Gordon Waller

Gordon is pursuing his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering and conducts research on lithium batteries. He likes cooking, textbooks, internet memes and the great outdoors. His viewpoint on science is that everything is more interesting when you understand how it works, also being able to impress (read annoy) your friends with your techno-lingo is a major perk.

Berkeley grads grow mushrooms for cash – legally!

Imagine you are in your last semester at college. You’ve done well academically, studied business, and you have a job offer lined up. Your parents are letting up on the constant brow beating about expectations and preparing for the future.…

Grad School Confidential: Danger Zone

I am sitting. More specifically, I am waiting. Waiting on the box in front of me, a box that reminds me of my grandmother’s post-war era microwave on account of its single all-purpose knob, with the only exception being the…

New Houston: We have a problem

  If you are a technology enthusiast, NASA observer or all around space geek, you don’t need me to point out the connection between two recent news events. First off, SpaceX has successfully launched, maneuvered and docked their spacecraft “Dragon”…

The Pollinator Commeth!

It’s pollen season, and where I live in Atlanta Mother Nature has given everything with the misfortune to be outside a healthy dusting. Now that my car has the same greeny-yellow slime color of an abandoned pool I am resolved…

Water: Prankster of the Natural World Part 2

If you haven’t read part 1 (why would you do that?), here is a review of the scenario we are considering in part 2:   Two identical containers of water (same volume, same container size and material) are placed into…

Water: prankster of the natural world part 1

If you’ve ever taken a life sciences course your teacher probably mentioned one of several properties that make water particularly interesting. Water is cohesive meaning it sticks to itself, adhesive meaning it sticks to other things (superhydrophobic surfaces notwithstanding), and…