coming back

I have not come here for long. The main reason is my having no access to the blogspot -- it has been blocked in China mainland. Thanks to 朱靖君, who is one of my previous classmates and studies computer science in Tsinghua, I can come here again using Firefox. I think I will keep using blogspot -- moving to another blog website is tiresome. Of course, this would reduce the number of readers substantially. But I don't think there is much room for the reduction -- it does not have many readers from the beginning. (actually, I have to say, Da is my biggest and best reader. So, never mind.) (If convenient, I will store a copy in my msn space when I write something here in the future)

Summer vacation has been its midway. In the past one month or so, I mainly kept doing my project on miRNA structure. To be honest, it is not fun, because its conceptual requirements are low and I mainly deal with technical stuff. Nevertheless, it does benefit me in some aspects, the most important one being strenthening my programming skills. I have a lot of programming practice throughout the project and I think I am not a low-level perl programmer anymore. However, due to the limited range of the tasks given by the project, I have not been given the opportunities of learning some advanced features, such OO programming. I do hope that I can get strengthened in these aspects.

Another weakness of mine exposed by the project is using softwares and numerical methods. An example: I have thought out a probability model of quantifying a biological process (it is simple, but I am proud of myself since it is my first time successfully applying statistical principles to biology), the results of which need first getting the likelihood function via symbolic calculations and second getting the MLEs of parameters. The first step is best implemented in software like matlab and second step seems solvable only through numerical methods. However, I know little of both of them previously. (I don't know how to do the second taks even now, since Wu Laoshi told me to write a simple descriptive paper, which does not involve the probability model.) Anyway, I think through this project, I know better what I have to learn in the future. (actually, Da has told me nearly three years ago the importance of using softwares)

I will spend some days more to give an end to this project. My state is just soso these days, and I have to adjust myself to my best.

What is coming is rather exciting. First, Wu Laoshi told me to do something on Drosophila genome analysis, which is more relevant to speciation theory. Although it has a technical beginning(it seems that I have to learn some bioinformatic techiniques before starting the analysis), on the whole it is more theoretical than what I am doing. Second, the lab gets bigger as two abroad students just came back (曾凯&贺雄雷). Their focuses are theoretical population genetics and regulatory networks, respectively, and they do very well at them. I am sincerely pleased that the laboratorial environment gets more nurturing.

It is just three months or so to my application. I have not thought about the application details and the schools yet. I just first do my science well and then think about the rest. Perhaps in the last days of the summer vacation, I can spend some time on them.

A bit ashamed to admit, I am still wavering on whether to continue studying for second degree of statistics. The main reasons include: 1, if I want my research exprience to be richer, I'd better spend more time doing research in the coming semester. However, if I take mathematical and statistical courses in the coming semester, the course load would be rather heavy. Plus the application process which may be time-consuming, I doubt if I can handle them. 2, most of the courses in zsu suck. I think it may not be a bad choice that I wait for one year more and take similar courses at US which are supposed to be much better. Furthermore, self-study is not bad. I will see if 曾凯 can guide me in research and then make the decision.

Most of my college classmates graduated and choose to find a job. Some of them find lucrative jobs and make big money, which will translate into comfortable lives in the near future. To me, this is a time when I reflect upon my passion on nature and science, and more importantly, have some adjustments on the attitude towards research. To outsiders, what a scientist or researcher stands for are their publications and astonishing discoveries, just like we think of the principle of natural selection when talking about Charles Darwin, or the law of relativity when referring to Albert Einstein. However, to the scientists themselves, their lives may be constituted by the small pieces of mirth brought by every small progress and discovery. It is the mirth and the sense of fulfilment that bind them to research. However, if the focus has shifted to publication or title, as is abounding currently, they have degraded to the level of politicians or businessmen.

Of course, everyone is seeking for happiness. To me, the happiness brought by research results is more substantial than by making money or something. We all have our life once; some may desparately want to have something, while some may wish to leave something. It is a rule that human history remembers most clearly scientists, thinkers and artists. Most of the plutocrats disappear without a trace on history.

thesis

I have been working for my undergraduate thesis for long and it now comes to a critical juncture. I have to keep myself at a good state and keep working, partly for that topic I am working on is interesting and important, partly for it to be published so that my application will be further guaranteed.

So, at this time torrid and humid summer, after a long break, I have to get back to work even harder.

Graduation is coming close. See, I am still young and passionate:

@back mountain, Zhuhai. The distant view is the campus.

5.1 vacation (2007)

After a long work without rest, I took a long break in 5.1 vacation.

5.1-5.2
I went to Zhuhai campus with some friends. The weather is OK, despite the burning sun, and we had a good time. Again, I saw the flying papilios (空中掠影，惊鸿一现), and many famaliar things. However, I did not spend much time recalling, nor did I get stuck in sentiments. Perhaps "now" has taken up so much of my life and "future" is so worth looking forward to that I do have to turn to "past" for spiritual comfort. Anyway, I am very glad of such a coming back, especially with some good friends.

One of my Shixiong's, an indeed nice guy. He is gonna leaving for uchicago this summer. His bent is at bioinformatics.


纽灰蝶




5.4-5.10
I went back to Wuhan. I left the city for Guangdong when I was three. Since then, I have never seen Wuhan in May. During my stay, the sky is almost always clear and the temperature is soothing, so the city seems quite a nice place this time of the year, unlike what it is like some months later.
I spent much time with my family, which is hard most often as work usually keeps my at school. My grandma's health condition is OK, so is my grandpa. However, their situation is a bit pathetic.
I also spent some time in wild. I climb the back mountain with two newly met friend, Caterpillar and Yinchijia, and knew many novel things.

Charltonius said that it was not caterpillar of Graphium sarpedon (Gs has no the yellow stripe).

琉璃灰蝶属种类

长尾蓝灰蝶


琉璃蛱蝶，寄主菝契

explaning the name

My previous blog's name is "a naturalist's perception". However, I soon realized that I am not a naturalist, which, by common definition, refers to those studying natural history and most of them mainly engage in field work. Since I have left field work for long and I am now mainly interested in the genetic basis of evolution, the title no longer holds.

I'd like to position myself in a broad context, i.e., a student of biology. Indeed, every biological phenomenum is the product of evolutionary process, and is thereby intriguing. Of course, unlike traditional biologists, I'd implement a lot of mathematical and bioinformatic approaches.

a new site

I have long been sick of the msn space site, which is slow and ugly. If I'd like to continue to maintain a blog, changing for somewhere nicer seems inevitable.

Well, I am not sure if this one, the blogger, is significantly better. Any recommendation of blog website is welcome.