My PhD research is on crosslinking polymer with chemically modified proteins to make new and interesting materials. My wearing different shirts is supposed to symbolize the two different proteins ...
My PhD research is on crosslinking polymer with chemically modified proteins to make new and interesting materials. My wearing different shirts is supposed to symbolize the two different proteins I have incorporated into materials, both of which have interesting properties. The idea behind the Green shirt is that it represents GFP which I have incorporated into a material. When I start flailing that represents the protein being unfolded through external forces (stress, heat, pH etc) though the metaphor breaks down there as my shirt does not stop being green. I tried to convey protein denaturation by falling to my knees. The fact that my arm and leg seem to be stuck in the air is suppose to represent the protein being chemically bound at the termini. The Purple shirt is the second protein I have worked with; Pea Metallothionein. This protein binds up heavy metal ions (ice bucket) and the material shrinks reflecting their binding creating a macroscopic level change for a microscopic event (me moving around on one foot back and forth, though the protein does not move the ions around like a top-hat). The symbolism of me smiling and nodding my head is supposed to be that the experiment and design of the material was successful which is then mimicked in the real-size me doing the same basic routine. Also, in case you wanted to know, I choose the song Party & Bullshit - Notorious BIG (Ratatat Remix) as a sort of anti-thesis to academic research. I love this song and I do dance to it in lab often, but the words and meaning of the song are about partying and just kind of doing whatever feels good in the moment. It has made me realize that I rarely, if ever, do that. Lab and science in general require much discipline and planning not partying & bullshiting. That and the beat kicks-ass. The idea of my video was to show, in dance, the process by which I do research, not just the data. To me they are both equally important. Made with a Flip Video Camera and IMovie HD. Thanks for watching.
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I heard about this project on As It Happens, and I couldn't wait to look it up to see this video. I'm glad I did; it's everything I hoped it would be and more. Great job -- you should have won!
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