Long Overdue – December 2008
The miserable winter storm we’re going through gives me the needed excuse to restart this blog.
The big developments
I’ve started working on a project that I am very excited about.
The Omaha Science Media Project will train a group of high school science teachers and students as science journalists to produce high-qualtiy media products about science. The hope is that teachers and students will become engaged in science in innovative ways by being challenged to creative narratives around science. The project has 8 partners including a 46,000 student school district (Omaha), media producers (NPR, PBS affiliates) , and multiple academic departments from three universities. My role is to manage the project’s operations especially with respect to the students an teachers participating. The key piece of this will be a two-week intensive workshop in the summer of 2009 that will result in the design, recording, and some editing of high-quality media products about virology research happening here in Nebraska.
I am balancing this project while managing the kids schedules and trying to keep the house in order. Even working part-time has given me an incredible appreciation for just how hard it must be to be a single parent.
Beyond work, things are good as there is no doubt we have actually moved here. The transition was probably easiest for our daughter Noemi (3), she just slid right into her preschool 3 mornings a week and is just overall a very happy little girl. Micah (5) has taken a little longer with the added transition of starting full day Kindergarten at Washington Elementary School. He is “here” now and has made some new friends. He loves school and is so curious about so many things it is absolutely inspiring. Sarah’s job at the Omaha Community Foundation has proven to be a great match for her and for us. Her office is just an 8 minute drive (when its not snowing or icy) and the people she is meeting are fascinating. Her job has helped us quickly tap into a network of interesting people.
As for me, I love that so many things are new here. I enjoy meeting new people and trying to think through the way people here are different than my circle in California and how they are the same. In general, I think people here are more true to themselves and put up fewer facades than those in California; I also think that people here have much less direct exposure to the breadth of ideas, places, people, and activities than our community in California. I don’t think either of these perspectives are better or worse, obviously just different. I’m sure I’ll change my thoughts on this as we meet more people and learn more about just what is happening here.
Thanks for reading and sorry for the long delay between posts, I’m resolving head of new year’s to be better about posting more frequently.
Sounds like an exciting new project Dan – like the Dan we know! Is it grant material? WGLN?
Happy Holidays to you and your family
Alyssa & Laird
I am very happy that you are posting again! Your project sounds inspiring. Please continue to keep us up-to-date.