what it means to be a nerd

To be clear to myself: I would like to write about nerds today.

Several of my students arrive early to class, explaining "We're nerds" and I'm not sure I agree with that statement.  Arriving on time (or early) doesn't necessarily qualify you as a nerd.

Some people study on weekends, saying "Usually I get good grades" and that makes them nerdy.  I don't know if that fits with my definition of a nerd.

I don't think nerd has anything to do with the way you dress.  Although some t-shirts would lead you to believe that wearing something on your chest makes you a certain thing (smart, sexy, cool, etc.).

CrashCourse

I'm not talking about the candy Nerds.  I'm not talking about geeks.  I am not talking about dweebs.  I'm not talking about dorks.  I am not talking about gamers.

Being nerdy doesn't mean you can't be a good dancer.  Being nerdy doesn't mean you have no friends.

Revenge of the Nerds (1987)

Being nerdy might lead to a good job.  Nerds don't mind wearing personal-protective-equipment (PPE).

Real Genius (1985)

Nerds get to play with expensive toys.  Nerds are who you call when your expensive toys break.  For me, being nerdy involves being computer savvy.

Being nerdy is a lifestyle.  It doesn't happen overnight.  It doesn't mean you wear glasses with tape in the middle, it means you wake up every day and tackle difficult problems.  Day after day.

I used to try to avoid being called a "nerd" but now I don't mind it so much.  It's kind of like a compliment.

The two movies pictured here (Revenge, Genius) shaped me as a child.  They made me look forward to college and graduate school and believe that being nerdy was something to aspire to.  I hope Hollywood considers making more "nerds having fun" movies as we try to encourage more young people to study STEM.

We're planning an outreach activity at CSUN soon.  Our goals include:

• Focusing on underrepresented groups
• Exposing girls to STEM fields
• Setting the standard with role models

How are people going to consider STEM when they don't see any women engineers?  Even I'm guilty in this blog post by putting only "white (male &) nerdy" pictures.  Ok, here are a few better ones...

New Experiences for Research & Diversity in Science (NERDS)

There are already a few initiatives to this end, such as UCBerkeley's program NERDS (pictured above) and "Women in Science and Engineering" (WiSE).  For women to close the earning gap, we need to go ahead and step up to high-tech jobs.

Sarah Allen, CEO of Blazing Cloud

NO MORE using WOMEN as WINDOW DRESSING!!!!!!  We need to step out of "sales" jobs and into technical positions.  I remember browsing photos at the 50th Experimental NMR Conference and there was always a woman pictured with the spectrometer with a male scientist standing above them, obviously in charge.  We're not here to help you sell instruments: women can design and use technology, too.

Black Girls Code

These photos are much better, with the woman in charge and minorities getting high-tech, with women mentors passing on their knowledge to young girls.  Most women that succeed in STEM fields got interested as young girls.

Nerds don't fit into a box: we come in all shapes, sizes and colors.  Let's look towards Grace Hopper, Ester Gerston and Gloria Ruth Gordon as nerds we can aspire to.  Websites like Grandma Got Stem and the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) can give us a wealth of faces to idenfity with (pronounced No-be-shay).

NOBCChE 40th Annual Conference

Thank goodness anyone is free to be a nerd these days!

DV Digest

To summarize the AWESOMENESS that was Death Valley, I will briefly outline the activities:

(1/7) Artist Drive Bike Ride = 26 miles of smiles.  Brought two water bottles, two POWER NUGGETS, and a Clif bar.  And my camera, of course.  The rolling hills and one long climb were amazing, surprising, and challenging.  The twists and turns were technical, I learned that one should look into the turn, actually at the mountain you are going around, when descending.  Thanks, Swiftie!

(1/8) Marble Canyon Hike = 10k of solid rock.  Brought 2 L in Camelback (Cloud Walker Day Pack) plus two water bottles.  Ate apple and two Clif bars.  Not sure exactly how long this hike was or how long we took.  This was my experiment at a low-tech hike.  Even though I was wearing my Columbia Daypack Hiking Boots, I kind of turned an ankle while running to catch up with my fellows after snapping more photos.  I guessed it was God's way of saying "Just slow down and enjoy the views, why are you hurrying?"

(1/9) Zabriskie Point Hike = 10k of Gorge-ous.  Brought 2 L in Camelback (Cloudwalker Day Pack) plus two water bottles.  Ate hummus and pita, cucumber, sprouts, bell pepper, oranges, sports beans, Clif bars.  This hike took 4 hours 17 minutes, we stopped for a meditation at 5.5 miles.  I remember facing directly into the sun and a hot wind and came to the realization that "we all had fucked-up complicated parents, we are all fucked-up complicated parents, we will all be fucked-up complicated parents, because no human being is perfect."

(1/10) Furnace Creek Run = 5k in the desert.  I took two 500 mL water bottles, an apple, and my ID / credit card / health insurance card.  I watched a 20 minute video at the Visitor's Center about DV NP and the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe.  They mentioned something about DV knowing you and welcoming you, that it isn't a forbidding land but a heart-opening and enveloping wilderness that embraces you.  This run was mostly flat with total elevation change of 81 ft.  This run burned about 300 kcal.

I could have stayed longer, we had the campsite reserved another night, but it wasn't the same being there alone.  I did get to attend a couple of guided activities.  The tour of Badwater Basin by Ranger Jess was about Salt, Salt and More Salt.  She explained that the colors on display in the basin and the hexagonal structures in the salt deposits are a result of the differences in solubility of the minerals found there.  The last time the basin contained water was 2004.

I also attended a night lecture about the Night Sky.  Death Valley is quite dark at night, compared with urban environments such as Los Angeles.  Projections estimate that by 2075, LA residents will not even be able to see the big dipper.  As it is now, we can see only about 100 stars.  Ranger Jess told us a story about the galaxy we are a part of, and how our galaxy is only one of MANY, and if we can't see all the other stars in the sky, then it makes sense that we would develop a feeling of self-importance and lose sight of our sense of wonder and scientific curiosity.  Walking back to my campsite after the talk, I gazed at my own moonshadow and tried to remember to appreciate the stars whenever possible.

(1/11) Fireside Yoga = 20 minutes of unifiying the body, breath, and mind.  I packed up my tent and all my clothes/gear and set everything on the picnic table.  I set up a nice warm fire and before eating breakfast went through Practice 1 from https://sites.google.com/site/kaiserwellnesscenter/home/fitness-awareness/finding-balance/the-heart-of-yoga which set me in balance with my goal of getting back to Los Angeles sometime around 2pm.

~Google+ Auto Awesome Created This Panorama For Me~

What I would bring next time: Duct Tape (there is a hole in my tent), Air Mattress, Ace Bandage, More Silverware, Dish Drying Rack, MORE Instant Coffee, LESS food, FEWER clothes, my running belt, MORE Butter.  I would have worried less about the ice melting in my cooler.  I still had 1.5 bags of ice left when I arrived at home.  But at a different time of year that could be more of a problem.   AND I would have brought a sun hat with a 360 degree brim rather than a small visor, even though it was fun reppin' CSUN.

Videos Here and Here.  Photos Here.

Death Valley Preview

Packing List for DV: highlighted items will need to be purchased

Two days worth of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) in a cooler.

• Breakfast:
• pre-cooked sturdy Irish oats
• schnitzbrot
• oranges & nuts
• Lunch:
• quinoa & string cheese
• POWER NUGGETS 
• Dinner:
• Camper's stew 
• Lentil burgers & yogurt sauce

Underwear, Sports Bras, Socks (8 days worth)

Comfy shoes (for around camp)

Long Pants (for hiking), long underwear (for sleeping?)

Long-sleeved shirt, Lightweight jacket

Swimsuit, Towel(s)

Yoga mat, Candles

Flashlight (+ extra batteries), Tent, Sleeping bag(s)

Bicycle, Cycling shoes, Water bottles, Lycra? + arm and leg warmers

Clothesline, Laundry rack

First Aid Kit, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Soap, Chapstick

Camera (fully charged batteries!)

Water reservior (Camelback?)

Hat (stocking cap), scarf, gloves

Sunscreen, sunglasses, sun-hat

Hiking boots, hiking socks, sock liners, Daypack (for hiking), Headlamp

Goosedown vest, Rain-proof jacket?

Duct tape? Bungee cords?

Thanks Mary & Jamie Collie and MatadorU for their lists.

Taking the I-5N (20 mi) to State Route 14N (110 mi) to US-395 (42 mi) to CA-190E (97 mi).  And hello wilderness!