June 17, 2015
Guess what? Once again, I got nothing. This time I can’t blame a cold office, a wasp sting, a sore knee or something in my eye. I might still be overworked and need a vacation. I actually might be able to blame the fact that my building is literally shaking right now while they do something with massive machinery outside my window. (That or they’re filming the next Jurassic Park on campus.)
The reason or blame doesn’t really matter because the truth is I am absolutely scattered and unfocused. I’ve got a million things rambling around in my head, but can’t seem to make any of them line up to make any sense. Yet, here I sit at my computer once again trying to turn my words into something readable. In true Spartan fashion, I refuse to give up! I’ll eventually fill a page and hope people don’t hate it.
As the saying goes, “…you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” Ain’t that the truth. And when people aren’t pleased or question you, they usually have no problem letting you know. Speaking of that, quick shout out to some of my readers…I really do know that I have more than nothing and aren’t truly bothered when I get writer’s block. I also actually really do climb 99 steps to only a fourth floor – it’s an old building with very high ceilings. And I’m not really all that upset when I can’t find my keys – it was just a good way to illustrate what I was trying to say and I like the purse I have. I also occasionally make a typo.
And I still hate wasps. And mushrooms, mean people, traffic jams, country music, snakes, alarm clocks, overalls, popcorn-flavored Jelly Bellies, the Three Stooges, Excel, olive green, math and the word "moist." And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
But that’s just me. There are things I hate that others love (though I really don’t understand the Three Stooges at all). For instance, I have a feeling Andrew Christlieb loves math, which is a good thing. He’s an MSU Foundation Professor of mathematics, professor of electrical and computer engineering and founding chairperson of MSU’s new Department of Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering. The new interdisciplinary department focuses on the intersection of algorithm, application and data. (Things I’m not particularly fond of, though I do understand their value.)
Even though I’m not a fan of math, I found his FACULTY VOICE: Taking a Large-Scale Step, really interesting. Give it a read to find out more about how MSU will use this department to be on the forefront of scientific discovery. It’s pretty cool what Spartans can accomplish when they work together.
Some people hate swimming in lakes and ponds. I’m not one of them…I’m more afraid of the ocean. Doctoral student Kateri Salk is absolutely not a hater of water. She says she grew up spending a lot of time in the water in her home state of Minnesota. She’s turned that love into a research career in water science. Read her STUDENT VIEW: Little Fish Girl Grown Up, to learn more about her hope to positively impact water health around the globe.
Richard Lunt, assistant professor of chemical engineering and materials science, new that many people liked the idea of solar power, but hated how solar panels looked and blocked the view. He and his team has developed a new type of solar concentrator that remains clear when placed over a window and creates energy. Check out the very cool MSUToday video FEATURE, “The Future is Clear,” to learn more about this groundbreaking work.
I’m certain that at some point in their lives, someone told Christlieb, Salk and Lunt that their ideas wouldn’t work – that they couldn’t do what they were trying to do. My guess is, that probably just made them all the more determined to succeed. Spartans don’t lose that drive just because they leave campus either.
Former Spartan basketball player and current Golden State Warrior Draymond Green, after winning the NBA championship last night, was quoted as saying, “Too slow, too small, can’t shoot well enough…They told me I couldn’t do it…I’ve got heart, and that’s what stands out…and I’m sitting here an NBA champion.”
It doesn’t matter what Spartans do when we’re doing what we love. Whether we’re writers, researchers, scientists, athletes or countless other professions, Spartans never give up when the going gets tough. If someone knocks us down, we simply get back up and keep on working to make a difference. Spartans never let the haters win.
Spartans Will.
Lisa Mulcrone
Editor, MSUToday
@LMulcrone
Photo by Derrick L. Turner