That Georgia Biologist

My week has been good :) While there is still lots of new stuff to learn, overall it is a very smooth transition academically. The grad students are welcoming, the professors friendly, and yes I still remember how to crank with a capitol C!!  Yesterday evening as a bit of a reprieve I spent some time at the botanical gardens. I really enjoyed my time; and especially was delighted at all the butterfly photos I was able to capture. I hope you enjoy them! :) -Austin  Happy happy happy! I like the color yellow  :D  Beautiful setting for a bench.  Not sure what species this flower is, but it sure is lovely! :)  Such an inviting path...   Jatropha integerrima above, and very likely Helianthus annuus below.  Some pretty periwinkle - I want to learn the exact species!  A Firey Skipper butterfly above, and Red-Banded Hairstreak butterfly below!  Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Ge...

Well, whaddya know, life now finds me spending a few weeks in Tennessee! I'm excited to move down to Georgia, but also enjoying some quality time with family. This past weekend my parents took my sister and I to the Tennessee Aquarium, one of our favorite places to go. A highlight was exploring the new "Island Life" exhibit, which featured animals such as chameleons and clownfish. I appreciated that the signage included biological islands, as well as literal islands of land in the sea! I highly visiting in person - but below, enjoy my photos, and click here to see my video! :) ~Austin  There was also a very nice exhibit about Vancouver Bay. Till next time!!

I'm thrilled to announce that two days ago I defended my master's thesis, and it went as smooth as a dream! I really appreciated how many friends, professors, and grad student colleagues were able to come. It was very enjoyable to finally share in a public setting what I have been working on the last year and a half. To tell the truth I was more nervous for the questioning-by-my-committee time after the presentation, rather than the presentation itself (anyone who knows me in real life knows that I love to talk, and my thesis is one of my favorite subjects, so... :D). However, my time with the committee went super smooth too. We had an intelligent and academic but still overall chill and fun conversation regarding the more detailed aspects of my project. I was able to capably answer most all of the questions...and they decided to pass me, so I guess that's a good sign... ;) Haha. I really enjoyed going out to eat with my major professor and grad program coordinator a...