From the Trenches

Students talk about life and learning at the Nicholas School

Thankful for Medication in Moderation — by Courtney Shephard — Nov 23, 2009

I am completely terrified of building up resistance to common household medications. However, last weekend I came down with a particularly virulent flu-cold hybrid that refused to go away and I had to officially declare war.     

I Toured America’s 10th Largest Coal-Fired Power Plant, How Was Your Friday? — by Tali Trigg — Nov 22, 2009

As part of my Air Quality Management class, I got to tour the Roxboro Power Plant just an hour northeast from Duke. Being a hands-on kind of guy, I usually have to see things to get them. Now that I have walked inside a scrubber, I can tell you, I get it. The visit finally made sense of a year’s worth of power plant diagrams.     

Let the holiday madness begin — by Valerie Cannon — Nov 20, 2009

The holidays have been over market-ized. We're hoping to simplify things at our house this year.      comments (4)

Public Perception — by Valerie Cannon — Nov 09, 2009

Here is a little reminder to us all to not forget that most people are NOT trained in climate science or any real science at all. Public perception is everything and maybe the climate issue needs a marketing makeover      comments (2)

The Great Divide — by Courtney Shephard — Nov 09, 2009

I have spent the past few week going crazy watching the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (S. 1733) pathetically crawl through the Senate. Yes, I know that it was only introduced on September 30, but we are talking about climate change, aka a really big deal! The prospects of a Senate vote in favor of the bill before COP15 are basically zero, which means that the likelihood of the United States making a meaningful contribution to the negotiations is dwindling. But I am not going to bore you with stories of how this situation makes me lose sleep at night. Instead, I want to share some really interesting research that I learned about last week regarding the clear partisan split within Congress concerning climate change.     

I thought it was Thursday — by Valerie Cannon — Nov 06, 2009

I lost a day this week and could really use it back.      comments (2)

Eating for People, Planet, and Animals — by Courtney Shephard — Nov 01, 2009

I am not a big fan of Halloween. My scare tolerance is zero, my costumes tend to be "too weird" (apparently dressing as a 'carnivore' is a little much), and I really despise all things gory, even fake gory. So, it should not come as a surprise that I decided drink tea and catch up on work instead of join the gathering of characters last conveyed last night. However, this morning I bounced out of bed because today is World Vegan Day!      comments (1)

"Network or Not Work" — by Gergely Nemeth (Nemo) — Nov 01, 2009

Networking, as I look at it, consists of putting my social skills into professional action. I had the opportunity to practice at a conference that I have recently attended in Boston.     

National Treasure: Amory Lovins — by Tali Trigg — Oct 28, 2009

I spent an amazing summer interning at the Office of the Chief Scientist at the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). The Chief Scientist in question is Amory B. Lovins, also the Cofounder and Chairman of RMI. If you want to know why Time Magazine named him one of 2009’s 100 most influential people in the world, please read on.      comments (4)

Where Are the "Other Fish In the Sea?" — by Courtney Shephard — Oct 26, 2009

Have you ever heard the adage, "there are other fish in the sea?" Although this is commonly used following unfortunate dating experiences, I could not shake the phrase last week despite the fact that school was my sole activity. Apparently, the phrase became integrated in the United States in the early 1900s and continues to find its way into daily conversation despite the fact that it is dangerously close to becoming a fallacy.     

Ode to the South, Part Deux — by Tali Trigg — Oct 23, 2009

For Fall Break, I explored Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina. Both were over-the-top welcoming, with friendly folks, sumptuous feats, and gorgeous nature. Both are easy-going drives down I-95, perfect for a weekend adventure, and I’m sad to say, put Wilmington to shame.     

Cheetah Wheelies — by Valerie Cannon — Oct 22, 2009

A short post for a busy week.     

Fairy Tales about the Environment — by Gergely Nemeth (Nemo) — Oct 20, 2009

How to win an environmental competition in the EU, Hungarian style.      comments (1)

LINKing it All Together — by Courtney Shephard — Oct 17, 2009

Every Monday afternoon I take a class with students from the Duke Marine Lab in Beaufort, NC. One of my professors is in Washington, D.C. and the other professor is in Durham. Does that sound impossible? It's not, thanks to the LINK Teaching and Learning Center.     

Stay Local — by Valerie Cannon — Oct 17, 2009

As a pregnant grad student my thoughts often turn to food. Here's a little post on trying to stay local.     

Island Time — by Robyn Walker — Oct 15, 2009

The very first warning I received from my landlord when I moved to the coast is that Beaufort runs on 'Island Time'. And now, apparently, so do I.     

How To Pronounce Saxapahaw — by Tali Trigg — Oct 12, 2009

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Fall Break, Career Services Update, and Wordle Crazy — by Courtney Shephard — Oct 11, 2009

Can you believe that it is almost the middle of October? It is crazy! Last week the Nicholas School enjoyed Fall Break on Monday and Tuesday (Duke Law School is on a different schedule, so I attended my 8:25 am class on Tuesday instead of sleeping in). In addition to massive amounts of homework and note typing (I will never attempt to type more than 60 pages of notes in one day again...), I went over to the Duke Gardens in search of fresh air and a bit of respite.     

Top 5 Things to Avoid When Attempting your Master's — by Valerie Cannon — Oct 09, 2009

This is to all of you who are considering applying to the DEL MEM program starting in the fall of 2010. Take note- as I speak from experience- and try to either postpone these or get them out of the way before hand.      comments (6)

Recipes for Disaster: The Oil Diet — by Gergely Nemeth (Nemo) — Oct 07, 2009

The movie by John Webster talks about an "Anglo-Finnish middle-class suburban family" and their reaction to their "oil obesity."