The First Excited State is intended to be a peek inside the mind of a physics grad student.  Adjusting to graduate level courses, learning the teaching ropes through a TA position, exploring a new city, finding an adviser, learning the ropes, and beginning research… every aspect of grad school will be covered.  In addition to the day-to-day aspects of grad school, I plan to blog about topics of interest in physics, academia, or the universe in general.

Now, I realize that there are millions of blogs out there on the internet, and I’ll be lucky if my blog can make even a small ripple in this vast ocean.  There are certainly blogs with a similar thrust to mine, but I like to think that I have a unique voice and that I might be able to add something of interest to the conversation.  I hope someone out there finds my writing entertaining or informative, but I think that my blog will have value as a way to focus my thoughts by writing them down, if nothing else.

Finally, I feel that I should post a little about the dangers of blogging.  It seems that everyone these days is a little scared to publicly share their opinions for fear that it will come back to haunt them in one way or another.  I have read about instances where this has happened, specifically with blogging by academics, and I can certainly see how this could be the case.

In light of this danger, I have decided to remain semi-pseudonymous.  From details about my background and my home institution, I think it will be possible for those who know me personally at least to figure out who I am.  I would appreciate not being publicly identified on my blog, and I will remove or edit any comments that call me by my real name.  I will also abstain from discussing (on my blog) many controversial topics like religion and politics.  There is a place to share my opinions on those matters, and I have decided that this is not that place.  And of course I will not post negative things about personal acquaintances.

Beyond that, please enjoy The First Excited State!

4 Responses to “About this Blog”


  1. 1 Lab Rat September 17, 2008 at 9:12 AM

    heya! random solidarity from another semi-anonymous science blogger. I’m trying to find people who blog coherently about science subject other that my own (biochemistry) so i can keep up with all the things I’m not learning. I haven’t found a physicist yet, might have a saunter around your blog for a bit.

  2. 2 sandrar September 10, 2009 at 7:35 AM

    Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R.

  3. 3 megan fox September 11, 2009 at 9:45 AM

    Sign: umsun Hello!!! rcuwwymhyw and 2485ssgfhphzye and 7977I like your blog. cool post!

  4. 4 William Lee November 9, 2009 at 10:25 AM

    Our website Science.org is a informational databases and online news publication for anything and everything related to science and technology. We recently ran a poll asking our website users regarding what online informational resources they use to keep up to date or even to simply find great information. It seems many of our users have labeled your blog as an excellent source of Space information. We have reviewed your blog and must say, we absolutely love the information you have made available to the public and would love to make your blog a part of our top science blogs. After browsing your blog, our research team has decided to award you a Top science Blogs award banner.


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