A whirlwind of a few weeks

The end of the semester always seems to be this way: a whirlwind that doesn’t stop.  It’s a combination of studying for finals, saying goodbye to friends and enjoying the beauties of Bergen.  Additionally, Bergen comes alive and there are so many things one wants to enjoy.  

Fortunately the days are long so there’s still time to enjoy bbqs in the park and hikes in the mountains on top of school work.  This photo was taken just before midnight this past weekend.

Last week was Norway’s national day, ‘Syttende Mai’, the 17^th of May.  There’s a parade throughout downtown and many people attend in their traditional dress- a bunad- which are really beautiful.  Each area or region has it's own design.  It's fun to see the different colors and influences.  Bunads, flags, hotdogs and ice cream- it’s a great day to experience here.  Hip hip hoorah!

Earlier last week NHH hosted the BEEER conference- the Bergen Economics of Energy and the Environment Research Conference- for two days.  The attendees and presenters were generally researchers from Scandinavian universities as well as a keynote speaker from Resources for the Future in Washington, DC.  I was invited to attend and it was all very interesting on a range of topics from  different policy instrument effects to new technologies as well as pricing and market power in electricity markets just to name a few.  There was also a last minute cancellation by a speaker so they asked me to present on algae.  Wow!  I can now say I've presented at a research conference :)  Tres cool.

And, as if all of this were not enough to keep a gal distracted from writing her thesis and looking for jobs, Bergen is having some of the most wonderful weather.  It’s so difficult to stay inside!  Today I allowed myself a little break from work, and we had a BBQ and jumped in the sea.  It feels like summer!

Also, for the music lovers, ‘NattJazz’, or a week long jazz fest, is going on nightly in Bergen.  Below are some of the awesome wood creations around town right now.

I finally got into the sea for the first time yesterday and was feeling so invigorated I felt like joining some crazy kids in some jumping off the roof.  Yup, that's me!

Back to thesis, thesis, thesis, thesis.........

hugs,

lisa

go go algae!

Here's a great piece from the local San Diego CBS station on algae biofuel.  I'm thrilled for friends at SIO and Sapphire Energy.  Yea 'green crude'!!

nearing the finish line,

lisa liv

algae news!

Yesterday The White House announced the Department of Energy plans to invest $14 million to make transportation fuels out of algae.  As President Obama said, ' That means greater energy security' and a 'stronger economy'. 

hugs from your Alice in the Algae Wonderland,

lisa liv

source:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-02-23/u-s-to-invest-14-million-for-algae-biofuels-white-house-says.html

48 hours...

.... until I'm up-up- and away back to lovely Bergen, Noway.  I've been enjoying a nice extended stay in San Diego while starting work on my thesis.  As mentioned I'm looking at algae as a biofuel source.  And The Algal Biofuel Organization (ABO) just launched AllAboutAlgae.com (click on it to head to the site).  Cool!  It's a nice little intro to everything algae.  Enjoy!

More posts about life in Norway soon, I promise.  I've been laying low at 'Garza', the family home.  A big thank you to all the wonderful friends I've been able to see while I've been in SoCal.  You've been a real highlight.  And, thank you sunshine for being so abundant.  I've soaked you up and stored you for the next few months in Bergen.

back to packing,

lisa liv

ps. weather looks good to go in all my connecting cities- Chicago and Copenhagen.

pps. i checked my seats and I have all isle seats, score! 

Thesis: Day 4

Hello Dear Readers! 

Well, best laid plans.. I was hoping to blog daily on the thesis front but I’ve botched that.  It’s all good, I’m hopeful once I’m in the thesis groove I’ll be blogging more.

The last few days I’ve been slightly waylaid.  Yesterday was my Dad’s birthday- Gratulerer med dagen Dad!  And, the day before I had an opportunity to go to the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park (one of my favorite places in SD!) with a friend.  The MOPA has a super exhibit right now- ‘Infinite Balance: Artists and the Environment.’ Seeing is believing, and I highly recommend checking out the exhibit for some good visuals of what man is doing to our natural environment.

On to some reading.  Tomorrow I'm meeting with a contact to learn about the performance properties of algal biodiesel.  I'll let you know what I find out.

Cheers!

lisa liv  

Thesis: Day 1

Here we go... the final semester and the big show.  It's time to write THE THESIS. I can't say I've ever done anything like this in my life.  I'm feeling excited/nervous/intrigued/anxious/empowered/etc.  Overall, it's a very good thing.

As a little overview, I've decided to look at algae as a biofuel source.  It all started last summer 2011.  I felt like Alice in Wonderland falling down the algal biofuel rabbit hole.  You read it here first (or maybe you already knew this)- algae is a very exciting liquid fuel alternative to petroleum.  I plan on documenting my research so if you stick with me, you'll learn along with me over the next few months.

I've been ramping up to writing my thesis and laid some good groundwork.  But, I consider this my first official day of the semester and of working on my thesis.  I met with Greg Mitchell from Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) to hash through some good thoughts and directions for the thesis.  He's a rock-star researcher and great guy to boot.  He's all about empowering and motivating students.  It's really neat to have people so eager to help. 

So, that's day 1: met with a Prof and got some good ideas that I can run with to flesh out.  I see lots of reading within the next few days but I'll keep you up to date.  I'm going to get very familiar with this muck in the next 5 months.

happy new year to you!

lisa

ps. sorry for the absence.  I was fortunate to get to Paris to visit some friends at the beginning of December and then it was a whirlwind of moving to a new flat in Bergen, home for the holidays, holidays and some relax time here and there.  The fall semester was absolutely fantastic and I look forward to what the year holds.