Are Amtrak trains always delayed?
Short answer: no! I took the train from Chicago going to and from New Orleans to attend AGU 2021, and experienced a 6-hour and a 3-hour delay, respectively. Given that there was a tornado that ploughed through the train route, I wasn’t too bothered about it. But I’ve heard several complaints about Amtrak being always…
Taking the Amtrak to and from AGU21
Upon learning that I am going to AGU 2021 in New Orleans, I immediately started planning the trip. I considered several options on how I’m going to get there: 1) We stop over during our cross-country trip and I stay there until AGU starts then fly back after; 2) I fly to and from Chicago;…
Cloudy with a chance of CICADAS?
As the Cicada BroodX emerge from their 17-year slumber, they not only show up in piles on the ground, they also show up in weather radars! Weather radars send out signals into the atmosphere, and these signals bounce off anything large enough to reflect them, such as raindrops, snow, or hail. But these signals can…
Making #SciAnimations using Powerpoint (Part 1)
If you find yourself needing to show some movement or change when describing your science, and you usually do this by drawing arrows, consider using making a short animation. Animations are made of frames—a sequence of images that show incremental changes. Have a look at the example below: The animated GIF above is made up…

About Me
Hi, I’m Irene. Previously a postdoc scientist, I am now taking some personal time off to explore my other interests—art, science communication, travel, and off-grid living. During my postdoc stint, I dabbled in science-art (#sciart) and I am writing short how-to’s and sharing tips and tricks in this blog!