CURRENT MISSION

Enlightenment through exploration.

ABOUT ME

I am a 5th year PhD student in the Department of Neural and Pain Sciences at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. I study the effects of painful stimuli on the activity of the brain.
But that's only part of the story. For most of my teenage years I trained in classical vocal arts and spent many years in professional choirs. I spent the first 3 years of my undergraduate studying journalism and political science and I maintain an interest in the morass that is U.S. international relations. After succumbing to the banality of US politics, I decided to try to better the world through science and obtained a Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences (I have a BS in BS, I often joke.) I also obtained an MS in Biological Sciences.
I love science, the arts and how people interact for the betterment of mankind. I believe in small groups of people interacting can make a positive difference in the work.

PHILOSOPHY

'Every [hu]man's world picture is and always remains a construct of his mind and cannot be proved to have any other existence.' - Erwin Schrodinger

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I know Baltimore pretty well and would be happy to meet travelers for coffee and show them the sites and sounds of the city I now call home.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've traveled a couple of places and hosted as well. I'm always looking for an adventure at home or abroad!

Interests

I love science, music, art and good writing. I'm very eclectic and can easily appreciate diverse forms of music from rock/metal and blues/folk music to classical music.
In the world of literature I prefer reading sci-fi authors like Asimov, Herbert and occasionally others such as Vernor Vinge and Neal Stephenson. I'm rather interesting in the cultural implications of the increasingly narrow divide be humans and machines. I also like the anime of Masamune Shirow (of Ghost in the Shell and Appleseed fame).
As I said, I'm trying to write poetry again, keeping it as a sort of diary with hopefully wider appeal. I can't say I've ever published, but as a teenager I found it quite therapeutic and some of it was actually good or so I was told.
I work in neuroimaging research and love my job and the nerd I do it with!

• arts
• writing
• literature
• poetry
• singing
• performing arts
• coffee
• politics
• anime
• reading
• music
• classical music
• folk music
• blues
• international relations
• journalism
• political science
• science

Music, Movies, and Books

Books - Asimov's Foundation Books, Anathem by Neal Stephenson, Imajica by Clive Barker,

Music - (Bands) Amorphis, Death, Anathema, Iced Earth, Lacuna Coil, and the list goes on and on
(Classical Composers) Bach, Beethoven, Mahler, Handel, Schubert, Chopin, and the list goes on and on

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

1. Singing in the Youth Chorus during the performance of Gustav Mahler's 8th Symphony. This is called the Symphony of 1000, as Mahler debuted the symphony with 1000 performers. I believe we 'only' amassed slightly over 500. It was the most exhausting, exhilarating and impressive performance I've ever been privileged to be part of.
2. The excitement and intimidation of singing in the National Honor Boychoir at Carnegie Hall when I was 14. The group of musicians I was with was amazing.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States