So your wondering...Why Italy?

Of course everyone has been asking, what did I do to get to go to Italy? I can not answer this simply. I work for the Institute for NanoBioTechnology (INBT--the name is long) at Johns Hopkins and I administer all of the educational programs there. I started with two graduate programs in particular, the Integrated Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) program. The IGERT is directed by Dr. Kate Stebe and the HHMI by Dr. Denis Wirtz. I have been working closely with the both of them on especially Kate for 3 years now perfecting the programs.

Well it just so happened that both Kate and Denis decided to chair a nanotechnology conference in Italy. I know you are all thinking...so lucky right. I'm definitely going. Not so fast. Kate and Denis are researchers. This is a nanotech conference--researchers from all of the US..heck from all over the country speaking on nanotechnology, where am I going to fit in and why would I go?

Because it's Italy! but more importantly...

Kate thought it would be a great experience for me to go network with researchers at this conference, engage in some of the talks, and enjoy Italy.