Hello and welcome to Unexpected Developments. I am Mei-Jing and I attend New College of Florida in you guessed it... Florida! Every January there is a term called ISP, also known as Independent Study Project, which lasts for a month. During this month, under the guiding eye of their professor sponsor, students conduct various projects that have either something to do with their areas of concentrations (AOC) or with their own personal interests. There's one student that I know who's project is going to focus on the use of special effects make up and its uses to educate students on rare skin diseases. Then there's two other students who happen to be my roommates who have a passion for staring at the heavenly night skies and learning about the stories of the constellations. While some choose to blaze their own paths, others choose to join a professor's group project. For instance George Ruppeiner, a professor of physics, is sponsoring a chess ISP where all of the students will learn to play and improve their chess skills. Every single endeavor must have passion and drive behind it to be successful. Typically at the end of the month there is a presentation or final term paper to reflect and summarize on the research and learning that was done.
So you wonder, what is Mei-Jing doing for her ISP? I will be doing an individual ISP investigating how household chemicals such as Coca-Cola, rubbing alcohol, Pepto-Bismol, and Drano effect the coloration and composition of film photographs. I have very little knowledge when it comes to using film cameras and have no experience in the dark room.
I chose this ISP because I knew that it would challenge me in both creative and scientific ways and because of my interest in film photography. I am not searching for perfection in the quality of my photography, though that would be nice, but more in the scientific aspect of how the chemicals interact. I have always been fascinated by the marriage of the science and art resulting in a special kind of scientific beauty. There was no point taking an easy way out or keeping it low key when I am surrounded by so many brilliant minds and an immense amount of resources. I didn't want my trepidation about lack of money and experience to hold me back from broadening my horizons and diving further into a something that has intrigued me for years.
This blog will track my progress throughout my ISP and will serve a way to show my fellow peers, professors, and friends what I am learning and a way for myself to reflect on the processes that I went through. I am looking forward to all of the different twists and turns that my project could take and of course the unexpected developments!
