Essay --

My long-term goal is to transition into academia and ultimately become a full Professor in Epidemiology at an academic institution. My goal is to develop a nationally recognized research program, engage in extramurally-funded multidisciplinary research, teach intermediate or advanced graduate level epidemiology courses, mentor graduate students, and engage in university and professional service. Several themes have emerged in my life that make me well suited for a career in Epidemiology, a passion for research and a strong desire to make an impact on the lives of others. My primary interest in public health is chronic disease epidemiology, mainly the underlying etiologies of and effective preventive measures of chronic diseases. I am particularly interested in researching cardiovascular disease and diabetes in traditionally disadvantaged or underserved populations. As an epidemiologist, I want to master the skills of effective research, work to improve the processes of epidemiologic research, and successfully educate minority populations so they are empowered to choose healthy lifestyles. As a lifelong student, learning must precede anything I do. When I first came to the United States, I fell in love with the English language and wanted to be able to speak eloquently. To pursue my goal I immersed myself in books and media, mainly Schoolhouse Rock to acquire grammatical and syntactical knowledge. Then I worked persistently to learn the proper mechanics of the language. Today, the area of my pursuit is different, but the principle is the same. Through extensive study and practice I want to discover novel, paradigm-shifting approaches to addressing health disparities in the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of common chronic dis... ...because there seems to be endless opportunities for personal and professional growth within its multiple research institutes and centers as well as hospital partners and clinics. Additionally, the health disparities concentration offered to students by the School of Public Health caters to my future career goals as well as provides me the opportunity to enhance my skills. As an English learner, I am accustomed to uncertainty but have also experienced the payoff of staying the course and not being afraid to face adversity. As a child, whenever I would become overwhelmed with phonetics or grammar, I would repeat the mantra, "Today I am a student and tomorrow I hope to be a better one." Continued learning is also essential to becoming an epidemiologist. I have no doubt I will carry on this perseverance, tenacity and work ethic in order to thrive as a PhD student.

Drowsy Chaperone

The Drowsy Chaperone The Drowsy Chaperone is an interesting show that was performed from October 31st to November 4th at Westminster College. The show is a parody of people in the 1920’s. The story revolves around a middle aged man in a chair who is a theatre fan who plays his favorite record for the audience to hear. The record is The Drowsy Chaperone and from start to finish the audience is in for a unique experience within this play. This play is comedic, upbeat and has a heartwarming story.The whole show mainly focuses on the relationship between the glamorous show girl Janet Van De Graaff and the handsome, poised Robert Martin; the main characters of the show in Westminster’s productions were played by Hannah Timm and Ian Davis. They did an extraordinary job in all of their appearances. Being involved in The Drowsy Chaperone was a special experience for me. This was the first show that I had speaking lines in, acted and performed in and was involved in helping with the construction and deconstruction of the set pieces. I have been involved in musicals and theatrical productions for six years now.Within those six years this year the year I was involved in The Drowsy Chaperone by far was my favorite production. This is due to the fact that I was highly involved in different aspects of the show. I greatly enjoyed being involved within the production of The Drowsy Chaperone as much as I was. I believe by being highly involved within the production of The Drowsy Chaperone, it has given me a better perspective to the work involved other than acting into developing a show. There is a ton of the work that goes into developing a play and I was always highly aware of this.However, now I am much more aware about the set design and it makes me appreciate the actual show much more because of it. At times I thought things were unnecessary when we were producing the set pieces for example the day when we would paint all of the trim multiple times in various colors. First we painted the molding in a bright yellow, then a light brown then dark brown also, an orange glaze may have been added if I remember correctly. I did not understand the point in painting the molding so many times. I vaguely remember thinking we should just have bought dark brown paint and just used that.I was thinking it would save us a lot more time and we could move onto a different more important project. Now, I understand that everything is important when producing a set this includes the smaller details. By repainting the molding numerous times it added depth to the wood. This helped add to the overall look to the set. Every minor detail is important even if it seems unnecessary at the time it reality it is important. Once the whole set was built and completely done I understood why so much time and effort was devoted to the set and how important the minor details were.I have been in numerous productions in the theatre since middle school. I always knew that tim e was devoted into producing a set; however, I did not have a deep appreciation for the set. My opinion has changed drastically since being involved in the production of The Drowsy Chaperone. By being involved with in the construction process and set design I now have a better understanding of what it entails. The set pieces tell their own story within the actual show. Everything that is designed and placed within a set has a purpose.There is a reason as to why it is placed and a reason to why it was designed in the first place. I learned numerous things while working on the set. Some of these things were; learning how to use the power tools, panting techniques, how to putty, building and helping construct certain objects. I had the pleasure of working on various projects I worked on the following things; constructing a door, painting the walls, painting the molding, helping construct the bed, working on the refrigerator, helping hang the mirror, helping hang the curtains, painting the statute pieces, helping with the windows.When the opening night of the show came I became nervous for the audience to see the sets and backdrops, this was the first time that this had ever happened to me. , The Drowsy Chaperone is a unique show that is revolved around the 1920’s. Westminster College did a production of the show this year. The performers within the show did a memorable job. I enjoyed being involved within this show because I was involved in other things besides acting. The time and dedication to put on the show and the effort of the performers, workers, and faculty is shown. The Drowsy Chaperone is truly a memorable experience.

Kamkhya Temple Essay

The Kalika Purana, an ancient work in Sanskrit describes Kamakhya as the yielder of all desires, the young bride of Shiva, and the giver of salvation. Shakti is known as Kamakhya. The Kamakhya Temple, which is situated high up on a hill called Neelachal Parbat or Kamagiri in the city of Guwahati, is one of its several religious landmarks, which speaks volumes about the rich historical treasure over which the state of Assam is settled. This sacred temple in the heart of the capital city of Assam holds more than it meets the eye of the spectator. The Kamakhya Temple had been built in admiration to Goddess Kamakhya or Sati, who was one of the numerous incarnations of Goddess Durga or Goddess Shakti. History The temple is situated a few kilometers away from the Guwahati Railway Station, and is open for visitors throughout the year. The exact date of the original temple is not known. It is believed that, the temple is an ancient temple. The Temple was rebuilt in 1665, after being destroyed by Muslim invaders. It was probably an ancient Khasi sacrificial site, sacrifices are still very much part of worship here. Group of devotees arrive each morning with goats to offer to Shakti. Although little is known about the early history of the temple, the first reference to the place has been traced back to the Allahabad inscriptions of Emperor Samudragupta. There is a legend attached to the history of the temple, which goes way back to the mythological age. According to the legend, Sati the wife of Lord Shiva (one of the holy Trinities in Hindu mythology) took her life at a `Yagna` ceremony that had been organized by her father Daksha, because she could not bear the insults hurled at her husband by her father. On hearing the news of his wife`s death, Shiva, the destroyer of all that was evil flew into a rage and punished Daksha by replacing his head with that of a goat. Torn between misery and blind fury, Shiva picked up the corpse of his beloved wife Sati and performed a dance of destruction called the `Tandava`. The intensity of the destroyer`s fury was so overwhelming that it took several Gods to pacify his anger. In the midst of this struggle, Sati`s corpse accidentally got cut into 51 parts by the disc in the hands of Lord Vishnu (also one of the Trinities in Hindu mythology), and her female genitalia or `Yoni` fell on the spot where the Kamakhya temple stands today, forming one of the many Shakti `Peethas` adorning the rest of her body parts. But the place where her uterus fell was not known till the god of love, Kamadeva, searched it out to rid himself of a certain curse of Brahma`s. Kama regains his body here. The place came to be known as `Kamarup` and the presiding deity as `Kamakhya` or one worshipped by Kama. Another legend says that the demon Narakasura fell in love with Goddess Kamakhya once and he wanted to marry her. But as a goddess cannot marry a demon or asura, Goddess Kamakhya played a trick to save herself. She laid a condition that she would marry him only if he builds a temple for her within one night. Narakasura agreed to it and almost finished building the temple overnight. This scared Goddess Kamakhya and before the final steps of the temple were completed, a cock was sent to cry cock-a-doodle-do to announce the arrival of the morning, before it was actually dawn. This made Narakasura very angry and he killed the cock on that spot. But according to the condition Narakasura couldn`t marry Goddess Kamakhya after that. It is said that the present Kamakhya temple is the same that Narakasura had made for the Goddess. Still another Legend says that Shakti, the mother Goddess, challenged the supreme creative power of Bhrahma and that Brahma could thereafter create, only with the blessings of the Yoni, as the sole creative principle. After much penance, Bhrahma brought down a luminous body of light from heaven and placed it within the Yoni circle, which was created by the Goddess and placed at Kamarupa Kamakhya in Guwahati. Site & Architecture King Nara Narayana of Cooch Behar rebuilt the temple in 1665 after it had suffered destruction at the hands of foreign invaders. The temple consists of seven oval spires, each topped by three golden pitchers, and the entrance spirals down to a curvy path of some distance, which specially links the main road to the temple. Some of the sculptured panels of the temple carry depictions of Gods and Goddesses of Hindu pantheon carved in a delightful pattern. Tortoises, monkeys, and large number of pigeons have made the temple their home, and loiter around the premise, being fed by the temple authorities and the visitors. The cryptic, as well as the peaceful ambience of the temple combine together to soothe the nerves of visitors, and take their minds to flights of inner salvation, and this is the very reason that people come here for. Images of gods and goddesses of Hindu religion are carved on the walls. The image of the Goddess along with other deities is kept on a th rone. The current temple structure was constructed in1565 by Chilarai of the Koch dynasty in the style of medieval temples. The form of the earlier structure, destroyed by the Kala Pahar, is unknown. The temple consists of three major chambers. The western chamber is large and rectangular and is not used by the general pilgrims for worship. The middle chamber is a square, with a small idol of the Goddess, a later addition. The walls of this chamber contain sculpted images of Naranarayana, related inscriptions and other gods. The middle chamber leads to the Sanctum sanctorum of the temple in the form of a cave, which consists of no image but a natural underground spring. The spring emanates from a fissure in a large rock that symbolizes a Yoni. In summertime the water runs red with iron oxide resembling menstrual fluid, an occasion for the Ambubasi festival. Though the temple is aligned facing east like most Hindu temples, the worship of the yoni is performed facing north. The Kamakhya Temple has a beehive like shikhara. Some of the sculptured section seen here are of interest. There are images of Ganesha, Chamundeswari, dancing features etc. The temple is a natural cave with a spring. Down a flight of steps to the bowel of earth, is located a dark, mysterious chamber. Here, draped with a silk sari and covered with flowers, is kept the â€Å"matra yoni†. There is no image of Shakti here. Within a corner of a cave in the temple, there is a sculptured image of the Yoni of the Goddess, which is the object of reverence. A natural spring keeps the stone moist. Other temples on the Neelachala hill include those of Tara, Bhairavi, Bhuvaneswari and Ghantakarna With all its enigmatic splendor and picturesque locale, the Kamakhya Temple is one of the most astounding structures, not only in Assam, but also in the whole of India. Durga Puja is celebrated here annually during Navaratri in the month of September- October. It is a three-day festival attracting several visitors. A unique festival observed here is the Ambuvaci (Ameti) fertility festival wherein it is believed that the Goddess (mother Earth) undergoes her menstrual period.

Differences between Aristotle and Machiavelli essays

Differences between Aristotle and Machiavelli essays Differences between Aristotle and Machiavelli Of the philosophers that we have studied: Plato, Aristotle and Machiavelli, it is evident that they all have differing opinions about certain concepts. In the following paragraphs I will be discussing the different views of Aristotle and Machiavelli concerning the issues of politics and human nature. For Aristotle, a political community is one in which there are arguments and dialogues over what is advantageous and harmful, and just and unjust. The mail goal for the community is happiness for each other. Aristotle is not an idealist like Plato was. He believes that nature disposes us to set rules living in a community. For him, arguments or conflicts are what makes things run; but he sees in this the goal of construction. In short, Aristotle believes politics are worthy of pursuing and carrying out for the common good, to prevent chaos, and for happiness, virtue and equality. Contrastingly, for Machiavelli in politics the only rules that should be followed are those that help a person gain security and power. The idea of the common good is irrelevant to Machiavelli. He believes that people only go into politics for power and who ever the ruler may be; he should be forceful and manipulative. In terms of human nature, Machiavelli believes that we all came into this world naked, unprotected, insecure, and alone. He says nature provides each of us with an inclination towards evil but creates a condition of scarcity that makes each of us fundamentally alone in the universe. He thinks that human beings are selfish, antagonistic towards others and inclined to evil. It is our nature that inclines us to try and defeat others and only those things that further our power and increase our ambition are in our best interest. Machiavelli also believes that human beings are divided by reason and desire. It is natural to him that our reason obeys our desires. We are not rational an...

Clever inventions. The possibilities of the mind

Clever inventions. The possibilities of the mind Useful inventions of all time If asked about the biggest invention of our time, people would probably name the Internet. It allows us to connect with friends around the world and establish connections we never knew existed. You want to talk to your favorite celebrity or find out what has been going on in Eastern Asia? - Google will help you! A hundred years ago, we could not imagine the luxury of interacting with people miles away from us. The credit goes to Lawrence Roberts, the inventor of the first Internet prototype. However, apart from the global communication system, what can we name as the greatest invention? You may argue about the usefulness of this or that device, but we can assure you they have all made a fair contribution to our routine. Where would the mankind be, if it was not for the phone or text messages we are used to exchanging whenever we want to share information? On top of that, we should include some of the things that were necessary for the development of the human race: The wheel. The wheel is truly one of the inventions of the humankind, the value of which cannot be overlooked today. The concept of the first wheel was developed in 3500 B.C., and it was a blessing for everyone. People had massive problems with transporting goods and moving them from one town to another, so we guess this discovery was by far one of the most expected in the history of human civilization. These days, wheels are used everywhere, and the history we know was shaped with the help of this tool. The compass. Do you remember Captain Jack’s compass that showed the thing you wanted most? Well, magic aside, sailors used to navigate by the stars. Suffice to say, it was not a very safe methodic, as it forced them to skip their craft on cloudy evenings or in the daytime. Before the invention of the first compass, captains were bound to obey the mere changes of the weather, and had to wait until the sky was clear again. The situation changed, however, when the compass we know today was invented. The secret to successful navigating is the magnetized needle, which points north. The printing press. As we know, very few people had access to books back in the Middle Ages. The printing press appeared as a revolutionary device and changed the way we perceive printing today. Johannes Gutenberg decided to alter the course of history by inventing a special machine, which pressed ink to the paper so that the paint remained on the surface for long. This is another invention that led to the development of the human race, the importance of which cannot be overstated. The printing devices we have today allow us to immerse in the world of literature and become educated individuals through reading. The telephone. The invention of this device presents a series of experiments, which all led to failure. Many scientists struggled to build an electronic device, which would allow people to communicate via wires. However, electronic transmission did not seem possible until Alexander Graham Bell took the initiative in his hands. He invented the phone in 1876, and was awarded a patent for his discovery that led to revolutionizing the world of communication. He had a lot of successors, who tried to improve the said gadget, and fortunately, phones as we know them today allow to transmit electronic signals at long distances. The light bulb. It is hard to imagine our daily lives without this device. Electricity was in poor state when Thomas Edison decided he would change the face of the world we know. Of course, we cannot attribute this success to his personality alone, as many people played a significant role in inventing the light bulb, but generally, the credit belongs to Edison. Prior to this, we depended on natural lightning and the light of the candles. That was romantic, in some ways, and uncomfortable as well, as people had to work during the day and finish their chores before the sun went down. Now, we can sit up all night and be sure the lightning is bright and comfortable, thanks to the invention that Thomas Edison proudly patented. Penicillin. The story behind the invention of Penicillin is awesome. In 1928 there was a Scottish scientist named Alexander Fleming, who conducted a series of experiments in his private laboratory. During one of the experiments, he left a lid on a dish with bacteria opened. Later, he discovered that bacteria were dead as the dish became contaminated with mold. Later, Fleming found out that the mold was called fungus Penicillium, and it was cleared and purified by scientists to turn it into a strong medication, which changed the course of science and was a big history turn in the first half of the 20th century.

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 32

Case Study Example They even put their own ego aside just to make sure that the work flows smoothly. Their commitment to the task leads them to using a variety of resources so that the task is achieved in time. So it cannot be said that success of a group should be attributed to all group members playing different roles. However, the extent to which different group members contribute also depends upon the leadership and supervision of the group. Having different personalities as part of the team helps in the development of a holistic approach toward the achievement of goals. Personality depicts the thoughts, opinions, perceptions, and reactions of an individual toward the challenges at hand. So when people with different personalities ponder over a matter, they are able to identify far more opportunities than anyone could have done individually. For example, a person who is very social can easily form ties with others. His/her oratory skills and friendly personality helps him/her acquire the most suitable resources for the task at hand. Social people are also generally very friendly, so people find it easy to approach them and discuss all kinds of issues with them. This helps deter confusions and promotes mutual understanding among the group members. On the other hand, people with dominating and aggressive personalities help a group achieve its goal by keeping everything on track. They have the power to command others, and thus are skilled in taking work from others. Balancing a team of people with different personalities is a leadership skill. A leader should have a fair understanding of the personalities of different group members, and he/she should decide and assign them roles accordingly. For example, a leader should give more authority to sharks and dolphins compared to the puffer fish. When forming a task force, a leader should ensure that there is at least one member of each kind of fish in it. It

Solar and Renewable Power in the UK Literature review

Solar and Renewable Power in the UK - Literature review Example The work also provides an overall idea about the consumption of energy in various sectors. According to the information, transport industry is the biggest consumer that accounts for 33% of the total consumption in 1990. It was followed by domestic sector with 28% and industry with 26%. By 2001, there was a rise in energy consumption in transport, domestic and services sectors. To illustrate, in transport and services, the use rose by 1% and in domestic sector, it rose by 2%. Now, when the energy consumption is analysed according to the purpose, it becomes evident that in 1999, 38% of the total energy went to space heating and 22% was used for processes. To light appliances, 12% was used, and 8% of the total energy was consumed by water and lighting/appliances. All other purposes take up one fifth of the total energy. By 2000, there was a rise in the use of electricity for water, space heating and lighting. They rose by 1%, and 2% respectively. On the other hand, the process use decli ned by 7% (ibid). A look into the UK oil reserve and consumption through the Busby Report (2002) provides a picture that is grim. The country has a mere 0.3% of the global oil reserve. In addition, its oil production had peaked in the year 1999, and by 2010, it tailed off by 54%. Though the nation faced a decline in consumption by 12% in the period, it had to import 15.8% of its oil from other nations (ibid). Thus, it becomes evident that the nation is getting more and more dependent on imported oil. Similar is the case of natural gas in UK. The UK gas reserve fell considerably from 0.74 trillion cubic meters to 0.66 trillion cube meters between 2000 and 2001. By the year 2010, the reserve is just 0.25 trillion cubic meters. Thus, the nation’s 57.1 billion cubic meters of gas production is far behind its requirement of 93.8 billion cubic meters. As a result, the nation meets 39% of its gas requirement by import (ibid). Thus, the report points out that as a result of this increased need and decreasing oil and gas reserves, there is a rise in global demand for supplies of coal and oil. As a result, the nation will be forced to reduce its energy consumption by 75% if newer ways are not developed. In order to meet this issue, the article suggests certain solutions. The first one is the increased use of bio-diesel. It is pointed out that producing adequate amount of bio-diesel means utilising 8.5% of the agricultural land in UK for growing rape and beet. Another form of energy is landfill gas. Presently, it provides