School

You may be wondering where I have been for the past few days. Has she been having brilliant Scottish adventures?, you may ask. Perhaps she has been attending so many merry ceilidhs that she has no time to update her blog? Or maybe she has acquired a handsome new boyfriend who bears a striking resemblance to Cedric Diggory and is taking up all her time? Well it turns out that the answer to that last question is a resounding "YES" - if by Cedric Diggory, you meant school.

That's right, I had my first couple days of school this week and am in the process of trying to figure out what exactly being a PhD student is all about. Cause here's the thing: they've given me a desk, a computer, and a supervisor. What they haven't given me is any classes, assignments, readings, projects, or other task that is easily identifiable from undergrad. I have yet to understand what I'm actually supposed to DO at my desk, on my computer, for my supervisor. I never realized just how vague of a word "research" is.

A few things have become (slightly more) clear, however. I've been reading a fair number of scientific papers and have come to the conclusion that I probably want to look at chimpanzees and their ability to learn syntax - using artificial grammars, statistical learning, eye tracking, and whatever else I can think of. I also have some inclination to look at their ability to use or produce grammatical phrases, rather than just learning them, probably using gestural communication, but I have no idea how one would go about doing that. I have also been informed that if I want to study chimpanzees, I can do so come February or so, in Texas. So if anyone wants to hang out in the Deep South in late winter...

Heading out for a walk on the beach. Cheers.