Alternate Vision

My first interactions with the other admitted grad students was at the waiting lounge at Pitt International Airport. There's the Ross boys from MIT and Harvard, Steven from Ohio, Hakeem and Phill from Berkeley, Johanna from Toronto and several insignificant others. Conversations over the last day have ranged from nanorobotics, cellular mechanics, ancient Greek sport history, architecture, probability theory, automated design, tribology, life in London, surfing in Sydney and egussi and fufu. Random eclectic topics of conversation with a group of people who take the word "nerd" to a whole new different level. Steven's first words to me were "I have wanted to study nano robotics and applied probability theory since I was ten. How about u?" What makes it interesting is that each of us have a different, unique story to tell. 48 hours ago, Phill was surfin on the beaches of Sydney. Before that, he was at Berkeley. Hakeem, the yoruba man from Lagos also goes to school at Berkeley. Wears nothing but a full suit and speaks impeccable English. We both have a constant craving for egussi soup. And there's Johanna, the exotic, sophisticated, yuppy girl from Toronto who goes to Princeton. My first impressions of Pittsburgh? Cold, white, a city of modern cathedrals and old world architecture, toned down version of Boston or even NYC. Beautiful in a different sense. I love the vibe. I could learn to love this city.
The environment here at CMU is more than just intellectually stimulating. Just got out of a two hour meeting with Dr Michalek and Dr Cagan. Cagan is waiting to hear back from a grant (that is to fund my education) from the National Science Foundation. People here call him the "Jewish Mother" which he is. As a back up, he recommended I talk to Michalek who is to start as a professor here at CMU this July. His work pertains to optimal design under the umbrella of the interdisciplinary design program. Using math models to represent design problems through using algorithms and then applying these models to achieve desired product characteristics and performance levels in the real world. Thats the technical side of his work. He also works extensively with the business, economics, art, and public policy departments respectively. If I were to accept either of their offers however, I have to accept that I am "open" to the PhD route. It would be a 3.5 or 4 year program with guaranteed work experience across the globe each summer. Funding for just a masters is not easy to get with the introduction of the direct PhD route (3-4yr program). In all honesty, up until now, I haven't pondered about the implications of pursuing a PhD. Pidgeonholing my line of expertise could leave me over qualified or with a skill set that will limit my choice of a future job role. I would, however, have the option, after maybe 2 years, of taking my MS degree and just leaving. I have time to reflect upon all of this ofcourse. Am off to Happy Hour which I am told will organically develop into a lot more. Meeting with Madhav tonight. Feedle dee, feedle dah!