#this post is dedicated to my time in a protein nmr lab

[archaic-stranger]

the biophysics students

examining life on all possible scales

reading a dozen papers on just one molecule

marveling at the work of early x-ray crystallographers

untangling a complex NMR spectrum as if it's a logic puzzle

deducing a chemical structure one piece at a time

hours spent perfecting a computational model

grounding your work in quantitative theory

a disciplined approach to problem-solving

the satisfaction of clean mass spec data

becoming comfortable with complicated equations

chilly air in the temperature-controlled equipment room

understanding the physics that grounds all larger phenomena

pages of instrument printouts cluttering your desk

seeing the contributions of a single atom to a wider system

safety goggles sized perfectly to fit your face

diagraming electron spins and magnetic fields

loyalty to your favorite graphing software

savoring a cup of coffee while you wait to collect your data

dreaming of the contributions your work will make one day

late nights at the lab computer

doodling protein ribbon diagrams on your homework