Saturday, March 24, 2007

Appendicitis in New Guinea?

I just received my Kansas Alumni magazine and the feature academic article is about 2 scientists working in New Guinea. They are ornithologists, one of whom just defended (Edwin, listed as PhD 07, but now at the American Museum in NYC) and the other of whom is obviously still a graduate student but has been traveling to New Guinea studying birds since 2001 (Brett). Fair enough. One was helicoptered out of the field in New Guinea in 2002 for emergency appendicitis in what reads like a very risky move. So, this is what I find weird: I have no idea who these men are. The only name I recognize is one of their wives (Kim) and she was already gone from KU by 2002. Why have I never heard of these people? I know it's a large department, but really, I usually at least recognize the names of the students who overlapped with me entirely. And being air-lifted from New Guinea? Surely that's discussed with legendary field stories or department policies on international work or something. So, am I losing my memory or are there stealth ornithologists that none of us know?

13 comments:

Tucson Trekker said...
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Sparkling Squirrel said...

On a little further investigation it appears that perhaps I TA'd 152 with Brett (I would have sworn that the museum student obviously uninterested in teaching was leaving for China not New Guinea, but I could have been wrong on that) and I don't feel so bad since Ed has been working at Cornell since 2003 and has a III behind his name. When I did know of Kim (I think I went dancing with her at Monica's bachelorette party) I thought she was involved with someone else who had been at the museum. Jay? But I could be confusing other museum people.

Tucson Trekker said...
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Tucson Trekker said...

I do like the concept of stealth ornithologists, though! Could be a new type of super hero.

Sparkling Squirrel said...

Yes, that Kim (I try not to use last names as I really don't want anyone googling to find themselves here), according to the alumni mag, she and Ed are married and have a kid born in Oct 2006.

Tucson Trekker said...

Oh. I guess I'm a little blog naive (this is the only one I've ever been on). I removed the previous comment.

Sparkling Squirrel said...

No problem, TT. While the likelihood of people arriving at this corner of cyberspace is really rare, we should write as if they can (i.e. don't post your drunken pornographic pictures with your name attached to them : )

Erin said...

Bummer...I was really looking forward to TT's drunken pornographic pictures :)

Jenny said...
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Debbie said...

Jenny cracks me up - after the big long discussion of not posting last names, she gives everyones!

Tucson Trekker said...

Makes me feel better!

Jenny said...

WHOOPS. I read through those posts and it didn't sink in. I can be such a numbskull. It won't happen again (I hope).

Tucson Trekker said...

What about making the blog so that only members can read it. Then it would be more like a conversation where we could feel free to say whatever...