If you're reading this blog entry, then you probably already know a bit about where I am and what I'm doing here. However, a wise man once told me, you should start by stating your purpose. 

Well, I'm am starting on a 3 month visit to Australia (primarily University of Queensland, Brisbane, and University of Melbourne) funded by the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED). I'll be working with Michael Bode to look at how the size and spacing of marine protected areas on the Great Barrier Reef impact a model fish population. I hope to also spend my time developing other research interests and questions to start outlining a dissertation proposal. I plan to share my research progress and ideas here when applicable, as well as share the occasional random anecdote or lesson learned.

So, after crossing the international date line & the equator, eating 4 Korean airplane microwaved meals, watching 6 in-flight films and sleeping approximately 4 cumulative hours, I was welcomed to Australia this morning by this gorgeous sunrise over Melbourne city center.

Thus far, I've managed to find the University of Melbourne campus, drink about 4 cups of coffee and meet a handful of students, post-docs, and faculty - all whose names I'm promptly forgotten due to lack of sleep - at the ecology 'morning tea'. I hope to do better tomorrow.

New Australian vocabulary:

vego:  vegetarian ("Gwen is a vego, so we'll add chicken separately")

greenie/brownie: pro-environmental people, and pro-industrial or pro-agriculture people respectively (possibly of Tasmanian origin)