Hello all,

Welcome to my summer research blog where I'll be keeping all updated on my research adventures and other excursions throughout Puerto Rico!  This summer, I'll be performing research into discovering the characteristics of enzyme - coated Nano particles for 10 weeks researching at the University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez, Chemical Engineering building.  This opportunity has been provided to me through a summer REU program available through Soft Matter Labs at UPRM.  After my research is completed, I plan to spend another two weeks traveling around Puerto Rico to see all those places I've won't have been able to see only on the weekends.

                  Throughout my research this summer, I have three important research goals that I would like to advance.  The first goal is to study the aggregation and suspension of nanoparticles in a human-like environment. Next, I plan to study and characterize how toxic these nanoparticles are to human cells.  Finally, I would like to show that these enzyme – coated nanoparticles are able to show enhanced movement when placed in a specific substrate environment.  In order to show this enhanced movement/diffusion, I plan to make a small device for fluids to create an ideal testing environment.  If you would like to speak with me more in detail about my research project, I urge you to please contact me at julbrich@wisc.edu and I’ll be sure to get back you more specific details and answer any questions that you might have.

                  Certainly when coming to a foreign country, one has more goals than to simply advance research in a topic and network, furthermore, I have many other personal goals to achieve outside of my research to be performed during the week.  Every weekend thus far, I’ve led planning groups to organize weekend trips to various locations around Puerto Rico.  Up until now, we’ve visited many, many of the beach’s of the west side of Puerto Rico including, Crashboat, Rincón, Combate, y Boquerrón.  There are many more beachs and other destinations around the entirety of Puerto Rico that we plan to visit including el Yunque rain forest and the islands of Culebra and Vieques, not to mention El Morro and el Toro Verde as well.

                  As a whole, I’m extremely excited about my the rest of my stay here in Puerto Rico and am very glad to say that I feel I have taken advantage of my free time thus far in Puerto Rico.  I’ve met many local Puerto Ricans (Boriquas) and have begun to fall in love with the culture of Puerto Rico.  I can’t wait to see what the next 8 weeks have in store for me, I urge you to contact me via email if you’d like any more information about my research, the program, or my travels throughout Puerto Rico.  I’m always open to suggestions!

Thanks for reading, see you next time,

Joseph