On sending a scientist to space

[Facebeard]

Hello everyone!

 

There is something I'd like to discuss with you, and in the end, I'd like to ask for your help in a matter of great personal importance.

 

By this time next year, I should be starting up grad school with astrobiology as my focus. The hardiness of life has always astounded me. Organisms which live in such harsh conditions as to be likened to aliens are endlessly exciting. How do they do this? What are the boundaries of where life can persist? Could it exist on Mars? Questions I someday hope to address as a research scientist one day. I've been driven to study life in the universe by my endless adoration of the universe. We all love space, and I find pride in looking to the future and dreaming of a career focused on extraterrestrial life.

 

Metro and SXC are holding a contest where the winning entry gets a seat on the SXC Lynx spacecraft on a trip to space. Upon learning this, I immediately submitted an entry. I've been garnering the support of my friends, family, and many students at my university, and I've amassed >70k votes. Still, it is here that I politely request your support. Winning this contest would gain me a certain amount of publicity, and while I don't like the idea of being famous in any way, having some weight to your name makes it a lot easier to acquire research grants. If any of you know the political situation here in Canada, you'll know how science is on the chopping block. Any help I could get would really help me in my career.

If you're feeling generous, please head over to here : http://metroinspace.com/ca/view/cp4j and give me some support. If you believe in what I say and what I stand for, please vote 10 times (everyday if you may), as you are allowed 10 votes per day. 'Like' my entry, as well, please.

 

This is only a polite request for assistance. If you don't think I should be advertising here, I'll take it down. But I could really use your help, and it doesn't take much time. Help me get into space. It would be a dream come true in itself, but it would also start a cascade of other accomplishments for me.

 

Thank you

[Xittenn]

I voted for you but honestly I think you should focus more on the arguments to support your case. Why you as opposed to someone else, like me? I don't read the Metro although now I sort wish I had. Good luck!

[timo]

I think you should focus more on the arguments to support your case. Why you as opposed to someone else, like me?

Exactly my though, especially when it came to the "research grants" part. I'm not completely convinced that ultimately mobilizing many people on the Internet (or via friends) via blunt "vote for me" slogans should be an important factor in the evaluation of a research project (except for social sciences, perhaps).

 

Btw.: I actually do consider your post a kind of spam (in a milder form, though). But judging your thread in that category is for the forum moderators to decide, not for me. So don't worry about my negative attitude too much - and please don't consider it a personal attack on you, either.

Edited March 25, 2012 by timo

[Facebeard]

Thank you, Xittenn!

 

Did you mean I should outline my arguments more in the entry, or here on the forum? The entry has a 1000 character limit, so I needed to be a bit picky about what I left in and cut out.

Anyway, a lot of the other contestants have a similar passion for space, and I respect them for it. However, where it would be an amazing experience for them, it would be an amazing experience for me as well as leading to better opportunities in the future. More publicity helps with acquiring research grants. More grants = more science! Which is why I figured the community here would be supportive I will always fight to achieve my goals regardless of a victory or not, but a win here would make it easier. Even further down the road, I'll have what it takes to become one of the top scientists of my fields so that I'm involved in the manned Mars missions. Hell, if the first team out there discovers microbial life, I'd be the first to volunteer to study it.

 

I hate to make it seem like I'm trashing the other contestants, since I always despise those sorts of political tactics. I try to run a clean campaign where I merely outline my strengths and not the others weaknesses. All I will say is that I have big goals, and I'll always fight to accomplish them, but going to space by winning this contest would be a big help in my career, as well as a truly magnificent experience.

 

You're right, timo. Councils would laugh in my face if I told them how many votes I had in some contest. However, doing some interviews for metro (international) as well as some national news agencies (I presume they would want to) would allow me some recognizably. I'd be able to speak my goals, who I am and what I represent. It's not much, but after talking to several post-docs in my department, they tell me that yes, having some weight to your name makes it easier to get grants.

 

I also agree that this is a little bit spam. I am not happy about it, and I'm hoping the mods will allow this, since I'm actually here addressing questions/comments. If they do so wish for me to remove it, I'll remove it without complaint. I in no way consider your comment an attack, and appreciate the constructive criticism.

[Xittenn]

I mean in your contest write up. I am of the opinion that you spend too many of your words detailing your benefits from the contest. I think you might want to mention your focus as a scientist beyond the mere acknowledgement that you endeavour in space related ventures. Maybe describe your specific interests in astrobiology, what about it fascinates you? As it stands you might get a good many votes but I'm sure there will be at least one who recognizes the need to foresee their purpose and can demonstrate a movement toward the advancement of knowledge, as opposed to the fanciful and contrived.

[Facebeard]

Alrighty, I'll take a good hard look at my entry, and I'll start plotting an edit with your tips in mind. I'd love to write an essay on this topic and submit that, but the limit it tough to work with, and I have to cater to what the judges are looking for.

Thank you again, Xittenn.

[Xittenn]

Well you seem to be the top nominee regardless, you obviously know what you are doing.

[Xittenn]

Anybody know eighty thousand people?