Weeks 11-12:

Lectures:

Mathematical Modelling
Thesis Presentations
Sustainable Systems

So, now I'm half way through the year, 12 academic weeks closer to the end of University. Crikey.

A lot can happen in two weeks: MMPM finished in week 11; the 2nd, and final, reports have been handed in for that and CGBA; the final exam has been sat for LAS; I took part in a 1 week FAT unit, Sustainable Systems, and with that I have completed over half my units and nearly half of my credits for the year.

The report for CGBA wouldn't work without the multitude of supporting files and also it was so badly taught that it is a poor piece of work of which I could see no discernible point.

Sustainable Systems was an interesting experience, both for the content and the idea of teaching a whole unit in the space of one week: 0900-1800 every day for five days and that's the whole unit done, apart from a ten-page report due in May. More to follow on that

Weeks 7-10:

Lectures:

Mathematical Modelling in Physiology and Medicine
Computational Genomics
Uncertainty Modelling
Learning in Autonomous Systems

This post is an overview of the weeks leading up to the Christmas break. It has very much been a case of requiring all hands on deck as far as brain cells can be considered crew of the ship that is me. To extend the metaphor, there was a certain amount of mutinous expression on the part of the aforementioned crew, but, on the whole, the appropriate work seemed to get done.

Week 7 saw the start of a new unit - Mathematical Modelling in Physiology and Medicine (MMPM) - which proved to be far more interesting than originally speculated. I will post a more detailed critique of my units later in the year, and I think this will be one of the most interesting to write as it may well be an essay of conversion. The unit is entirely coursework: two reports based on analysis of a physiological model as presented in a published paper. My model is based around the way cells use Calcium.

The detail for most of my reports this year is not what I would ideally like to present, but with the high volume of graphs and the low page limit, it is difficult to get across absolutely everything you want to.

We also had to hand in an interim report for our theses in this period. I can't remember what I wrote for this since I was more focused on the work than writing something that counted for nothing, but I have included it here since it might give some insight into what it is I am doing:

Interim Report for Thesis

And Finally...

Genomics, Uncertainty and Autonomous Systems all finished in week 10. I didn't enjoy the 2nd half of Genomics anywhere near as much as the 1st, and find that I am glad it's over, although there is still the final coursework to do over Christmas. Uncertainty was very satisfactory, but I have to admit to a feeling that when the exam revision period comes around I will suddenly realise that I didn't understand as much as I thought during the lectures. I have mixed feelings about Autonomous, I think I will reserve judgement until the results are in. The 2nd coursework was handed in this week , and now there is only the January exam remaining.

Weeks 4-6:

Lectures:

Computational Genomics
Uncertainty Modelling
Learning in Autonomous Systems

Well, it's been a hectic few weeks here, and there doesn't seem signs of a let-up anytime soon, so this will not be a particularly detailed post. Autonomous Systems was a complete washout, for a number of reasons, and although I now think I could theoretically go back and solve the problem I gave myself, I am so conditioned against the program that I cannot currently face revisiting it. So, that's a task for another day. On the other hand, my Computational Genomics project was somewhat more bearable.

The report is a little sketchy due to a pitiful page limit and an over-abundance of graphs, but I hope that something useful can be gleaned from it. Essentially, it aims to show that although the Peregrine Falcon and the Rock Pigeon have evolved such that one species preys on the other, they are actually quite closely related (closer than just both being birds, obviously).

Lastly, a pre-cursor of what is to come: after a pretty awful few weeks, Friday saw a development in my project which has me both excited and petrified as to the future work. I am in the process of formalising this new result, and will upload the document when it is complete. I may say at this point that I don't necessarily expect everyone else to get as thrilled as I was, but I hope to communicate an understanding of how that feeling came about.

Watch this space...