The most wonderful part though: I learned that an anonymous donor had paid the remaining 12 million that was needed for building the new science building... I've never been SOOO happy!! Oxford will get its new science building AND its new library!! Dr. Parker had told me just a few months ago that he thought the whole thing would be tabled and wouldn't happen until after he retired. Construction will be starting soon. I wanted to get up and dance. Mom had been praying for exactly that since she heard Dr. Parker's fears, and I'd been praying for that for about a year.
After lunch, I also got to mine Ms. Harmon's computer for in-cell NMR articles ... *makes heavenly awe sound*. I SO miss not being connected to a school and getting to look up any journal article that I want. I found LOTS - about 20. I was surprised there weren't more.
After that, I got to watch Ms. Harmon's scientific microwave actually run. Never seen that. It cuts chemical reactions that take days to minutes. I think everyone should use one. But, it is expensive (~$40k) and the technique got a bit of a bad wrap before the scientific ones came out, I think.
See this link for video of the microwave: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151433916615225&set=vb.736455224&type=2&theater
See this link for video number 2 of the microwave - much easier to see it moving in this one: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151433919565225&set=vb.736455224&type=2&theater