Isaac Saibun Chan
Nickname: Isaac
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Engineering major: BME
Anticipated date of graduation: May 2005
Why did you choose this major? What interests you most about this area of engineering?:
Fresh out of high school, I was thirsty for a challenge and people told me BME was a killer major, so I became BME. Application of everything I've learned is definitely what most interests me. If I couldn't apply any of the theories I knew, there would not be as much of a thrill.
What are your long term career plans?:
A medical doctor who owns a wildly successful restaurant (Here at Chan's you're family)
How did you get involved in the microgravity, vomit comet project?:
The four of us met at Armadillo Grill one night and started writing our ideas down on napkins...and the rest is history.
What do you hope to find out through your research?:
The instantaneous response of myoblasts and osteoblasts to microgravity and hypergravity.
What were your thoughts when you learned you would be flying on the vomit comet?:
I'm going to be an astronaut! (Or as close to one as I'll ever be)
Do you get motion or air sick? If so, what are you plans for not barfing all over your teammates? And even if you don't normally get airsick, what are you plans for not barfing all over your teammates?:
I don't really get motion sickness, but apparently the rest of the guys are really sensitive. If I feel the need to barf, I plan to barf normally and then study the effects of microgravity on the taco I had right before flying.
What's your favorite food? What food will you be sure NOT to eat before going on the vomit comet?:
My favorite foods are authentic Chinese. On the other hand, I do enjoy Taco Bell, but it wreaks havoc on your digestive system even with gravity, so I don't even want to think how the vomit comet will interact with it.
What is something funny or unusual that people don't know about you?:
I like to do a lot of creative writing.
What kind of training do you have to undergo in order to ride the vomit comet?:
I think we'll do some of the exercises that real astronauts do and probably some other things. From what I've read, it sounds intense.
What part of the experiment(s) are your responsibility?:
I worked on analyzing the cells under the confocal microscope and also other lab work as well.
How is the experimental setup different from what you would do in a normal gravity environment?:
The experimental setup is only slightly modified in that everything we use has to be tied down, hence the experimental box. Procedural wise in terms of fixing and staining the cells is pretty much the same.
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