AMMRL: ENC MEETING
Josh Kurutz (jkurutz@uchicago.edu)
Fri, 16 Nov 2007 08:21:22 -0600
Hi all,
I'd like to begin organizing the AMMRL meeting at ENC. At this stage,
I'm probing opinion on a proposed topic and seeking people who would
like to speak that evening.
I have a nascent idea for a theme I'd like to use as a focus:
"Bottlenecks and Pitfalls in NMR Practice - Working Toward Collective
Solutions." As facility managers, we are frequently the ones who
implement new methods, install new software, fit in new hardware,
train new users, etc. Much of what we do to make these processes work
involves solving problems that should never have arisen. If someone
upstream had been more thoughtful about our needs, perhaps we
wouldn't spend so much time solving unnecessary problems. Rather than
just knuckling down and working through our difficulties
individually, maybe we should try convincing others to make all of
our lives easier.
For example, I hate installing certain software packages; why do some
programmers create fantastic tools that can require particular sets
of third-party apps and a specific commercial compiler? Some
programmers take the time to facilitate installation, and our job is
easy; other don't and it can make our lives hard. Why not try
encouraging programmers to make it easier for us? I tried this myself
this last year, and I eventually got a great result - a useful piece
of software is now much easier to install, and it's easier for
everyone, not just me.
I think that if we work together - even just a bit - we could
alleviate a number of these problems. For example, one difficulty we
sometimes face is implementing pulse sequences that have been
published but whose code is, for whatever reason, unavailable. It can
take a lot of time to write, debug, and evaluate a pulse sequence,
which is frequently a waste, because someone has already written it.
Perhaps we could all sign a letter to editors of leading journals and
request that authors of papers introducing new pulse sequences must
either include the code as supplementary material or make sure the
code is deposited in a public place like BMRB. With minimal effort
like that, we could make the practice of NMR run more smoothly - and
save us time and frustration. By making it easier for us to do new
things, science and industry should reap great benefits.
This proposed focus for our ENC event suggests that a slightly
different format might work best: people with their favorite concern
could step up to the mic and define their problem, then we could
discuss solutions as a forum, and perhaps even draft a resolution at
the end.
Now I need some feedback. I would like to A) get a sense of whether
you like this idea, B) hear from those of you who have an issue you
feel you spend too much time fixing, and C) hear from those of you
who have potential solutions (e.g., wiki sites and public
repositories) and are looking for problems.
Thanks for your attention.
- Josh
Josh Kurutz, Ph.D.
Technical Director, Biomolecular NMR Facility
University of Chicago
Gordon Center for Integrative Science, room W123C
929 E. 57th St.
Chicago, IL 60637
Office: (773) 834-9805
Spectrometer Room: (773) 702-4052
Cell: (773) 315-5732
Fax: (208) 978-2599
nmr.bsd.uchicago.edu
homepage.mac.com/jkurutz