Episode CXCVII: 2025

2025 was not a good year to be a scientist in the United States. Although the Norris Labs fared better than most, I lost a good chunk of research funding and my lab is currently half the size it was in 2024. I won't complain too loudly, though, as I realize 2025 was far worse for, say, immigrants, or malnourished children, or indeed for fans of democracy, kindness, etc.

Despite all this, my lab managed to have another successful year. We published (by some metrics) our most impactful paper to date. And more excitingly, my postdoc who has been with me for 6 years received a professorship of his own, where he will carry on his research independently.

Goodbye, Bikash!

Hello Professor Choudhary! (In a suit!)

The family also had some good times in 2025. We took our first-ever tent-camping trip, up to Idyllwild. It was a hit.

We also went to cabins #13 (Death Valley) and #14 (Monterey / Hearst Castle / Pinnacles National Park).

Plenty of excitement happened closer to home as well. Examples:

Growing a giant tomato plant....

Dressing up for Halloween...

And emergency re-piping of our whole house due to a slab leak.

The kids both continue to enjoy their schools, teachers, and learning in general.

Elliot helping himself to Harry Potter from our library.

And finally, this was possibly the kids' favorite activity of all of 2025: a trip up the mountain to go snow tubing.