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Follow Up to Inquiry Conference Presentation and Jane Goodall Speech
By Neil Ransom | March 13, 2008
Okay, so last week I presented my senior thesis research at BYU’s Inquiry Conference (mentioned in a previous post). Everyone said I did well, although I feel I did better the week before when I presented at the Utah Conference for Undergraduate Research. If you are bored enough to want to watch my presentation then click on the following link “Click Here to Watch My Presentation: The Waking Tiger and the American Dream” and you will be guided to the Inquiry Conference website. I tried to put the video into this post but it was not happening.
Secondly, Kate and I went to a presentation by Jane Goodall called, “Reason for Hope,” and it was wonderful (click for previous post). The presentation was inspiring, motivating, and fun. Afterward Kate, being the greatest of all companions, waited in line with me for an hour to get our books signed by her.
Oh and a photo taken with her.
Tonight I am going to a lecture by Michael Pollan (book review), one of my favorite authors about food culture and the American food-like-substances system that is killing our environment, our health, and our happiness, I will try and get a picture with him for the site. Actually my goal is to get him to sign a copy of one of his books personalized to www.KateandNeil.com, we’ll see how it goes.
Tagged with: byu • inquiry confrence • jane goodall • Michael Pollan • neil ransom • presentation • Utah
March 13th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Hey, dude. Nice blog! That’s so cool you got to meet Jane Goodall.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Good going, K & N!!!
We can always count on you to be “anxiously engaged” (as per the commandment) in doing good in the world!
I can’t wait to read your blog every day to see what you’re up to!!!
March 14th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Hey there J. Neil. I watched your presentation . . . really cool stuff!! Nice work.
A couple of q’s popped into my head as I was listening:
- Was your sample population limited to small farmers by design? Or did one small farmer tend to refer another small farmer?
- Did the overall population in Coimbatore include larger, more successful farmers? If so, were you able to measure their economic mobility relative to property ownership? It seems to me that if property ownership had an upward effect on real wealth in the region it might be measured by comparing mobility between small to large farmer classes over time, particularly if there is a correlated relationship between farmers who become successful, acquire more land, and then lease that land to smaller farmers.
- How did you measure a farmer’s relative skill level? You mentioned Vikram was an excellent farmer, was Ramesh not as up to speed? Why do you think they grew different crops? Was it because they had different capital requirements, and therefore different overall investments in infrastructure? Or did one farmer “know something the other didn’t”?
- And most importantly, who was that lady in the audience who asked about social distinction amongst property classes?? She seemed pretty smart!
This all makes me wish I was back in your Uncle’s econometrics class. Good stuff.