I love biology. I think that some of the most ingenious engineered mechanisms exist within a human body at cellular levels. The complexity and beauty of it has left me mesemerized and awed every time I have thought about it.
While at a dinner conversation, when someone mentioned gene regulation, I tried to dig in my rusted brain about specifics of gene regulation. I tried to visually imprint the mechanism in brain but sadly my memory failed me. There are times when I get extremely excited about science and I want to retake old courses and take some new ones to learn and appreciate all such ingenious mechanisms. I like diversity of ideas/topics/challenges/learning.
I know that my interest will not be sustained in any one project for a long time. I like discussing or learning about different ideas/project. I can not pinpoint myself on a specific problem like say determining sub-sub-unit of a part of a protein which is expressed in an extremely rare event.After a sleepless yesterday night and several others before, I have decided to go to University of Pennsylvania (this is backup as of now) for my PhD. There are two important deciding factors:
1) Infectiously energetic young professor at UPenn who is looking at a project which requires a student to work on several aspects of a project during the 5-year period. So, this assures me that I will not get bored or lose my interest. And UPenn has great materials research facilities. I will not get to work on cells but if I decide to go to UPenn, I will take many biology courses to make up for it. That said, Wisconsin Madison has excellent professors and has an excellent Chem-E dept.Just that none of the professors are offering what I think I want to work on.
2) I am a city person and felt at home in Philadelphia in comparison to Madison. In my imagination of Madison, it is going to be beautiful with two lakes, four seasons etc. but going by a gut feeling,I did not feel at home in Madison.

I am glad I can express myself more clearly.Listening to Pianoman currently and feel at peace for a change.