I’ve just arrived in Boston with my family. RSI doesn’t start for a few more days, but we decided to come a little early so I could get used to the area — and take some time to explore the city together before the program begins. This will also allow me to get rid of the jet lag by the time RSI starts.

In the meantime, I’ve wrapped up a few things I’d been working on before the trip. I officially finished the Python course I mentioned in earlier posts. What started out as a necessary step quickly turned into something I really enjoyed. The course gave me a better understanding of how to think through problems and structure solutions — skills I hope will be useful once I’m in the lab.

I also decided to watch both film adaptations of The Great Gatsby — the 1974 version with Robert Redford and the 2013 one with Leonardo DiCaprio. I preferred the newer one overall, mostly because its mood felt closer to the original book, but both had something interesting to offer. I’m curious to see if other RSI students watched them too and what they thought. It could be a good conversation starter.

To prepare for my research project, I’ve been reading a few academic articles and watching online lectures on visual perception and attention — topics I’ll be working on more closely once RSI begins. It’s been helpful to get a head start and begin wrapping my head around the kinds of questions researchers in the field are asking.

And of course, there was the packing. RSI asks participants to bring clothes for everything from formal dinners to casual weekend outings — which made for a pretty long shopping list. I think I’ve covered most of the bases, but I guess we’ll see if I forgot something essential.

Orientation week is coming up soon. When I write the next entry, RSI will have started and I’ll begin posting more regularly. Hopefully this blog will be helpful for future potential applicants and participants.

More soon,

Aliocha Faurisson