Because I’m a Batesie, and we’re weird like that.

Dearest and Most Esteemed ‘SOPers-

My name is Beau Sperry, I'm a senior English major, and I will be valiantly co-leading the Odyssean journey known only as “Maine Coastal Chillin II,” an arduous undertaking during which we will abstain from such biological necessities as quinoa and Wi-Fi in order to become one with “le Bobcat.”  Boomslam.  The current coordinating regime (mostly Bryan) asked me to write a brief post about who I am and what I’m up to this summer in preparation for AESOP, so here we are.  I was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah and have returned home after spending a year and a Short Term abroad.  I am currently working as a research consultant in the Department of Biomedical Ethics and Humanities at the University of Utah School of Medicine.  I’m leading a pilot project for the NIH concerning new tech approaches to informed consent (rhetorical question: when was the last time anyone actually read a pamphlet at a doctor’s office? Sweetest answer ever: there’s [going to be] an app for that) and conducting literature reviews on the ethical standards behind newborn whole-genome sequencing as a method for prophylactic care and the broadened conception of public and private benefit and loss that arises from screening.  At this point you may be thinking, “Why would an English major pursue Bioethics?”  Here’s the answer:

Because I’m a Batesie, and we’re weird like that. 

Glad to have you aboard.

So after leaving the lab one day I realized that I was in Utah, one of the most geographically diverse and striking regions in the world.  Shortly after this epiphany, I called up fellow leader and vision of awesomeness Sophie Pellegrini and queried, “yo, can we like, spend a week and a half backpacking through southern Utah doe?” Subsequently, I learned that when you ask someone something that awesome there’s really only one answer.  So we’re about to do that, and my hypedness knows no bounds.  Despite the fact that the geography of southern Utah differs slightly from Coastal Maine (http://natekat.com/2011/05/10/zion-day-4-angels-landing/), we AESOP leaders like to be, you know, prepared for anything.  With any luck, this trip will be half as awesome as AESOP will be.  That may be asking too much, but we’ll keep you posted anyhow.

So excited to meet everyone and immediately be reminded of why Bates, Batesies, and Maine are magnificent beyond description. 

Lastly, feel free to shoot me an email with any questions about summer, ‘SOP, or school, I’m happy to answer them! (bsperry@bates.edu)

Yours, amicably (brah)—Beau