University student Matthew “Matt” Kafker graduated from Middlesex School as a National Merit Commended Student and a National AP Scholar. Since then, he has studied computer science, math, physics, and literature at an undergraduate level. During his pursuit of a physics degree, Matt Kafker has completed courses relating to such areas as biophysics.A unique scientific field, biophysics explains how all of life works. To this end, it deals with a variety of areas, including topics such as DNA and RNA.Two of cell biology’s most important molecules, DNA and RNA store and read the genetic information required for all life. Both are structured as strands, and they share the nucleobases of adenine, guanine, and cytosine. Further, both DNA and RNA consist of phosphates and sugars. Despite these similarities, the two do not perform the same functions.DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a double-stranded molecule. The two strands are in a double-helix form. RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a single-stranded molecule, though it does occasionally form a double-helix structure.Beyond structural differences, the location of DNA and RNA differs. Normally, DNA is found within the nucleus of a cell and sometimes in the mitochondria. Since RNA is primarily responsible for carrying out genetic code transfers according to the DNA’s blueprints, RNA is usually found in different regions of the cytoplasm.
University student Matthew (Matt) Kafker has a strong interest in linguistics and foreign languages. When he was attending Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts, Matt Kafker was an excellent language student who won accolades for his progress in the French language.English speakers learning French can improve their pronunciation and listening skills by learning the phonetic differences between the two languages. Distinctive features of French vowels include a lack of diphthongs and the presence of nasal vowels. English speakers tend to over-pronounce diphthongs, a sound that is a combination of two vowels when only one vowel is present. French vowels are generally pronounced as they appear. For example, in the French word “sot” (crazy), the final letter “t” is dropped, and the “o” is pronounced sharply.Further, English does not contain any nasal vowels, while French has four. When forming a nasal vowel, air passes through the mouth and nose simultaneously. Unlike English, in which only consonants are nasalized and do not alter a word’s meaning, French nasal vowels are distinct phonemes. For instance, the French words fine (delicate) and fin (end) are only differentiated by the nasal and oral pronunciation of the “i.”
University student Matthew (Matt) Kafker enjoys reading both fiction and nonfiction. One of Matt Kafker's favorite novelists is Ernest Hemingway, a prolific writer who struggled with depression and illness.Hemingway earned considerable recognition for his work, including the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature, but his later years were a personal struggle. He continued hunting and fishing in exotic locales and survived multiple plane crashes. These and other injuries made him go to Cuba to convalesce. During this time, he wrote the well-known memoir of his time in Paris, A Moveable Feast.Hemingway’s physical and mental health continued to deteriorate, however, even as he continued to write. He moved from Cuba to Idaho, where he would spend the rest of his life, though neither his physical nor mental health recovered completely. In 1961, Hemingway committed suicide, leaving behind a legacy as a legendary writer who faced great personal struggles.
University student Matthew (Matt) Kafker enjoys watching stand-up comedy in his free time. One of Matt Kafker's favorite stand-up comedians is John Mulaney, a former writer for Saturday Night Live, who has had a long, circuitous career in comedy.Mulaney established himself in comedy after he graduated from Georgetown University, where he studied English and theology. After a successful run as a stand-up comic, he joined Saturday Night Live's writing staff, where he helped create the popular character "Stefon." Mulaney left SNL in 2014 to perform in a self-titled sitcom, but the series was unsuccessful. He blamed himself for many elements of the show's failure, though he also attributes some of the sitcom's weaknesses to creative changes made during its move to a different television network.After his show was canceled, Mulaney returned to stand-up comedy, honing a reputation for the precise use of language and a bitterness that seemed unusual for a comedian under 40. While his success has come primarily from comedy enthusiasts rather than the mainstream audience, Mulaney returned to SNL in early 2018, but this time as the week's host. He remains optimistic about his long-term prospects in comedy.
Matthew (Matt) Kafker, a dedicated university student, divides his time between coursework and research. In his free time, Matt Kafker practices mindfulness meditation.Helping practitioners reduce stress, increase their productivity, and boost their feelings of happiness, mindfulness meditation sessions should last only five to 10 minutes in the beginning. These sessions can be performed in the morning and evening, or just once a day, depending on each person’s schedule. From there, the length of sessions can gradually increase to an hour.Before starting, practitioners should set the desired length of their session on a timer. This gives them the ability to clear the mind and focus only on the meditation. Practitioners then should find a quiet area and sit in a comfortable position on the floor, a cushion, or a chair. Once seated, practitioners can focus on their upper body. The spine should naturally curve and the shoulders and head should be relaxed, not stiff. The upper arms should be parallel to the upper body, and the chin should point slightly downward. From this position, practitioners can begin their meditation.
University student Matthew “Matt” Kafker studies a variety of topics, including computer science, math, and literature. However, Matt Kafker is perhaps most interested in natural sciences and is majoring in physics.In the physics of motion, Sir Isaac Newton’s three laws are:- First: Objects in motion will stay in motion unless an external force is applied to them. Similarly, objects at rest will continue resting without the addition of an external force.- Second: An object’s acceleration and force are directly related. For example, when more force is applied to an object, that object will move at a faster rate. At the same time, the mass of an object is inversely related to an object’s force and acceleration.- Third: All forces exist in pairs that are equal and opposite to one another. An example of this law is seen when a person steps off a boat. The person moving toward the shore is exerting force on the boat. In response to this action, the boat moves away from the shore with the same amount of force that was applied to it.
University student Matthew “Matt” Kafker has a passion for physics, mathematics, and statistics. In his free time, Matt Kafker enjoys attending lectures on mythology and ancient cultures and maintains a particular interest in Egyptian, Greek, and Mesopotamian belief systems. In addition to a polytheistic religion with many subsets of belief, Mesopotamian cosmology included mythological figures such as Anu, the god of the sky, and Enki, the earth god also responsible for crafts, inventions, and the canals that irrigated the fertile crescent. Enlil, the god of the wind, is at the center of one of the ancient civilization’s foundational myths. In the myth, Enlil sleeps with Ninlil, the goddess of grain, after coming upon her bathing in a canal. This union brings forth Su-en (Sin), the moon god, and also results in Enlil’s banishment to the netherworld. Ninlil follows Enlil as he travels beneath the earth, bearing him three more sons who grow up to become underworld deities. With these children able to stand in their father’s stead, Enlil and Ninlil are able to return to the world of the living, where they bring abundant harvests and reliable seasons to the people of Mesopotamia.
