  In this informal report, I outline my research efforts, collaborations, and
other experiences while participating in the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)'s
Advanced Graduate Research Program (AGRP), aka Sabbatical, from October 2008
through September 2009. This report is in no way intended to present the
technical details of the various research projects, but rather a broad overview
of the small ways my efforts may have contributed to ongoing research. I wish
to convey to the reader the value of multidisciplinary approaches to scientific
research and how the AGRP facilitates these opportunities.
