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It really is a small world sometimes. Last week, I came across an article about “science songs” by Wired News. The article focused on Dr. Greg Crowther, a lecturer at the University of Washington who uses a bunch of science-related songs in his lectures.

I think it’s great that Greg includes songs in his lectures — and students generally seem to appreciate them and find the songs help in the learning process.

Of course the “small world” connections include that Greg is an alumnus (1995) of Williams College and ran there on the track and cross-country teams, like myself. While we didn’t overlap at Williams, we ran together with a Williams alumni team at the Hood to Coast Relay in August 2003. I don’t know if Greg wrote science songs at Williams, but everyone on the men’s cross-country team know that he certainly wrote songs about running in college.

(In other running notes, Greg managed a 20th place finish at the 2005 World Cup 100K championship.)

I think it’s bad form, though, to pick out a single group like chemists if you’re making a parody of “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys.” Don’t all fields have their own lingo?