The Loony Bin Called Academia
pontiff | July 8, 2008After reading the comments on my post Leaving Academia: Cry or Celebrate?, I started thinking about the successful scientists I know, and it occurred to me that the following conjecture is at least anecdotally true:Scientists who have passionate outside interests are more successful in science than those who do not.
Okay, hows that for a broad against the grain statement which might stimulate comments on this blog? Anyone?
pontiff | June 25, 2008No, no, I'm not leaving academia (yet :) Pfffffft! That's the sound of me thumbing my nose at the world.) But recently I was thinking about about people who get a Ph.D. in, say, physics, or are a new postdoc, and then are faced with what to do next. As Peter Rhode, writes in a post today (or whatever day it is in the upside down part of the world) entitled "Farewell physics":The academic system has some serious problems. Most notably in my opinion, there is very limited scope for promotion. For every permanent position there are countless postdocs competing for that position. It simply isn…
pontiff | June 13, 2008Writing grants and teaching, not to mention trying to get some actual research done, has taken up a considerable amount of my time this quarter. I mean, sheesh, I've barely had any time to read! This has, of course, made me grumpy. So when the publisher of The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives by Leonard Mlodinow offered me a review copy of the book, I was very happy. I mean, I love probability and I love, um, well....you know :)
First of all, let me say that Mlodinow's book is preaching to the converted! A large portion of his book is devoted to showing how randomness…
pontiff | February 12, 2008Some days it seems the universe is trying to tell you something. The last few days, this has apparently been something to do with clothing:
Self cleaning clothes. I really need these as I am in a constant battle with mustard.
Via Three-Toed Sloth, A Call for Professional Attire on dressing in academia. Recently my dog ate the elbows out of a new sweater, so I now have a sweater with patched elbows, the ultimate in professorial attire, I suppose. Sadly the article doesn't take the argument to its conclusion and require that not just profs wear fancy clothes, but that students also be…
pontiff | January 29, 2008Blue Monday, which was January 21, of this year, is supposedly (and I say supposedly when I might have better said, erroneously) the most depressing day of the year. Now there are plenty of reasons given for this: you finally realized your New Year's resolutions aren't going to happen, you've just gotten your credit card bill for all that rampant consumerism you participated in over the holidays, etc. But, if you're in academia, you know the real reason to be depressed during this time of the year. That's right: it faculty search season. Since everyone else is talking about it and…