A couple of years ago, I began to collect data as a bit of a side project to core business. I had read about a new technique in my field and thought it would be cool to acquire data using it. One of my students is using some of those data in a paper he's written up and then developed a way of analysing it for all our participants.
This week I've been at a conference where it seems that every man and his monkey has now collected a little bit of data and we haven't published ours. I am so busy managing admin etc that I don't get time to sit and write as often as I'd like. Not much of an excuse though, given that science moves along just fine without you.
So although I was kind of happy that I was right to collect these data, it's just a stark reminder of how important it is to be selfish and protect your own time so you can be productive.
At this conference, I learnt that the promise made to me by my boss about potential promotions for me and Academic Spouse (the lures, as it were), were completely untrue. In addition, one of my colleagues also learnt that our boss has been approaching international folk since before Christmas last year to join our team in his new place. Not that any of us are going with him (which itself says a lot), but this is not what he told any of us. We don't much care about who he approaches, or the fact that he is approaching them. Problem for me is that he employed a new post-doc at the beginning of this year (a really strong post-doc, just back from maternity leave with her second child. BAD manners in my book at any time but worse in that situation). So some people manage being selfish and can move ahead as quickly in science as they like. I just don't have narcissistic PD (aside from writing this blog, of course....!).
The next fortnight will be decision time for me. If I didn't have a huge mortgage and family to support I think I'd leave my current lab before getting a new position. I'm appalled at my boss' actions. For someone who constantly reminds us about the importance of integrity in science, it really does make me wonder whether it's possible to survive unless you adopt that style of behaviour. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Time management
For a number of years now it has been clear that I either have a serious problem with time management or a serious lack of time to do the work that is on my proverbial plate.
I like the think it's a case of the latter, but right now it is late, I have not slept well (ie more than 4 hrs on average, which for me is not enough) for over a week and I'm blogging. Meanwhile, I have a 45 minute talk to write and it's deviated SO far from the topic I said I'd speak to that it's not funny. I have 33 slides. I figure a few more points and I'm done. But I'll do anything other than have to think.This also includes: pour wine, drink wine, eat toddler's jelly babies (naughty mother), eat school-boy's snack biscuits (double strike, I know), consider whether I need to pluck my eyebrows, decide my face looks old and tired in the mirror, clean the mirror, shift some clothes in the laundry basket, return to kitchen for more nibbles, logon to see how my little page of blogging heaven is faring.
Hmmmm...
So perhaps a time management course would be an effective use of my time? A PA, a post-doc and a bloody house-cleaner might be a better investment!
Back to the grind then.
I like the think it's a case of the latter, but right now it is late, I have not slept well (ie more than 4 hrs on average, which for me is not enough) for over a week and I'm blogging. Meanwhile, I have a 45 minute talk to write and it's deviated SO far from the topic I said I'd speak to that it's not funny. I have 33 slides. I figure a few more points and I'm done. But I'll do anything other than have to think.This also includes: pour wine, drink wine, eat toddler's jelly babies (naughty mother), eat school-boy's snack biscuits (double strike, I know), consider whether I need to pluck my eyebrows, decide my face looks old and tired in the mirror, clean the mirror, shift some clothes in the laundry basket, return to kitchen for more nibbles, logon to see how my little page of blogging heaven is faring.
Hmmmm...
So perhaps a time management course would be an effective use of my time? A PA, a post-doc and a bloody house-cleaner might be a better investment!
Back to the grind then.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Newness
In keeping with the new things happening in my professional life, we have today a new palette for SMBlog. Thanks to hypoglycaemiagirl for pointing out how dark my previous template was!
Met SeriouslyAmazingManWhoChangedMyField today. He's in town for a big conference that is on this week and next and a mentor asked me if I'd like to attend, along with one of her postdocs. So there were us three female scientists and then four men and the SeriouslyAmazing... I have read this man's work for years and so it was quite surreal. I was in awe of the breadth of his knowledge of the current field. What was also striking was the confidence with which the males presented their work. It was as though no-one else internationally ever did anything much of note.
I felt at once quite small but also quite excited about the possibilities of my next academic step. Just need to publish (oh, and write a 45 minute talk tonight...). yawn.
Met SeriouslyAmazingManWhoChangedMyField today. He's in town for a big conference that is on this week and next and a mentor asked me if I'd like to attend, along with one of her postdocs. So there were us three female scientists and then four men and the SeriouslyAmazing... I have read this man's work for years and so it was quite surreal. I was in awe of the breadth of his knowledge of the current field. What was also striking was the confidence with which the males presented their work. It was as though no-one else internationally ever did anything much of note.
I felt at once quite small but also quite excited about the possibilities of my next academic step. Just need to publish (oh, and write a 45 minute talk tonight...). yawn.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Students
Students are a mixed blessing really. They arrive so fresh and enthusiastic and it hardly seems fair to subject them to the trials and tribulations of a PhD. Yet they mature before your very eyes and towards the end of their candidature there is such a rewarding feeling; a sense of pride that they've 'made it'.
I am of the opinion that one's ability to complete a PhD is not a measure of intellect but rather of the ability to withstand the onslaught of youth. PhDs typically occur at a time when friends begin to get married, divorced, a few dare to try their hand at child-rearing and an unfortunate few meet an untimely early death. Indeed, a few years back I was asked to speak at a grad student seminar about my experience as a student and life since then. I counted up and the weddings, funerals and so on and was quite amazed at the volatility of my social life.
So in the past few weeks I have experienced a marked contrast between sets of students. On the one hand I have had a student ask to remove me as a supervisor because my response to questions was "unsatisfactory". That this change has been largely orchestrated by the colleague whose emails can best be described as emotive is particularly galling. My professional pride is crushed. On the other hand, however, are my eight other PhD students (yes, way too many) who are working hard, writing papers, preparing drafts and doing really interesting studies. Three of them are on the verge of submitting and I am so excited I'd like to hug them. They each have moments where it's clear they'd rather I never entered their lives, but on the whole they appear sincerely grateful for the effort I put into their academic development and future careers.
I suppose this begs the question of what our responsibilities are as supervisors? Should we have to sell our wares to cynical, spoilt students who expect we will do their thinking for them? My opinion is that if you do a PhD you need to earn it. It is not a free ride and although I know some people would disagree with that, that's just my view. If you're smart enough to get a PhD place then survival is about dealing with what life throws at you, both professionally and personally. My view is that I have a responsibility to train students to be intellectually 'tough'; to cope with dissent; to manage the ups and downs that are inevitable in academia.
So whilst for some reason I feel terribly hurt by a single student's decision and the way the details of that are being transmitted around town, I know that in the long run I'll be better off. You can only work with people who want to work with you, right? Right.
I am of the opinion that one's ability to complete a PhD is not a measure of intellect but rather of the ability to withstand the onslaught of youth. PhDs typically occur at a time when friends begin to get married, divorced, a few dare to try their hand at child-rearing and an unfortunate few meet an untimely early death. Indeed, a few years back I was asked to speak at a grad student seminar about my experience as a student and life since then. I counted up and the weddings, funerals and so on and was quite amazed at the volatility of my social life.
So in the past few weeks I have experienced a marked contrast between sets of students. On the one hand I have had a student ask to remove me as a supervisor because my response to questions was "unsatisfactory". That this change has been largely orchestrated by the colleague whose emails can best be described as emotive is particularly galling. My professional pride is crushed. On the other hand, however, are my eight other PhD students (yes, way too many) who are working hard, writing papers, preparing drafts and doing really interesting studies. Three of them are on the verge of submitting and I am so excited I'd like to hug them. They each have moments where it's clear they'd rather I never entered their lives, but on the whole they appear sincerely grateful for the effort I put into their academic development and future careers.
I suppose this begs the question of what our responsibilities are as supervisors? Should we have to sell our wares to cynical, spoilt students who expect we will do their thinking for them? My opinion is that if you do a PhD you need to earn it. It is not a free ride and although I know some people would disagree with that, that's just my view. If you're smart enough to get a PhD place then survival is about dealing with what life throws at you, both professionally and personally. My view is that I have a responsibility to train students to be intellectually 'tough'; to cope with dissent; to manage the ups and downs that are inevitable in academia.
So whilst for some reason I feel terribly hurt by a single student's decision and the way the details of that are being transmitted around town, I know that in the long run I'll be better off. You can only work with people who want to work with you, right? Right.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Resigned
What a month it's been. Wow.
Today my boss announced his resignation. First to me and then (one by one) to the members of the team. It's been a really unproductive, unsettling day for everyone. At least I had some (like months) warning.
The next phase begins.
Today my boss announced his resignation. First to me and then (one by one) to the members of the team. It's been a really unproductive, unsettling day for everyone. At least I had some (like months) warning.
The next phase begins.
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