Dissertation -- Done ?!!

[nakia]

Thanks for the good advice, Achan hiArusa. I hadn't thought about saving student emails. I'd like to end up at a place where teaching is valued and recognized in the tenure process, because I like to teach. Winthrop seems to be such a place.

And don't get me started on "revenue-generation" by faculty. I work on a big grant now, and am grateful for the employment. Part of what the grant is studying, however, is the entrepreneurial (i.e. money making) continuing education programs at colleges and universities.

Didn't I get into academia to avoid having to justify my job realtive to profit?

 

[diaglo]

Didn't I get into academia to avoid having to justify my job realtive to profit?

Academia = Publish or perish.

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Physics and Industry

Yep, we have a "professor" who had a BS and MS in physics who went to work for Texas Instruments out of school and found that physics didn't prepare him for the work world (suprise, suprise). So when one of our professors (not the same guy) needed more engineers working for him (not enough physics lab monkeys), he hired this guy to develop a program that would get him more lab monkeys.

Well, the "professor" created the program which basically seems to be an excuse to get Engineering students out of tough candidacies (a written and oral test vs. a one-week, guaranteed not to fail, design project) and to give them degrees in "Microelectronics, Photonics" which is basically what he defines it as.

He has been involved in trying to cut the number of courses that we have to take (he tried to get rid of analytical mechanics, of all things, it, electricity and magnetism, statistical mechanics, and quantum mechanics are the basis of all physics), try to teach us corporate mentality (to a bunch of scientists, hah), planning our career path and our research (how many scientific discoveries were due to serendipity), and to try to get us learn how to "market" our research (as if marketable research is the only kind of research that's worthy of working on).

In short, it seems that he is trying to create a physics diploma mill here where we work on things that make money while learning "soft skills" rather than the "hard skills" we need to be successful physicists.

 

[nakia]

A lot of ed schools have similar models. They want to generate revenue by taking in as many folks as they can, most of which just want an MA or EdD to get a pay increase within their school system or to get put on the administrative track.

I'm not sure I disagree with this entirely. The students get their degree and may learn something useful in the process. The school gets some money. It becomes problematic when that sort of mission interferes with those folks who are serious about the discipline (and it often does interfere).

Job update: Still have interview at Ohio State in January. I'm in the final pool, but not the interview pool, at Boise State and Winthrop. If the folks they interview at those schools don't work out, they will call me. Not as good as being an interviewee, but still okay. It's probably the same set of 5-6 people who are in the pool at all these institutions, so when one person takes a job somewhere, that will open up slots somewhere else. I sorta feel like a baseball free agent. I'm not, say Carlos Beltran or Pedro, but I'm a good postion player, maybe like Orlando Cabrerra. When Pedro or Beltran get picked up by one team, the other teams that were after them have money to spend on someone else -- like me. As of yesterday, I have applied to 21 schools. I've had one rejection (Hawaii), one interview, two "final pools," and have not heard from anywhere else. I'll get something, somewhere.

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Job update: Still have interview at Ohio State in January. I'm in the final pool, but not the interview pool, at Boise State and Winthrop. If the folks they interview at those schools don't work out, they will call me. Not as good as being an interviewee, but still okay. It's probably the same set of 5-6 people who are in the pool at all these institutions, so when one person takes a job somewhere, that will open up slots somewhere else. I sorta feel like a baseball free agent. I'm not, say Carlos Beltran or Pedro, but I'm a good postion player, maybe like Orlando Cabrerra. When Pedro or Beltran get picked up by one team, the other teams that were after them have money to spend on someone else -- like me. As of yesterday, I have applied to 21 schools. I've had one rejection (Hawaii), one interview, two "final pools," and have not heard from anywhere else. I'll get something, somewhere.

Now its my turn to say "huh", I get it though I don't quite understand what you said. It has taken me years to understand (North American) Football and one of these days I will understand Cricket.

 

[nakia]

Now its my turn to say "huh", I get it though I don't quite understand what you said. It has taken me years to understand (North American) Football and one of these days I will understand Cricket.

I guess I did get a little caught up in baseball news from the winter meetings. I just meant that there is probably a small group of folks I am competing against for most of these jobs. As those folks take jobs, other slots will open up and I'll move up. If I'm up against the same guy at Ohio State and Winthrop and he takes the Ohio State job, that just increases my chance of getting the Winthrop position.

And I know nothing about cricket whatsoever, except some games (matches?) take days.

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Cricket

Well, I hope for the best.

So far I understand that there are two batters, a bowler, and three wickets ontop of which stands a pail. The bowler bowls the ball and tries to hit the wickets and knock down the pail and the batters try to prevent him. If they do knock it away they run across the field pass the bowler each time scoring a run, and they keep doing this until the bowler has the ball again, but I might be wrong.

 

[nakia]

Well, I hope for the best.

So far I understand that there are two batters, a bowler, and three wickets ontop of which stands a pail. The bowler bowls the ball and tries to hit the wickets and knock down the pail and the batters try to prevent him. If they do knock it away they run across the field pass the bowler each time scoring a run, and they keep doing this until the bowler has the ball again, but I might be wrong.

After first reading: What the hell is he talking about?

Second reading: Hey, that sounds kinda fun!

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Cricket

Also, apparently there are posts out in the field and if the batter hits them he gets a hat trick. Not sure about that either.

 

[Silver Moon]

Congrats! I remember how relieved I was last year when I got my last signature. Mine clocked in at 176 pages. I've been meaning to get going on a journal article based on it but still haven't recovered.