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Monthly Archives: October 2024
Leaving Imperial
Today is my last day at Imperial College London. It marks the completion of exactly 29 years as a member of staff. I joined Imperial as a young lecturer in Physics on 1st November 1995 and have travelled a long … Continue reading Continue reading
Posted in science, Scientific Life
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The Shape of Life: An Educational Resource
I’ve long been a fan of Alaskan artist Ray Troll, so imagine my pleasure when I was asked to guest on his PaleoNerds podcast (which you can find here). And more than that — Ray asked me to script and … Continue reading Continue reading
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Mary Wollstonecraft’s Wisdom
I came to Mary Wollstonecraft late, as it were, not even having come across her name until relatively recently. Perhaps that is a shameful admission, but I think she has become much more visible of late, not least due to … Continue reading Continue reading
Posted in careers, Equality, retirement, roles, skills
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It’s Only Natural
My daughter got married a couple of weeks ago. Read that again. The Elder Pawn got married. It was one of those glorious days we often get at the end of September, with the sun low in the sky and … Continue reading Continue reading
Can One Simplify the REF?
The REF is much in the news, with some feathers ruffled by UK Day One’s proposal to simplify the whole process, as detailed in their report Replacing the Research Excellence Framework. I am sure there are academics and administrators up … Continue reading Continue reading
Posted in grants, James Wilsdon, research culture, Science Culture, Science Funding, The Metric Tide
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The Bright Side of Life
It’s always a thrill to get a celebrity endorsement, especially as they don’t happen very often, so I am unreasonably tickled with a review of A (Very) Short &c &c in the book blog of Eric Idle. Just mosey over … Continue reading Continue reading
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Objects In The Rear-View Mirror, Part 2
The mid-eighties were very busy for me. I have recorded in these annals how a photograph sent me by a well-wisher cast me back to the end of 1987 when I suddenly left Cambridge to join the staff of Nature. … Continue reading Continue reading
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Abandon the REF?
On Tuesday evening I was asked by Research Professional News for my views on a new report from think tank UKDayOne, which is calling for the abolition of the Research Excellence Framework, unlovingly known as the REF. The report is … Continue reading Continue reading
Posted in science
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The Path Not Taken
One of the last tasks I did as Master of Churchill College, was to partake in an afternoon’s event as part of their alumni weekend, badged as ‘Arts meet Science’. The first, and more substantial part, consisted of various pieces … Continue reading Continue reading
Posted in apprenticeships, broad and balanced, curriculum, decisions, education
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An Anthropological Experiment in Birmingham
I’m not sure that spending my last day as Master of Churchill College at the Conservative Party Conference would have been quite what I expected, but so it was. I was in Birmingham – just as I was in Liverpool … Continue reading Continue reading
Posted in apprenticeships, conservatives, David Willetts, education, Robert Halfon, Science Culture, skills
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