Latest posts

Yet Another Source of Inequality?

Posted on 27 April 2020 by Athene Donald

It is far too early to know what the long-term social, economic and educational impacts of the current pandemic are. However, some predictions are easier to make than others. One unfortunate but obvious side-effect is the perpetuation and accentuation of inequality. This is obviously true when it comes to schooling: if you don’t have a quiet room (or a room of one’s own, as Virginia Wolff would ha Continue reading →

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The still unsustainable goal of university ranking

Posted on 26 April 2020 by Stephen

The new and improved Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2020 were published this week with as much online fanfare as THE could muster. Unfortunately, they are not improved enough.

Screenshot of Duncan Ivison's article, which is surrounded by an advert bragging about Sydney University's ranking

Sydney University’s Duncan Ivison makes case for impact rankings. And then you notice the advert.

Continue reading →
Posted in Research Assessment, Scientific Life | Comments Off on The still unsustainable goal of university ranking

Online Courses versus Online Teaching

Posted on 26 April 2020 by Nicola Spaldin

When the ETH moved all of its classes online six weeks ago I channelled my corona anxieties into scouring the literature for best practices in online teaching pedagogy, and I discovered a wealth of scholarly studies and practical information on what kinds of instructional elements are most effective in online courses for optimising student learning.

Since I still had plenty of anxiety left over, I Continue reading →

Posted in education, Materials Science | Comments Off on Online Courses versus Online Teaching

What Should You Be Doing Now?

Posted on 22 April 2020 by Athene Donald

One of the questions you ought not to pose to someone – be it a mentor, supervisor or sponsor – is ‘what should I do?’ Because, the answer has to be: ‘that’s up to you’. There is no uniquely right career path, there is no right order in which to tick things off your career bucket list or boxes to tick all of which are the sine qua non to get you to the destination you want. There are, of course, p Continue reading →

Posted in advice, careers, Jane Clarke, mentors, multi-tasking | Comments Off on What Should You Be Doing Now?

Clampdown

Posted on 15 April 2020 by rpg

“

Hey Mike. Mike? Mike.

Mike, can you hear me? Cannn youu hearrrr meee. Continue reading →

Posted in covid19, Nonsense, Office life, personal | Comments Off on Clampdown

We’re All in This Together

Posted on 15 April 2020 by Athene Donald

If life were other, if we weren’t all ‘wfh’ and trying to stay sane as well as productive, today I would be putting the finishing touches to a talk I was due to give at the end of the week to graduate students at another university. Being the kind of person who always worries I’ll be struck down by an incapacitating migraine at the wrong moment, I tend not to leave talk-writing to the 11th hour/ o Continue reading →

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In which we lock down

Posted on 13 April 2020 by Jennifer Rohn

Garden

Pandemic existence: reaping what we’ve sown

There is nothing I can write about life on lockdown that has not already been written. Doing so risks the scorn of the likes of Times journalist Matthew Parris, who on Saturday opined:

I’m encountering what for me is an almost intolerable level of guff about reconnecting with nature, learning the joys of contemplation, home-cooking, realising how mu Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic bliss, Gardening, staring into the abyss, The profession of science, work-life balance | Comments Off on In which we lock down

Is Losing a President Careless?

Posted on 8 April 2020 by Athene Donald

So what really is going on in Brussels regarding the ERC? I have had no direct contact with them in recent months, nor ever met Professor Ferrari, the short-lived and outgoing (outgone?) President. I cannot spill any beans because I have no beans to spill, but I did spend six years sitting on the Scientific Council (ScC) and perhaps can read a little between the lines. The extraordinary statement Continue reading →

Posted in ERC, Mauro Ferrari, Research, Science Funding, Scientific Council | Comments Off on Is Losing a President Careless?

Three weeks

Posted on 5 April 2020 by Stephen

Just three weeks ago, on eve of the weekend, my wife and I met an old friend for dinner at a restaurant in Southwark. Even then, the most normal things in the world were beginning to feel risky.

Two metres apart

Our friend works for Public Health England, but even if he hadn’t, the conversation would still probably have locked onto the coronavirus pandemic. We could feel it coming – my university had already deci Continue reading →

Posted in science | Comments Off on Three weeks

The Story of a Piano

Posted on 3 April 2020 by Athene Donald

As working practices are turned upside down, as our whole pattern of live is disrupted in ways that are unlikely to feel pleasant, I am sure turning to music will be the solace of many. I hear – as confirmation of this – that sales of pianos and sheet music, and downloading of music teaching apps etc, have all risen in recent weeks.

Music may be of use to soothe a toddler’s tantrums or your own (p Continue reading →

Posted in 1st world war, Coronavirus, education, family, Music | Comments Off on The Story of a Piano