Monthly Archives: April 2019

Here’s how to increase diversity in STEM at the college level and beyond

Here’s how to increase diversity in STEM at the college level and beyond

Jerome Adams is the 20th surgeon general of the United States and former Indiana state health commissioner. Angelique Johnson is a co-founder and CEO of MEMStim, a company that produces implantable electronics to treat brain disorders. Isaac Kinde is the chief scientific officer at PapGene, Inc., a company that sells molecular tests meant to detect cancer early. He is […] … learn more→

The continuing tragedy of student loan debt

The continuing tragedy of student loan debt

Bradley Ritter has a fascinating series of videos on YouTube. He’s a chemical engineer, but has many relevant things to say about higher education. He also often gives advice for kids coming out of school, though usually it’s along the lines of “study very hard and be an engineer.” It’s not bad advice, mind you, […] … learn more→

Beware the couch! Reflections on academic reading

Beware the couch! Reflections on academic reading

Over the years, I’ve learned a few things about reading journal articles. One of the most important things that I’ve discovered is that spending time thinking about how and why I read, and practicing ways to become a better reader, is time well spent. After all, the ability to critically read journal articles—and lots of […] … learn more→

Going freelance

Going freelance

I happily resigned from a continuing academic position five years ago. After almost twenty years in various teaching and research positions within the humanities and creative arts, I needed a change. I had enjoyed a great career, exceeded all my research and publication goals, and taught thousands of students. It seemed churlish to continue hogging […] … learn more→

Traditional masculinity may keep English-speaking men from studying new languages

Traditional masculinity may keep English-speaking men from studying new languages

For decades, more women have been entering male-dominated educational fields and careers. The proportion of men in female-dominated areas, on the other hand, has remained mostly unchanged. Now, gender gaps in female-dominated undergraduate majors — like foreign language — are larger than gender gaps in biology, math or the physical sciences. Foreign language proficiency is a useful skill […] … learn more→

Shutting down social media does not reduce violence, but rather fuels it

Shutting down social media does not reduce violence, but rather fuels it

In the wake of a series of coordinated attacks that claimed more than 250 lives on April 21, the government of Sri Lanka shut off its residents’ access to social media and online messaging systems, including Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Snapchat and Viber. The official government concern was that “false news reports were spreading through social media.” Some commentators applauded […] … learn more→

Average College freshman reads at 7th Grade level

Average College freshman reads at 7th Grade level

In the old days, getting into college was a big deal—you had to be a good student, have some solid extracurricular activities and generally pass an entrance exam as well as demonstrate you can write a decent “Why I Want To Go To College” essay. When the Federal government decided to back student loans, giving […] … learn more→

Chinese students are not Australia’s enemy within

Chinese students are not Australia’s enemy within

Chinese international students are a huge presence on Australian university campuses, and nowhere more so than at the University of Sydney. Their exact number is hard to pin down; the university is very proud that it draws students “from over 130 countries” but quite coy about the distribution of their nationalities. However, estimates suggest that […] … learn more→

Missing school is a given for children of migrant farmworkers

Missing school is a given for children of migrant farmworkers

In the summer of his junior year, Luis Miguel was struggling to stay in high school. He and his family of four – who work various agricultural jobs from picking blueberries and cherries to pruning grapes and canning tomatoes – live in one of California’s 24 migrant family housing centers. As a documentary filmmaker, I have been […] … learn more→