The future for young academics looks bleak. A long-term trend – once linear, now exponential – shows that the percentage of PhD holders attaining a permanent faculty position is catastrophically low. While it is common knowledge that the academic market is turbulent, the pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to a whole generation of students. I […] … learn more→
Author Archives: Kevin
Beyond the academy: what all PhD students should know
How to teach college students to write well
“Spanish university students do not know how to write.” This is a mantra that all teachers have heard at some time. This problem, far from being trivial, can have important personal and social repercussions. Not knowing how to write can limit the labor insertion of students and the international projection of Spain in spaces in which academic and […] … learn more→
Female robots are the most human. Why ?
With the proliferation of female robots like Sophia, chatbots like Amelia , and the popularity of female virtual assistants like Siri (Apple), Alexa (Amazon) and Cortana (Microsoft), artificial intelligence seems to have a gender issue. This gender imbalance in AI is a strong trend that has drawn strong criticism in the media. Even UNESCO warns of the dangers of this […] … learn more→
6 ways recent college graduates can enhance their online job search
When recent or soon-to-be college graduates begin to seek employment, many inevitably turn to job-search and networking platforms on the internet. The platforms include some that are college-based – such as Handshake, Symplicity GradLeaders and 12twenty – as well as networking platforms like LinkedIn and PeopleGrove. With COVID-19 having moved job searches more and more into the virtual realm, these platforms are playing an increasingly […] … learn more→
Cuts to international research are a wrong turn for a country going global
At the start of the year, US president-elect Joe Biden wrote a letter to his science adviser, Eric Lander, calling for a reinvigoration of the US’ science and technology strategy. Biden posed two strikingly similar questions to those asked by Franklin D. Roosevelt of his own science adviser, Vannevar Bush, in his famous 1944 letter. […] … learn more→
AI is increasingly being used to identify emotions – here’s what’s at stake
Imagine you are in a job interview. As you answer the recruiter’s questions, an artificial intelligence (AI) system scans your face, scoring you for nervousness, empathy and dependability. It may sound like science fiction, but these systems are increasingly used, often without people’s knowledge or consent. Emotion recognition technology (ERT) is in fact a burgeoning multi-billion-dollar industry that aims to use AI to detect […] … learn more→
The government keeps shelving plans to bring international students back to Australia. It owes them an explanation
Victorian universities recently re-proposed a previously conceived plan to get international students back under a similar model used to fly in tennis players for the Australian Open. Under the proposal, universities would help pay for around 1,000 foreign students to be flown into Melbourne every two to three weeks and placed into special lockdown arrangements. Similar plans […] … learn more→
How to avoid “burnout”
When the monotony or tedium of your life seems to overshadow things that used to bring you joy and satisfaction, you may be suffering from what is commonly referred to as burnout. This state of mental exhaustion can have a severe impact on your relationships and career. In this article, Joey Klein, Inner Matrix Systems […] … learn more→
Returning campus castaways: please wear your masks!
The most excitement we campus security guards have had since the UK’s third national lockdown was announced on 4 January was watching an opportunist thief at work on CCTV. The thief – who was savvy enough to wear a backpack and could have easily passed for one of our students – noticed a computer technician […] … learn more→
Teenage students suffer the effects of a long year of pandemic
The developmental stage of adolescence is the psychosociological period of transition between childhood and adulthood and is characterized by the gradual acquisition of independence and autonomy to become an adult. Therefore, the distancing of parents in favor of social and affective relationships between equals is gaining ground. A fundamental aspect of adolescents is that practically everything […] … learn more→
