I’m popping a content warning at the top of this one: I’m going to talk about mental health and quitting the PhD. If that’s not good for you to read right now, feel free click away. As lockdown closed on Australia in March, I posed a question: should you quit (go part time or pause) your […] … learn more→

Over the past few weeks, the Black Lives Matter protests have moved from the streets into boardrooms. Public bodies and private companies across the Western world are revisiting their histories, publishing statements apologising for past involvement in slavery and committing themselves to tackling racial injustice in future. But is this ephemeral virtue signalling or a […] … learn more→

If you ask any student about the most difficult period during his or her college years, the answer will be unambiguous – finals. Taking exams is a challenging and nerve-racking process. It takes a lot of time and energy. When it comes time to write an exam, the greater part of students gets confused and […] … learn more→

Among many others in many different fields, one of the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the need to resort to the development of online learning , given the impossibility of doing it in person. The phenomenon is not at all new, since it had previously registered significant progress at all educational levels. But the current crisis situation has […] … learn more→

Dear Philip, Please find attached an amended version of your slides for your mini lecture, “Artificial Intelligence, Atom By Atom”, as part of our virtual open day events. I’ve blended your slides with our template. Is that OK? Many thanks… That is an excerpt from an email I received recently from our external relations and marketing […] … learn more→

By early July, about 80% of U.S. campuses were planning to resume at least some in-person instruction, even as a growing numbers of faculty are voicing concerns about safety. As Michael Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College, argues, “Because we do not yet have the ability to bring students and staff back to campus while keeping them safe and healthy, we simply cannot […] … learn more→

Rejection is a word and an experience I’ve become well acquainted with since starting my PhD. Around every corner is another rejection; it’s just a fact of academic life. A career in academia means dedicating time to publishing your research in academic journals. When I started my course, I was told that I needed to […] … learn more→

Since coronavirus forced the switch to remote learning, I have seen many universities share infographics and statistics about their online teaching. These self-congratulatory messages highlight how vast numbers of courses, video lectures and online sessions have been delivered by a large number of faculty and attended by a much larger number of students. However, I […] … learn more→

The Australian government’s higher education funding changes aim to ensure graduates are “job-ready”. Students will be charged more for courses the government deems have poorer employment outcomes, to incentivise them into cheaper courses with supposedly better job prospects. But these changes seem ignorant of the research surrounding future jobs, and the unpredictable nature of the […] … learn more→

At the end of April, several prominent scholars began boycotting universities that were failing to support contingent faculty during the coronavirus pandemic. Early signatories of Covid-19: A Statement of Academic Solidarity included Judith Butler, Donna Haraway, Naomi Klein and Chandra Talpade Mohanty. Within days, thousands of additional staff members of all ranks joined the cause. A few […] … learn more→