With effective international responses to climate change floundering, people are increasingly considering what they can do personally to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. This concern has crept into research communities too, with a number of thoughtful articles and projects highlighting the hypocrisy of the jet-setting lifestyles of many academics. Paul Williams, professor of atmospheric science at […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Calculating the carbon footprint of research is not a solution to climate change
Avoid high student debt and dropping out by asking these 4 questions about any college
Even though for-profit colleges get a bad rap for being predatory and leaving students saddled with debt but no degree, a significant number of private nonprofit and public colleges have the same issues. For example, a recent analysis examined 781 colleges where most students borrow and few can repay their loans. While the analysis found that 73 percent of […] … learn more→
The three types of professors every PhD student could benefit from
I have been mentored by three professors for an extended period of time, who for the purpose of this article, will be known as Professor Autonomy, Professor Mastery and Professor Meaning. This also happens to be the order in which I encountered them. What I have learned is that in order to be a professor […] … learn more→
The Ph.D. mill
I know I’ve written of the tremendous glut of Ph.D.s before, but I feel this is an important issue that needs addressing, for two big reasons. First, many schools are basically degree mills, cranking out diplomas in exchange for those sweet student loan checks. The students learned nothing in their degree programs, so when they […] … learn more→
Why graduation rates lag for low-income college students
As college students nationwide prepare for graduation, a new analysis has shown that just under half of all those who receive Pell Grants – the federal government’s main form of direct financial aid for low-income students – finish their four-year degree programs on time. The federal government considers “on time” being six years for a four-year degree. […] … learn more→
Why it’s important to be exactly certain about how much you don’t know
“Your academic writing trouble and how to fix it” was born of our frustration at reading the strange comments supervisors sometimes write on thesis drafts. Sometimes academic feedback makes even less sense than the text that inspired it. In this book we work backwards from these hard to interpret supervisor comments to tell you want […] … learn more→
A PhD’s ‘grit’ credential shouldn’t be undervalued
I recently had lunch with a colleague who had been my interviewer when I applied for my current job a few years ago. When this topic came up, she recalled, “I saw ‘PhD’ on your application, so I knew you would be smart.” While flattered by the compliment, I found myself questioning her inference: was […] … learn more→
What is the Chinese government doing to improve education?
It is easy to think of China in the terms of government, business opportunities and special economic zones. However, it is – above all – a country of more than a billion individuals. Among those are millions of children, teens and adults seeking education. This education, however, requires an overhaul to create a better system […] … learn more→
University to hire social sentinel to watch students (off Campus)
It seems every month I see our campuses take a major step towards the socialist utopia so accurately depicted in 1984. Normally I focus on how our campuses mirror the “fabulous wealth and power for the people at the top, poverty for everyone else” aspect, but today I want to talk about something that, until […] … learn more→
What happens when you put African philosophies at the centre of learning
What happens when African philosophies and practices are placed at the centre of learning? How can teachers and students on the continent use the concepts of ubuntu (human interdependence) and ukama(relationality) to come up with homegrown solutions for societal and educational concerns? These were two of the questions we sought to answer when we set up a Massive Open Online […] … learn more→
