Just when I think higher education can’t become any more warped…it reaches a new level of dementedness. Let’s take a look: Old white academics are ‘unable’ to teach black students because they’re potentially racist, complain students People, even very educated people, say some pretty stupid things at times, but how exactly did this level of […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
University of London: Whites can’t teach
Be the mouse
While in the early stages of writing up my PhD I had a baby and now I find myself simultaneously immersed in academic journals and picture books, lab work and bum-wiping, searching for references and for tiny sun hats. Independently PhDs and babies can take over one’s life. When combined, everything from both of these […] … learn more→
Scientists create electric circuits inside plants
Plants power life on Earth. They are the original food source supplying energy to almost all living organisms and the basis of the fossil fuels that feed the power demands of the modern world. But burning the remnants of long-dead forests is changing the world in dangerous ways. Can we better harness the power of […] … learn more→
Younger is not always better when it comes to learning a second language
It’s often thought that it is better to start learning a second language at a young age. But research shows that this is not necessarily true. In fact, the best age to start learning a second language can vary significantly, depending on how the language is being learned. The belief that younger children are better […] … learn more→
New series -#wakeupreader
When my son was about ten years old we went on holiday to Perth. We didn’t fly, as many people do. We drove from Adelaide where we lived. That’s a distance of 2691.44 km, about twenty-four hours driving time. It takes around three days, even more if you stop along the way. A lot of the […] … learn more→
Two more States remove tenure…retroactively
The mainstream media’s narrative really seems to be that tenure, and not the takeover by administrators (and social justice warriors), is a big part of the collapse of higher education. Hey, I realize that “job for life” does sound like it has immense potential for abuse but compared to the abuse administrators already deliver to […] … learn more→
Women aren’t failing at science — science is failing women
Female research scientists are more productive than their male colleagues, though they are widely perceived as being less so. Women are also rewarded less for their scientific achievements. That’s according to my team’s recent study for United Nations University – Merit on gender inequality in scientific research in Mexico, published as a working paper in […] … learn more→
It’s all about wordplay
I quite like a short sentence. And a phrase by itself. Only for stylistic purposes, you understand. Nevertheless, it’s important to vary sentence length, otherwise your reader goes to sleep. I prefer the active voice. And don’t let anyone tell you can never start a sentence with ‘and’ or ’but’. You can, but it’s wise not […] … learn more→
Higher Ed corruption: Golden parachutes
In my decades working in higher education, I’ve noted time and again how administrators seem like they’re trying to get fired. Perhaps that’s an exaggeration, but their incompetence so often seems deliberate, and I’ve met far too many admin who, first day on the job, are only too happy to explain how their plan is […] … learn more→
Why universities and academics should bother with public engagement
Universities and their academic members benefit from significant sums of money from the UK taxpayer. It seems only right then, that academics should engage the public in what they do. It’s fair to say though that this hasn’t always been the main priority for researchers, which has led to the idea for some that public […] … learn more→
