Why #pennstate professor left academia?
Reasons #professors are leaving academia. #PhD #phdlife #phdjourney

https://youtu.be/MF7-byrf-ww?si=2y1wfCIvLdjPYqls

Working with qualitative data and aiming to generate theory from it?
Grounded theory offers a systematic approach, built on constant comparison, theoretical sampling, and iterative coding. This method doesn’t start with hypotheses but lets the theory emerge from the data itself.
Explore how QDAcity supports each step of grounded theory research: https://qdacity.com/grounded-theory/
#GroundedTheory #QualitativeResearch #ResearchMethods #QDA #QDAcity #PhDlife

#teaching at an uni:
yesterday we had a power outage in the lab during a practical course. We checked everything twice, called supervisors, called an electrician. Then I noticed that one of the students had put a cable on a heating plate and it melted
They had the nerve to ask if that meant we wouldn't finish on time.
.
.
.
#PhDlife #PhDstudent #lablife #academia

My current research project is an evolutionary computation experiment inspired by biology (specifically, this amazing experiment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plVk4NVIUh8&pp=ygUOYmF5bSBtZWdhcGxhdGU%3D)

Unfortunately, evolutionary computation is a field generally quite ignorant of the biology that inspired it. A lot of work they do, while exciting to computer scientists, makes no sense to biologists.

So, I brought my WIP to a biology professor I've been working with to ask for feedback. He gave me the highest praise I could ask for:
This is all completely boring and obvious from a biology perspective.

I'm quite relieved! Now my challenge is: how to get CS people to care about these findings ported over from biology.

I switched away from Notion a few weeks after starting to use it after realising that not only the content was only stored online, but you literally couldn't get into your notes without an internet connection and the ability to log in without bugs from their servers. But if anyone is still using it, especially PhD students, you might want to rethink that as it literally randomly deletes your data without warning you!
https://youtu.be/5XiUcwqOx44

Organising a (conference-style) workshop @YoMosEco : Getting all kinds of heavy admin tasks done like coming up with a budget plan or a schedule for the week; but also constantly forgetting that I have to formally apply and send an abstract just like everybody else

While I am reading an article about DeSci on medium, I found something interesting.

Young scientists are being left behind.

In 1980, 20% of NIH grants went to researchers 35 & younger. By 2014? Just 1%.

Meanwhile, funding for 66+ scientists keeps rising.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing but without support, young innovators leave science—taking their fresh ideas with them.

We’re losing the next generation.

Weekly Lab report:

First week back after a month of incapacity followed by cyclone-induced lab closure.

I re-connected to the science store and workshops to restart - completion of empty gas cylinder removal; safe small cylinder storage; and "sample and hold" system for rectification of the inter-optical table laser stabilisation system.

We have identified the optimal argon gas flow, source chamber vacuum settings and current for striking a discharge producing ions and metastables for atomic beam alignment purposes. The faraday cup was lifted out o f the beam path and significant ion and metastable counts were recorded on the MCP detector.
A timing signal from the Signal and Delay Generator(SDG) in the laser system (10 kHz) is connected and used for timing of the collection. a signal delay was introduced with a signal generator to broaden the sample window.
Placement of a suitable magnet deflects the ions and we recorded a reduced count, suggestive of metastable neutrals. We then varied the volage of plates in the atomic beam path sufficiently to induce field ionisation of those atoms in Rydberg states.
We are now in a position to move to the next stage of usingf the pulsed laser to produce metastable argon atoms and detect them, along with their time of flight.
I installed coaxial cable runs to tap into the 10 kHz signal for use in the "sample and hold" system.

As a PhD student, you will try to publish your work in peer reviewed academic journals. But how does peer review work? What things do you have to do, what can you do, and what should you not do? Here are some meta science insights on peer review in science. https://renebekkers.wordpress.com/peer-review/

I hope this is helpful! Do you miss anything? Let me know.

Are PhDs losing their lustre? Why fewer students are enrolling in doctoral degrees
Several countries are seeing a decline in PhD enrollments as high living costs, stagnant stipends and limited job prospects deter students from pursuing doctoral degrees. Australia recorded an 8% drop in domestic PhD enrollments from 2018-2023 despite population growth of 7%, while Japan's numbers fell to 15,014 in 2023 from 18,232 in 2003, data from education authorities showed.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00425-4 #PhDLife

Supervisor: You wrote"ChatGPT launched on 30th November 2023, and for the following year there was only one AI Tool (Sam Altman)" but you've not put the date of the citation and he's not in your references?

Me: I wasn't citing him. Read it again.

Two days of work from home and no meetings. This means I can concentrate on writing #PhDLife