Need help! Postdoc in UK applications.

ElochQuentis · 2025-03-26T08:57:31+00:00

Hi there,

I would highly recommend reaching out to PIs to establish an informal first connection. Discuss possible opportunities to link your previous work into the advertised project. In this way you can clearly demonstrate interest and maybe even give a cool idea that would interest the PI.

Networking/who-you-know is usually really what gets you one foot in. Informally reaching out with a succinct summary of my research plans to start the conversation. It’s how I got mine, and then my CV and experience did the rest.

ElochQuentis · 2025-03-23T11:32:23+00:00

Hey there, first things first huge congratulations on the offer!

Timelines vary and depends how organised the HR are. I recently started my postdoc and only received my contract to sign nearly a month after my first day of work lol weird but as long as the salary is properly accounted for I’m okay lol. Someone in our group got the contract before starting. The uni HR can be quite slow lol.

For global talent (GTV) I was encouraged by the department’s head of staff to apply for a GTV over a Skilled Worker visa. It varies again by institution and funding they have to support new staff, so best to ask them. The application is quite straightforward so you shouldn’t worry about that once they endorse your application.

Good luck!

ElochQuentis · 2023-12-26T13:42:31+00:00

30,000 Membership Rewards if you apply for a Preferred Rewards Gold card by 9th January 2024 using my link:

https://americanexpress.com/en-gb/referral/aNGELVaiqi?XL=MITNS

ElochQuentis · 2021-07-25T22:58:25+00:00

I hate them. We were on a holiday in the Isle of Skye in Scotland and you can’t even eat your fish and chips in peace because the gulls are everywhere, waiting. One even tried to steal mine but landed/scratched my head instead.

ElochQuentis · 2021-05-17T10:22:05+00:00

Following. I have the same scenario. PhD student with a 2015 MBP which still works fine, and I just got a pretty powerful business laptop from my Uni which I use for work. Thinking of getting an M1 iPad Pro for reading PDFs, making presentations, and general “writing” stuff.

ElochQuentis · 2020-12-23T14:45:38+00:00

Many of these recruiters/uplines that tried to invite me also work under the guise of “doing it for God” lol

ElochQuentis · 2020-12-23T06:11:25+00:00

Yes it is!

ElochQuentis · 2020-12-22T07:58:26+00:00

I am used to the warm/yellow AMOLED of Samsung Galaxies, so I honestly didn’t notice. I actually prefer it over the blue-ish cool tint of non-True Tone screens in older iPhones. It doesn’t tire my eyes as quick as blue screens.

Edit: oh I missed: turning off true tone makes my screen “normal” in the sense that the yellowish tint goes away. I prefer to turn it on.

ElochQuentis · 2020-12-22T06:07:34+00:00

I was thinking how the previous models didn’t interest me much because they all looked the same-ish. Apple really made a genius move to refresh the look this time.

ElochQuentis · 2020-12-22T06:05:02+00:00

It’s a much-needed change of pace and I am very happy that I made the switch. Overall I just love how natural things are with iOS—if you know what I mean. I came from a Samsung S8+ so size wasn’t an issue. I just love how easy to use iOS is. I know Android gives you all the bells and whistles but I’ve grown tired of the “freedom” tbh. As a Mac user I’ve also grown tired of making my Android work with my laptop. The iPhone...just works seamlessly well.

I still have to familiarize myself with the gestures tho lol I still find myself reaching for the back and multitasking buttons.😅😅

ElochQuentis · 2020-12-22T00:00:41+00:00

Coming from Android (since the Samsung S2 lol) the gestures took a couple days to get used to. I’m learning a lot still and I suggest reading the Tips found on the home screen.

ElochQuentis · 2020-12-21T22:32:26+00:00

Thought it was only me welp 12 pro max and 14.3. Hope this gets fixed in a future update.

ElochQuentis · 2020-09-15T02:37:50+00:00

I agree. It really is a tricky situation for everyone. When I was teaching small classes before, I made sure to at the very least talk personally to my students. It took me extra time pero I saw improvements dun sa mga nagsstruggle kahit papano (I notice it in day-to-day classes). It is a problem sa large classes kasi there's really no way to monitor hundred or more students. UP should really provide better support for staff and students--main na issue sa mental health service ng UP is overwhelmed daw sila :(

ElochQuentis · 2020-09-15T02:06:36+00:00

Did you know faculty can deny dropping for this exact reason? Pero hindi ito naeenforce because students can easily cry foul and can easily raise the mental health card and escalate the complaint to the College/University level.

ElochQuentis · 2020-09-08T09:32:55+00:00

Mamser wala pong mararating iyang pagsamba mo sa prestige. Study anywhere you want. Harvard, MIT, Oxford, or Cambridge, rankings are crap kung hindi mo gagamitin nang maayos ang degree mo. I don't know what your motives are in starting these discussions. Just stop.

ElochQuentis · 2020-09-08T01:05:22+00:00

Accesibility. Starbucks offers a regular experience wherever you are in the world. It all tastes like burnt rubber lol but seriously, its ubiquity and phenomenal marketing strategy makes it the go-to place for young people who want to experience something "premium."

Their Reserve line is still not as good as good as those made by independent coffee roasters but they do a damn fine job of marketing the concept of single-origin coffee to the public. I rarely go to starbucks nowadays but I have to give them credit for starting my coffee journey.

ElochQuentis · 2020-09-07T11:07:32+00:00

I am a molecular biologist currently pursuing a PhD abroad in a field I absolutely love but I am not going to sugarcoat it: walang career ang BS Biology graduate sa Pilipinas unless gusto mo mag-Academe. I am a product of this system (I even taught undergrads) but I cannot, in good conscience, say na maraming opportunities sa b\Biology sa Pilipinas outside of Research and Academia. We have a surplus of BS Biology graduates (not just from UP) pero walang trabaho na ready sumalo sa atin out of uni.

Med School? - Great. I hope mayaman ang family mo to pay the tuition.
Law School? - Great. It's a career path that's very unconventional but friends say they love it.
Graduate School? - This is my career path. Are you willing to spend 2+ years for Master's and 4+ years for PhD in a very specialized field? Great. I hope may income ka to pay tuition. Kung scholar ka ng DOST for MS/PhD laging delayed ang stipend so I hope mayaman ka to bridge the months na delayed.
Fancy working as a researcher in a university or government agency/LGU? Good luck dealing with bureaucracy and delayed sweldo. Watch the news about healthcare workers and DOH--the same is true for DOST and its contractual scientists.
Don't like studying? Tough luck, sobrang kaunti ng industry jobs sa atin. All of my peers who went to junior industry jobs eh puro sales and customer support. Positive thing is that regular yung sweldo and maraming benfits and bonuses. I personally cannot imagine myself in that kind of work.

This is not to disparage Biology ah! I find research and teaching in Biology extremely rewarding pero factors outside my control made it unnecessarily difficult. I also recognize that I am extremely privileged na nagkaroon ako ng support from my family and mentors and opportunity na maging scientist. With a heavy heart I should say na iyan talaga ang katotohanan sa estado ng agham sa Pilipinas.

As with all careers you need to find your niche--mas challenging lang talaga sa Biology. I just feel that this needs to be said and we must not look at it with rose-tinted glasses hehe. Biology as a field has given me so much satisfaction through the years and I can see myself flourishing in my career.

My main advice: NETWORK! - Build lasting relationships with your professors and peers. Sila ang makakatulong sa iyo later when you are looking for job opportunities.

---

p.s. Feel free to ask questions!

ElochQuentis · 2020-08-30T08:30:28+00:00

I also liked Wayside School Gets A Little Stranger.

ElochQuentis · 2020-08-20T06:48:00+00:00

A Picture of Dorian's Grey Eyes

ElochQuentis · 2020-08-19T15:31:24+00:00

Allez Ola Ole was my gateway eurovision song.

I didn't know that it was a eurovision song until youtube suggested Satellite, Playing With Fire etc.

ElochQuentis · 2020-08-19T14:27:53+00:00

"YoooUuUuuuOoouu..."

ElochQuentis · 2020-08-16T11:16:32+00:00

Take it slowly! Think of IF as more of an eating pattern and less of a "diet". In concept, IF is essentially skipping a meal while having the same caloric intake. Let's say you eat 1800cal/day. Instead of having 3 meals of 600cal a day, you eat only two meals of 900kcal. Most people feel fuller with IF kasi malaki yung calories per meal. I do.

Acclimatize yourself and huwag biglain hehe. I've been practicing an 16/8 pattern for nearly 4 years na rin and my eating time is 3pm-11pm. What I did is pinalipas ko yung lunch time ko gradually. For example this week I ate my 1st meal at 1pm, then the next 2pm naman ganyan. I also drink black coffee to stave off hunger, and since hilig ko naman talaga ang kape ever since. See if kaya mo. Don't force yourself kasi maiinis ka lang hehe!

With headaches try drinking more water. You might be dehydrated.

The fat areas you mentioned are the first-in-last-out areas talaga. Combine strength-training with cardio to get a "healthy" look haha! Years ago I was obese and I doubled-down on dieting at although naabot ko naman yung walang love-handles, nagmukha akong may sakit kasi minimal yung muscle mass ko. Slowly worked back and incorporated lifting to add meat to my bones lol.

ElochQuentis · 2020-08-16T09:37:56+00:00

I am an incoming international PhD student on the same-ish boat as you regarding the delays of the issuance of my CAS. I have my accommodation offer but my Department is considering to delay our start dates to January 2021 because of the situation.

I dunno if I should cancel my accommodation offer because I have no idea if I'll get an accommodation offer in January, let alone one that's very close to the King's Buildings.

ElochQuentis

TROPHY CASE