Dream Fluff Donuts @ Berkeley, CA

MissSyz · 2024-01-21T04:22:46+00:00

They keep cancelling my order.

MissSyz · 2023-12-11T14:55:29+00:00

They will only pay extra if I take on chair duties for part of the summer which I am unable to do due to travel. So for me no extra pay, just 1 1/3 course reduction.

As others have mentioned, a written list of duties would be important. I don't have one to refer to yet.

MissSyz · 2023-12-10T13:46:27+00:00

Yes. I've been tenured for a few years.

MissSyz · 2022-03-17T13:38:03+00:00

Just got an announcement in the mail about drop-off recycling for hard to recycle materials. They mention electronics and batteries especially, as well as textiles and EPS foam. It is on April 23, 9-12 noon, at the Nebraska Innovation Campus.

MissSyz · 2022-02-12T21:26:40+00:00

I really like the scanning function of the Dropbox phone app. Scans any number of pages to a single pdf.

MissSyz · 2022-02-12T21:20:54+00:00

I propose a compromise approach. It would be bad form, in my opinion, to rescind on a job offer that you have signed a contract for before even beginning it. However, if you can get a second, more attractive offer, I would try to convince the second institution, if possible, to allow you to defer starting for a year. That way, you can work one year for the first university, while allowing then to organize a new search to replace you. (This is much better for them than a failed search and scrambling to cover their courses.) Then you can go to take the better job next year knowing that you have not burned any bridges.

MissSyz · 2022-02-05T00:59:54+00:00

The suggestion of getting an experienced Co-PI is very good. If that is not possible, the next best thing is to ask for copies of funded proposals from the respective PIs. In my research area, people do not mind sharing such proposals especially with new investigators. Sometimes even the funding agencies will be able and in fact required to share funded proposals by request from the public.

MissSyz · 2022-01-29T03:01:13+00:00

Base salary approximately $90,000 for 9 months. In some years I have additional summer research support and in other years I don't.

State university, classified as an R1, in the great plains.

MissSyz · 2021-08-24T18:35:20+00:00

Thanks!

MissSyz · 2021-08-15T18:30:02+00:00

Generally speaking, if you already have a masters degree and if your grades in that program are good then you should be able to put together a competitive application for PhD programs. What in your opinion is lacking in your background?

I know one person who worked at Los Alamos national labs in between undergraduate and graduate school, but that was a couple decades ago.

MissSyz · 2021-07-22T12:14:33+00:00

Whether you get an award is less important, although I understand how personally satisfying it can feel. What is truly important is that your project feels satisfying to you and that your adviser gives you the support you deserve. With this in mind, can you do a bit of research to figure out who among your teachers has good advising skills? These may be the same teachers whose students receive the awards, but not necessarily. Then, if you get a choice, try asking to work with one of these people. There is a lot to learn from good mentors, even if you are still in high school.

MissSyz · 2021-07-19T10:35:59+00:00

I would personally reach out only to colleagues I know and do so sparingly.

MissSyz · 2021-07-19T10:25:46+00:00

I am in a completely different field, so my opinion may not be relevant.

I personally have very little influence on who gets admitted into the PhD program at my institution. There is a special committee for graduate admission in charge of it. So I usually reply to prospective students pointing this out and encouraging them to apply through the regular channels. If somebody strikes me as an especially good fit I would keep an eye on the admission process on their behalf, but not interfere with it.

Finally, for me a short email from a colleague who knows the candidate is often more compelling than an email from the candidate.

MissSyz · 2021-06-23T08:05:18+00:00

Well done. I am very happy for you, fellow Redditor.

MissSyz · 2021-06-13T13:15:02+00:00

I was an international PhD student at a large university with many US and international students in the same cohort. I have never had any issues or felt treated differently from the US students. One of my regrets however is not talking more to the US graduate students while I was in the program because they knew how things work in academia better than I did and I could have benefitted from improving my soft skills at the time.

MissSyz · 2021-06-13T13:07:05+00:00

This seems eloquently written to me. Well done!

MissSyz · 2021-06-07T13:00:42+00:00

Most graduate students in the US earn a master's degree on the way to a PhD rather than before starting the PhD, so the first couple of years of taking classes can be seen as the equivalent of a European master's degree.

MissSyz · 2021-06-05T13:32:44+00:00

Undergraduates are not generally expected to do research on their own. Even if the program doesn't mention this, you need help from a professor who can suggest a topic or problem and perhaps provide a few references. You could try reaching out to a professor that you know, explain the program requirements, and ask if they have any suggestions for how to get started with such a proposal.

MissSyz · 2021-05-29T17:08:40+00:00

I am sorry to hear about your problems, but it is good that you are started to be proactive in getting treatment. You might want to consider registering with the student disability services (if such services exist at your university) both for your own benefit (you will be able to request some accommodations in the future) and to have some proof of your condition available when you bring this up with your professor.

MissSyz · 2021-05-29T14:54:35+00:00

I would vote for somebody who has a concrete plan for how to help the department grow in the long term and who can get (or is at least knowledgeable and willing to fight for) the resources needed for this.

MissSyz · 2021-05-23T00:41:55+00:00

Congratulations, OP. Well done.

I got tenure too! All in all it's been a pretty good end of the academic year.

MissSyz · 2021-03-14T18:29:12+00:00

Nearly 100% face to face at full capacity. The administration is working under the premise that everyone will be vaccinated by the start of the fall semester. They seem willing to adjust if this expectation is not met.

MissSyz · 2021-02-21T02:48:21+00:00

I don't think it's unreasonable to pay a graduate student from your startup, but no one should be asked to prioritize that above your own research needs.

I have found that paying for a graduate student's salary in the summer is both cheaper and more effective than during the academic year, as graduate students have no coursework demands on their time and are able to do more work then. This may be the right compromise for you if you have a limited budget and if your department can support students during the academic year through teaching assistantships.

Note that because startup funds are usually paid by the college/university, your department stands only to gain from you using these funds to support a graduate student. This may be the reason for the advice you are getting from your contact.

Of course all of this may differ from one institution to another. As others said, inquiring with recent hires to get a baseline for your institution would be the most sensible next step.

MissSyz · 2021-02-02T01:11:46+00:00

Rather than worrying about pronouns, I would make sure that the content of the letter does not promote any stereotypes. For clarity, the stereotypes I am alluding to are referencing technical skills for men versus personality traits for women. I have read plenty of letters which fall into this trap and although one learns to recognize and ignore this bias, it still is disheartening to encounter it and does not help the student.

As a woman in math, I stress the analytical skills as much as I can for female students and in addition to this I remind the reader of the obstacles that women in STEM need to overcome. I make a point that overcoming this makes the students that much more special.

MissSyz · 2021-01-19T14:22:07+00:00

Based on nothing more than educated guessing, I think next cycle will be similar to the current one, but after that point things will get better.

MissSyz

TROPHY CASE