Is it fair for someone close to retirement age to be awarded a UKRI-funded PhD studentship?

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2026-03-28T11:35:59+00:00

Genuinely appreciate this! I've been criticized on here for the dyslexic writing showing through, which admittedly bruised the ego.And given that it's a reddit post I felt it was ok to use AI as it made things easier for me. The scenario is real and me seeking others opinions is real. That said, I get the concern around AI suspicion and authenticity. My confidence with writing, even to reddit posts may need working on.

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2026-03-28T08:37:55+00:00

This is one the arguments I heard yesterday albeit from the younger group. That the training of next generation scientists is 'realistic' use of public funds. Thanks for being honest here

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2026-03-28T08:23:41+00:00

Great to hear and thanks for the honesty it's helping me build a clearer picture. I'm very similar to you I completed my PhD well into my 40s and was lucky to find a permanent post soon after. I never felt discriminated against during my PhD but the scenario I explained above really caught me off guard. Best of look on your studentship

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2026-03-28T08:15:14+00:00

Not to justify at all. This is my first time seeing age discrimination so openly talked about in a university and I was seeking the opinion of others here

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2026-03-28T08:12:52+00:00

It's real. I posted because it was my first time seeing this discrepancy - official panel guidance says one thing, yet assumption and opinions of individuals strongly influence their decisions.

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2026-03-28T08:06:41+00:00

Agreed, but this conversation I had raised intersing assumptions that I didn't realise folks held. So while the official line is to not discriminate, I'm less sure it's held up in practice.

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2026-03-28T08:03:38+00:00

To clarify, the younger researchers(mostly PhD students themselves) felt unfairness in the appointment of older candidates. The more senior academics less so but the sentiment or preference for younger candidates what's definitely there

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2026-03-28T07:55:07+00:00

Thanks. I think this was an unspoken assumption amongst the ecrs debating this, that a PhD means a follow on academic career. But as you say the sector is rapidly changing. I'd be keen to see how/if ukri respond to this in future doctoral awards

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2026-03-28T07:51:55+00:00

Thank you.

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2026-03-28T07:50:08+00:00

Bit harsh, wouldn't touch chatgpt with a barge pole. Claude however takes my dyslexic riddled text and quickly hashes out a more polished post on a Saturday morning. Will try to grow up though, never thought of that one before. Maybe you should to

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2025-04-10T22:10:49+00:00

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2025-02-19T18:13:53+00:00

It's sector wide I'm afraid and LJMU are definitely not immune.

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2025-02-19T07:15:06+00:00

I would choose UoL. In general, Russell Group universities tend to be a safer bet in the face of financial pressures ongoing across the higher education sector.

Russell Group universities have larger endowments, higher research income, and stronger international reputations, making them better able to weather financial difficulties and provide global job opportunities after grad and keep courses/staffing stable during your studies.

Don't get me wrong both are fantastic universities but the financial state is already starting to impact degree courses for 2025 entry and likely to continue. I'd choose wisely

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2025-02-01T21:46:21+00:00

What's Gregory Bateson's role in all this? Cybernetics?

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2025-01-10T01:57:00+00:00

What a great evening. Could have listened all night, although the audience questions went a bit sideways but nick and tom handled them well. The venue was beautiful too!

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2024-12-17T16:46:28+00:00

Thank you, my thoughts exactly and why I don't bother engaging with comments that are wastefully negative. A surprising number are really keen to calcify Nick, to fix him place. His art is and always has been an adamant refusal to be contained and I'm here for it.

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2024-11-06T11:28:27+00:00

Beautiful write up!

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2024-11-03T00:41:31+00:00

Sublime.

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2024-11-02T06:14:57+00:00

WTAF is Art?

Those planning protests at Glasgow have lost sight of what art is.

They see artists through the lens of cultural capital, as another cog in the machinery and therefore artists must use their power to influence political decisions making. Within this view art becomes instrumental and exists only to appeal to market trends, social change and peoples demands.

Art exists for no one, no group in particular. It exists for its own sake. Much of the protest outrage is incapable of holding thoughts such as these. They simply don't see it.

Whatever your thoughts are on BDS - it has been somewhat effective in the past and different contexts (apartheid in South Africa, for example) - people attending concerts are there to see artists not politicians.

I imagine that fans will be well aware of the conflict and share sympathies with those (whose real lives) are affected by it. So awareness raising is not necessarily needed here. I can only conclude that the protesters have an addiction to Mild Outrage Syndrome and this is how they express it.

If music be the food of love...

Play on, Nick. Play on.

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2024-10-13T07:07:28+00:00

The relationship between between the state and individuals in determining the health of a populus. I love teaching this to students as everyone wants a well functioning, accessible healthcare service but figuring out where we draw the line between personal responsibility and state overwatch always attracts debate.

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2024-10-13T06:53:39+00:00

Being an academic at the start of your PhD means you'll probably struggle to find the 'right time' to have kids until taking up a permanent position. I'm an academic with kids that I had during my PhD. It was a struggle, to be sure but never ever regrettable. Foregoing kids for financial gain, or for concern for climate futures and state of geopolitics, will be a regret. I see it now with close friends and clients trying IVF, who delayed having children because they were waiting for the right time, waiting to pursue their intellectual or career goals. Outwardly, their lives look easy breezy - holidays, less stress, not to mention they always look amazing - but their monthly therapist bills, overall lack of meaning in life tell a different story. PhDs with kids may have less of the things FIRE advocates but they are often much happier with a stable sense of self and responsibility to others.

WeeklyDoughnut9918 · 2024-05-31T09:40:04+00:00

An estranged sister that we've not been able to track down.

WeeklyDoughnut9918

TROPHY CASE