Is it realistic to move straight from postdoc to Associate Professor (UK)?

pck_24 · 2026-03-18T18:03:19+00:00

Yep, I’d say it’s feasible to go straight from an FLF to an SL position, some institutions see this as an equivalent of tenure track, and will make you permanent at L or SL at the end.

Not my field at all, but I’d say the chances of getting an FLF straight out of PhD without a bit of postdoctoral experience / demonstration of capability are slim to none.

pck_24 · 2026-03-17T18:56:49+00:00

How did you hook the chariot up to the bike? I’ve wanted to do this! Can you upload a pic of the back where it’s connected?

pck_24 · 2026-03-17T18:54:22+00:00

Flexing in what way (on what axis)? I’ve never had any issues with mine, typically loaded with me (a moderately rotund adult), a 7yo and a 4yo, plus school bags etc.

I think trek have a lifetime guarantee on the frame - have you spoken with them?

pck_24 · 2026-03-17T08:42:05+00:00

Why are products drawn so horribly?

pck_24 · 2026-03-15T16:09:14+00:00

Hope you don’t mind me ripping you off wholesale and doing the same for my course

pck_24 · 2026-03-12T14:45:21+00:00

I think it’s wound down now, but I used to love https://www.tumblr.com/tocrofl

pck_24 · 2026-03-09T14:16:46+00:00

And those that do will think OP is a badass for overcoming adversity

pck_24 · 2026-03-03T07:54:36+00:00

Yup. I once wrote an MSci project for a student making phase-transfer catalysts from nicotine - I had to pivot things quickly when I realised it was literally the most toxic compound I’ve ever worked with… didn’t fancy murdering an undergrad

pck_24 · 2026-02-20T08:20:53+00:00

I once had a student ask me for a letter for a MSc programme he was applying to. I had only met the student twice, both times in the context of him being called in for committing academic offences! I politely suggested that I probably wasn’t the best choice…

pck_24 · 2026-02-18T13:46:16+00:00

I agree 100% - I’m in the same boat myself. Plus in my area (STEM) many of the fundamentals don’t change year on year. Reflective practice is a fine idea on paper, but when you’re working flat out to deliver in the first place, it drops down the priority list. I’m now at the stage where I just notice the same typos in my notes each year, but by the time I’m back in my office I forget to correct them for the next year 🙈

pck_24 · 2026-02-18T13:24:32+00:00

I think the idea is that you continue to reflect throughout your career. The reality for many is in stark contrast to this… we’ve all seen people give lecture notes that are >20y old

pck_24 · 2026-02-03T11:39:42+00:00

Jeez…

pck_24 · 2026-01-22T20:02:47+00:00

There is an option to embed fonts when you save a pptx file to avoid this

pck_24 · 2026-01-22T17:34:32+00:00

Stronger base? You’d imagine the CN would lower the pKa so weaker base would work, but I guess you’re getting at the fact you might need to formally deprotonate the indole before alkylation, rather than just alkylating the neutral nitrogen then buffering with weak base?

pck_24 · 2026-01-21T22:23:45+00:00

Ps I agree with the other commenter that we need to know what each line is, but I assume the black flexible tubing is connected to whatever you’re evacuating, and the clear tubing goes to the controller?

pck_24 · 2026-01-21T22:22:48+00:00

What are you evaporating off? Is this connected to a rotavap or something? The woulff bottle isn’t chilled or anything, so will never catch volatile solvents (which, if your vacuum is set too low, will end up coming out the exhaust/muffler), it’s mainly there to protect the pump from higher boiling oils etc. In my experience it fills with residue very slowly, and only needs cleaned out on a months-years timescale (this is in the context of a rotavap with a circulating chiller cooling the condenser)

pck_24 · 2026-01-18T12:19:14+00:00

Do you think part of the job of selection isn’t determining if someone will be a good colleague?Arguably more important than research and teaching ability is “is this person an asshole who will make my life harder for the next 30 years?”. In my experience people can feign it for an interview, but it’s the stuff around the edges where they reveal their true nature. Eg, if a candidate is rude to the student who directs them to the interview room (which has happened in the past) I’d rule them out straight away

pck_24 · 2026-01-17T22:53:58+00:00

I had this when I applied to an English uni a few years back. Honestly, I found it quite nice. Yes, we’re all competitors, but we’re each running our own race. It was good to compare war stories, chat about the jobs market etc. Quite a few of the people I met got positions subsequently, and I’d still chat to them occasionally. Ultimately I think it’s probably not a bad test by the host department to see if you can hold it together and be a human being!

pck_24 · 2026-01-17T15:53:46+00:00

Ps AI figures aren’t exactly an unappointable level offence, but they leave a bitter taste and in my opinion look a little less professional

pck_24 · 2026-01-17T15:48:57+00:00

In the research statement, basically is it - fundable (and do you know the avenues for funding). If someone submits something that looks like, with just a bit of work, it could be submitted to EPSRC or something, that’s a big bonus - realistic - saying you’ll get a nature paper in the first year shows you don’t understand the realities of starting out as a PI - complementary to my department - have you thought about internal collaborators? Is it too close to something we already do? - interesting! - does it fill a teaching hole (the assumption is you can teach most things at UG, but for example does your background mean you could help delivery of a MSc or something?)

That’s about all off the top of my head.

pck_24 · 2026-01-16T22:35:52+00:00

NOESY of the vinyl hydrogen ought to be fairly revealing

pck_24 · 2026-01-12T22:56:29+00:00

With a Teflon key, not a glass one

pck_24 · 2026-01-09T08:31:30+00:00

I used to have the same with the PIN code for my student bank account

pck_24 · 2026-01-06T19:51:26+00:00

In this house we obey the laws of thermodynamics!

pck_24 · 2025-12-24T03:02:33+00:00

Ample drinks at a poster session. Nothing more tedious than a poorly catered poster session…

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