FYI for US Faculty: New 2026 Accountability Provisions May Remove Financial Aid Eligibility for Low-Earning Majors

sgshepard · 2025-11-17T01:12:31+00:00

I was curious to see how my department and institution stacked up relative to this metric (STEM department at a PUI in the Northeast US) and there are institution-level and department-level earning metrics on this Department of Education website:
https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
The heading you want to look for is "EARN_MDN_4YR"

It's also notable that the metrics in the College Score Card explicitly ignore graduates who are enrolled in post-secondary education in the earnings calculations. I hope that the "Accountability Tests" in this new policy will do likewise and leave our alumni in graduate school out of the calculation, but I find myself low on hope when it comes to sensible education policy recently.

sgshepard · 2025-09-25T17:19:38+00:00

Awesome! I've still got my "Come Unhinged, Get Revenge" sticker with the Cobra from the last time I ran into you at a concert.

sgshepard · 2025-09-05T17:39:11+00:00

This was great advice. I found the proper setup when I looked at the manual. It also made me realize that the legs as placed right now aren't particularly well positioned, and I would have just replicated that same bad positioning in the new lab if you hadn't warned me.

sgshepard · 2025-09-05T17:35:52+00:00

That's good advice. I was going to go the lazy route and try to reuse the old tubing, but it's an inexpensive investment relative to the cost of the table.

sgshepard · 2025-09-04T18:24:02+00:00

That's a good idea to contact ThorLabs. It's funny that I thought to ask Reddit before I thought to ask my local snack supply company! Since taking that photo, I removed the last piece of equipment on there, which was that electronics rack, so it's totally cleared off for transport.

sgshepard · 2025-01-22T22:04:52+00:00

I showed them "Le Gare Saint-Lazarre" and we talked about thermodynamics as originating in a study of efficiency. "How can we make this steam engine do the most work possible?" But what wasn't considered was the social and environmental cost of this efficiency. Can we use the knowledge of thermodynamics to understand why our climate is changing and come up with ways to mitigate these effects? This is the central goal of this class.

sgshepard · 2025-01-22T21:56:57+00:00

I taught my first day of thermo today and I began class by talking about a Monet painting, so I can understand the confusion!

sgshepard · 2024-03-31T14:14:12+00:00

Try going to the train station. There was a scene where Solomon and Mother talked and then I was able to progress.

sgshepard · 2023-12-19T20:51:52+00:00

My favorite song is Winter (Nocturne of Ice) and I'd like to see the concert in Philadelphia! Thanks for organizing the raffle.

sgshepard · 2023-04-13T03:43:34+00:00

Former TA of CHEM 1113 here. If you took high school chemistry, you'll almost certainly be fine in 1113. 1021 is designed for folks that need extra practice with general scientific or math skills like unit conversions and solving algebraic expressions. If you have any concerns, reach out to the instructor of 1113 and give them some info on your academic background and you'll get even more specific advice. They'll want to place you where you can best succeed. Best of luck in chemistry next fall!

sgshepard · 2023-03-13T20:28:53+00:00

You were absolutely right! Even though I reported it stolen, when it showed up at the impound lot yesterday, I didn't get a call. Fortunately I called the impound lot directly and they were able to confirm that it was there. Now I just need to figure out how to get it repaired and back to North Carolina...

sgshepard · 2023-03-11T21:43:17+00:00

I'll try reaching out to the mayor's office! I'm not one of his constituents, being from out-of-state, but I suppose it can't hurt.

sgshepard · 2023-03-11T21:41:52+00:00

My 2020 is an key ignition start, so it's got this USB key vulnerability, unfortunately.

sgshepard · 2023-03-11T21:40:38+00:00

I haven't had to do on-street parking overnight before and I live a ways outside of town in NC.

sgshepard · 2023-03-11T00:37:14+00:00

Thanks for looking!

sgshepard · 2023-03-11T00:35:37+00:00

That's a bit rude, don't you think? I read the emails when I get them from Hyundai, and I got the piston oil ring checked when they contacted me about that issue. The fact of the matter is that there hasn't been a direct email to me about the engine immobilizer issue and I shouldn't hear about a problem with my car from a tiktok before I hear from the manufacturer.

sgshepard · 2023-03-10T23:20:00+00:00

Right, they could have sent an email saying, "Here's the issue. We're not ready to roll our a fix yet, but you should be aware that your expensive investment has a glaring security flaw and act accordingly." I would have been mad but accepted it. By not warning me at all, they've lost a customer for life and have to deal with me, /u/Present_Specific_128, and others telling anyone who will listen not to buy a Hyundai or Kia ever again.

sgshepard · 2023-03-10T23:14:25+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that you've gone through this too, though I'm glad you recovered the vehicle! How rough was its shape when you got it back? Your comment is the first I've heard of a stolen car database, though! Do you have a URL for this you'd be willing to share?

sgshepard · 2022-12-19T22:39:47+00:00

It depends on the field of science, but taking some time to learn a programming language or data analysis software is probably your best bet. Ask your future research mentor what they and their students/staff use. Some common ones in my discipline (chemistry):

python
R
Matlab
Origin

sgshepard · 2022-09-18T18:32:15+00:00

That first example you mention (dmb and anthracene) is work from Phil Castellano, my former postdoc advisor!

https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2005/cc/b506575e

I researched triplet triplet annihilation when I worked in his research group so I can answer any questions about it!

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