Comments on: The end of the golden weather.

By: Manjero testing. | Dark Brightness

Fri, 31 Jan 2014 06:12:48 +0000

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By: chrisgale

Sat, 18 Jan 2014 10:24:00 +0000

Tenure does not exist in nz. All academics are hired on short term contracts which are confirmed or made perminent within a short time: (you have five years to get it: I got confirmed in three).

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By: chrisgale

Sat, 18 Jan 2014 10:23:00 +0000

When it comes to big grants, politics matters: you need a track record (including pilot trials and proof of concept). But in NZ, everyone knows everyone anyway, and at times the connections get in the way.

Best example was and is Helen Clarke’s Husband… who is a sociologist, and does good work. But he was handicapped — no one wante to approve grants unless they were very good because it may be seen that they were doing it because he was married to “Hulun”.

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By: Butterfly Flower

Sat, 18 Jan 2014 08:08:00 +0000

Wait, are you talking about tenure, prestigious research positions, grants, etc. in Scientific Academia? ’cause I don’t know how things are in NZ, but here in America those sort-of positions have almost nothing to do with skill, and everything to do with politics. (For example, a Scientist offered a sought-after position happens to be married to a connected well-off doner)

Don’t worry, I’m still not 100% sure about Graduate school. In America there’s been massive layoffs in the biomedical field so its unlikely my degree would even lead to a career (well, unless of course I was interested in pursuing the dark art known as agricultural engineering).

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By: chrisgale

Sat, 18 Jan 2014 06:59:00 +0000

The issue is one of affirmative action. There are some women who do the work, and they need to be supported in that. But there are a fair number of women, and men with minority issues, that feel they just deserve that spot.

And, beyond a certain level (grad school in the USA, a level of promotion in other countries) this does not happen. To get beyond this level, you need to have performed, to have a track record.

If you hate writing research papers, do not do a MS or PhD. Boy or Girl, do something else.

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By: Butterfly Flower

Sat, 18 Jan 2014 06:42:00 +0000

“So yes, STEM is indeed easier for women. Everyone wants them to
succeed. Everyone needs them to succeed. No matter what the cost.”

I’m not particularly ambitious when it comes to earning my MSc (it’s a big commitment. & I hate writing research papers they’re boring) but I’ve received numerous internship offers (that I politely declined). I suspect I was only offered them because I’m a girl and they had to fill a quota.

There might be sexism in the really hard, obscure sciences like Theoretical Physics. But only because I imagine those fields are filled with obnoxious Sheldon Coopers 🙂

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