Just came back from holidays and found yourself staring at your calendar that’s full of conferences? I can almost hear the inner debate you’re having. Instead of keeping this internal dialogue to yourself, Reese decided to ask this question out loud: Should I go to every conference? Dear Reese, No. What are you? An olympic world record holder in breaking the space-time continuum? No, that’s ...[Read More]
Is it hot? Is it cold? I don’t know anymore. I really need holidays or better: early, very early, retirement. Anyway, what we need is a bit of sassiness in the mix. So let’s make July a bit sassy. Yikes, it sounds like an election campaign. I don’t like it, never mind. What were we doing? Ah, yes, sassy. So, Ryu asks: How do I rediscover the joy of science? Dear Ryu, Tough audience question found ...[Read More]
Is it summer already? Have we come to the horrendous deadline period before the holidays? I know it’s impossible, but when you close your eyes, do you imagine the sea or the mountains? (Choose your fighter: Lapras or Machamp.) Luckily, we have a question that will give you a break from all this and act as a refreshment for that hot weather. I guess Emi is preparing for the holidays with the family ...[Read More]
One thing that the COVID pandemic has left us is the flexibility to attend a conference either in person or virtually. This has been the case for the last three editions of the EGU GA. As the deadline for an expected conference approaches, we face the dilemma of whether to attend it in person or opt for the virtual experience. Louis is asking: Should I fly to attend this conference or should I wat ...[Read More]
This unstable weather and academia where PhD students are often treated like rare species – elusive, misunderstood, and occasionally overlooked in the grand canopy of academia – always bring me down: I can’t help but feel a bit under the weather (do not throw anything at me, pls). So John asks: Is it fair to exclude PhD students from staff activities and meetings, and how can I challenge thi ...[Read More]
From 22°C December to 6°C (end of) March… Something feels off. Maybe the climate also decided to change fields. So Denise asks: How feasible is it to change your field as a postdoc when you’re terrified of being ghosted by hiring committees or getting rejection letters? Dear Denise, Sure. I mean, why not? Changing to a new field as a postdoc is like stepping into uncharted territory: e ...[Read More]
Has the ocean temperature risen again? Are you tired of dressing like an onion to adapt to 15 degrees of change in a day? Here we have a cooling question. Peter asks: If you had infinite funding, what would you do? Dear Peter, If I had infinite funding, you’d find me setting up my new office at the bottom of the Mariana Trench – because if you’re going big, might as well go seven miles deep, ...[Read More]
In the labyrinth of scientific research, one often finds themselves at the crossroads of data accessibility and the desire to reuse and build upon other people’s work. All too frequently, results are presented in a format that cannot be read by the computer. Does your favourite Geochemistry paper come with a PDF table, but no excel spreadsheet on the sight? Been there. Wondering what lies beneath ...[Read More]
Congratulations, you resilient academic warrior! You’ve made it through the year without evaporating like a snowflake in July. Now, brace yourself for the gift I’ve carefully curated just for you. Spoiler alert: It’s not a reset button for life, though I’m sure some folks desperately need one. Now, let’s unwrap the gift of wisdom. Leena asks: Sometimes, I feel like I ...[Read More]
While we are getting this close to unwrapping our advent calendars, here is a question that will keep us away from the first chocolate for a bit. Rowan asks: How do I tell my partner who is also in academia to talk less about work outside the office? Dear Rowan, Oh, this question hits home for many academics. Seriously, though. I don’t know the exact statistics but let me have a quick search…. Wel ...[Read More]