Hello and welcome back to the EGU Geodynamics blog in 2021! We are starting the new year of blogging with an exciting announcement: We will have a new monthly feature on the first Monday of the month called ‘The PhD Chronicles‘. Just pretend today is the first Monday of the month, please. It was right after New Year’s Eve, okay? I didn’t have time to write this sooner. Actu ...[Read More]
With a fresh start this year, Amaia is trying to forecast her scientific activities for the year. Weary by these thoughts, and considering last year’s efforts, she is puzzled: How do you re-energize yourself for a whole new (academically daunting) year? Dear Amaia, You don’t. Where did you get the idea from that re-energizing yourself is an actual thing for academics? You do realize that a couple ...[Read More]
Good news, everyone: 2020 is almost over! Your beloved EGU Geodynamics blog team is taking a 2-week break to recover from this extraordinary year. Or maybe ‘unprecedented’ is a better word? I am – of course – referring to the fact that 2020 has been the most successful blog year to date. Not at all the fact that there was a global pandemic this year. Nope. Absolutely not. T ...[Read More]
The Sassy Scientist has been a very good boy, slaving away at his fume cupboard and diligently hammering his keyboard. He therefore feels justified pinning his letter to Santa on the department noticeboard, putting on his favourite Christmas jumper, and hoping for more than a piece of anthracite in his stocking. What would the Sassy Scientist like for Christmas? Dear Father Christmas, I, the Sassy ...[Read More]
Ahhh analogue models… Those beautiful little (or not so little) worlds inside a box, captivatingly beautiful, impossibly detailed… (sorry, getting carried away, am I?). This week, Alex Hughes gives us the insider’s report on what actually goes on in analogue modelling labs when the “Experiment running, do not disturb!!” sign is on the door. Analogue models have been a ...[Read More]
Looking towards yet another submission extension, Cameron can see the end of 2020, but not of their thesis: After how many chapters and papers PhD thesis can be considered as ‘complete’? Dear Cameron, What do you mean chapters *and* papers?! In my vast experience examining PhD students, when they finally finish, they have chapters *or* papers (barely!). If you are fortunate to publish ...[Read More]
This week, Cédric Thieulot, Assistant Professor at The Department of Earth Science, in Utrecht, shows that there is no place for humor in peer reviewed scientific publications. Science is serious. It’s about experiments, theory, analysis, and for most of this readership maths, physics, chemistry, biology, geology and so much more. It’s serious business, with funding, promotion, titles, grants and ...[Read More]
It has been a while since Sun has published something. With working conditions improved, moral standards raised, publishing does and don’ts altered, the methods of funding acquisition have changed greatly during his quietude too. All puffed up again to get back in the game, Sun seeks to throw his hat in the ring: How can you make your research sexy more appealing? Dear Sun, Oh my … How ...[Read More]
Moving a country for a new job is a big step, but at the same time changing from an industry job to academics is definitely a leap in the unknown. This week Arushi Saxena, currently a post-doc at the University of Florida, writes about her experience taking these two steps at the same time. As geodynamicists, we are well aware that our numerical models are a function of the input parameters. A re ...[Read More]
Theeerre ish noffink quite so dangerereroush as ashkink a seeeriouss question of scieeence at 18h30 on a Friday. Rudi inshtead ashks the not-at-all, definitely-not, who-me, ashking-for-a-friend queshtion: Can I get drunk at Friday Beers? Dear Rudi, Your question has more answers than asking a conference of geodynamicists what’s the best wine? With movement and beer restrictions in place, the ...[Read More]