“Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to establish a database or network of PhD students at universities in the country and details of their work so as to create a portal into this important state resource …” (more)
[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 15 February]
“Call it the ultimate exercise in brevity. Or the digital equivalent of an academic elevator pitch. Just don’t call it simple …” (more)
[Nick DeSantis, Chronicle of Higher Education, 13 January]
“On the evening before All Saints’ Day in 1517, Martin Luther nailed 95 theses to the door of a church in Wittenberg. In those days a thesis was simply a position one wanted to argue …” (more)
[Economist, 16 December]
“US universities are producing consistent numbers of history PhDs, regardless of demand, according to a new report by Robert Townsend for the American Historical Association …” (more)
[Stephen Matchett, The Australian, 29 December]
“The Irish Research Council for Science Engineering and Technology (IRCSET) was established in June 2001. In 2002 the postgraduate research scholarship awards were launched, followed the next year by the postdoctoral fellowship awards …” (more)
[Conor O'Carroll, Irish Times, 24 November]
“Piled Higher and Deeper – the popular PhD comic – has been made into a movie. The movie is touring campuses around the world. Find a screening near you, or watch the trailer …” (more, video)
[Erika Cule, Blogging the PhD, 6 November]
“First 2011 brought us a Nobel prize in Physics. Now Australia can also boast the winner of the Science Magazine ‘Dance your PhD’ award. University of Western Australia PhD student Joel Miller has taken out the top prize in the contest, which invited doctoral students across the world to explain their PhDs through interpretive dance …” (more)
[Megan Clement, The Conversation, 21 October]
“When in 1978 one of my lecturers advised me to do a PhD, I followed the advice for one reason only: I had developed a strong curiosity about my proposed research theme (bless my enthusiasm!) and I wanted the opportunity to dig deep. I did not have the slightest concern about what this would do for me in career terms …” (more)
[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 7 October]
“Money is the most pressing concern for European doctoral students, according to the first Europewide survey of working conditions for young researchers, which is set to be released today. The study also found that many PhD students aren’t fully aware of their contractual rights and obligations …” (more)
[Barbara Casassus, ScienceInsider, 30 September]
“… Prompted by Orla Murphy and Cal Duggan, the college asked students to present their work in a unique and accessible way to second-level students and members of the general public. The method chosen was called Pecha Kucha, and it limits the presenter to explaining their work in a PowerPoint presentation with 20 slides and imposing a time limit of 20 seconds narrative per slide …” (more)
[Brian O'Connell, Irish Times, 16 September]
“Tuition fees for research degrees are set to increase, in the UK at least. Many people are going to start thinking about whether their research degree represents value for money. I thought I would bring together the two themes of fees and how assertive you can be with your supervisor. I think it’s fair to say that everyone will have a different opinion on this and I expect a lot of comments – so let the discussion commence! …” (more)
[Sarah Louise Quinell, The Thesis Whisperer, 23 August]
“Much attention has been paid to the problems graduates face in finding jobs in the current economic climate. However, spare a thought for PhD students who, especially in the humanities and social sciences, may be in an even worse position. At the heart of the problem is the adverse effect of the government’s cuts on universities, traditionally the primary destination for newly-minted doctorates …” (more)
[Matthew Partridge, Guardian, 12 August]
The University of Sussex has created a dedicated study space and locus of activity for doctoral researchers and research staff. The project’s creators explain the thinking behind it …” (more)
[Craig Haslop and others, Guardian Professional, 8 August]
“My dramatically-titled blog post is a little in jest … but at the same time, my PhD is driving me utterly insane. My motivation levels are at level zero because for the past three weeks I have done nothing but read, revise, write, re-write, plan and re-plan over and over again. As a result of being asked to re-work my chapter in order to pass through to second year, my brain has decided to embrace apathy, fear and stupidity! …” (more)
[The Plath Diaries, 21 July]
“Enabling innovative thinking is the raw material of prosperity, says Laura O’Brien, who saw for herself the fruit of state investment in the country’s PhD population. The in-depth work that is undertaken by Ireland’s researchers can drive economic and social growth, improving the lives of everyone through their discoveries …” (more)
[Silicon Republic, 7 July]
“Well I am officially post-Viva now and what better day to start blogging again than Bloomsday! This day is not only important to literature because of its Joyce connection but Bloomsday 1956 was the day that Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes married! And what a contribution to literature that match made! …” (more)
[The Plath Diaries, 16 June]
“I co-supervise a student, who surprised us at lunchtime last week by saying: ‘I just don’t care anymore. What ever changes you suggest, I’ll do. I want this thing out of my life”’. Whenever I hear this sentiment I am relieved because I know the student has reached an important stage in the PhD process: Detachment …” (more)
[HT: Eoin O'Dell]
[The Thesis Whisperer, 17 May]
“A few years ago, when I was still teaching at Yale, I was approached by a student who was interested in going to graduate school. She had her eye on Columbia; did I know someone there she could talk with? I did, an old professor of mine. But when I wrote to arrange the introduction, he refused to even meet with her. ”I won’t talk to students about graduate school anymore,” he explained. “Going to grad school’s a suicide mission’ …” (more)
[HT: Stephen Schwartz]
[William Deresiewicz, The Nation, 4 May]
“More than 10 years ago the government recognised the need to invest in high-quality research as a key driver for economic and social development. The universities argued successfully to be the main location for State investment in RD as opposed to establishing independent research institutes …” (more)
[Conor O'Carroll, Irish Times, 28 April]
“The system of PhD education in the United States and many other countries is broken and unsustainable, and needs to be reconceived. In many fields, it creates only a cruel fantasy of future employment that promotes the self-interest of faculty members at the expense of students …” (more)
[Mark Taylor, Nature News, 20 April]
