Saying no

I was talking with a friend, recently, who was feeling very overwhelmed by the many responsibilities on her plate. This friend was feeling conflicted because people kept asking her to do more (often presented as a great opportunity), and she really felt that she couldn't take on any more responsibilities. However, she also didn't want … Continue reading Saying no

January 2022 round-up

On a personal level, January was really trying. If I tell you that child 2 breaking his wrist was the least stressful part of January, you can get an idea. Anyway, I will spare you the details, and focus on the professional side, instead. On the writing front, I worked on major revisions to a … Continue reading January 2022 round-up

Balancing the multiple sides of academic life

I recently did a talk about how to balance teaching, research and administrative roles, as part of a career in higher education. As academics, we are expected to excel at three types of tasks: teaching, research, and administrative roles. For teaching, the work is cyclical, done in short, intense bursts; requires strong communication skills; and … Continue reading Balancing the multiple sides of academic life

This blog is 12 – Some thoughts on thinking through how best to get your message out there

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash As of this week, I have been blogging for 12 years. It's my 12th blogday. My most popular post was published in 2017; the second, in 2011; the third, in 2010. That 2017 post is still attracting a steady stream of visitors which is an example of a key feature of blog … Continue reading This blog is 12 – Some thoughts on thinking through how best to get your message out there

What I have been reading #7

In 2021, I set myself the goal of reading more and of reading more widely. To help me with accountability, I started sharing short reviews on Instagram and, later, here on the blog. However, these reviews turned into so much more than a record of what I had read, that I decided to continue doing … Continue reading What I have been reading #7

December 2021 round-up

I know from experience and logical reasoning that December is a tricky month because of the "busyness" of the end of term, the school holidays, the festivities, and, of course, the many little things that life always has a way of throwing at you. This time, child 2 fractured a finger which meant spending 4 … Continue reading December 2021 round-up

Musical diary 2021

It’s that time of the year when I share the playlist of songs that marked the past 12 months, an initiative inspired by a practice by Austin Kleon. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2fiChExzGDknAI4C3HKXWm?si=32d526ce6c6a4b60 There are songs connected to Covid-19, too, of course. For instance, track 4 is part of a YouTube video that I usually show in my class, … Continue reading Musical diary 2021

The easiest, safest, fastest way to save someone’s life

A couple of weeks ago, I came across a paper where the authors had used machine learning to discover the best predictors of blood donations. Why was this an important application? Because blood donations save lives; and because, despite its importance, blood harvesting is, usually, a not for profit venture. Thus, any insight that can … Continue reading The easiest, safest, fastest way to save someone’s life

The Race for a Vaccine

This week, I had my Covid-19 booster jab, which came with some nasty side effects. I was feeling very sorry for myself – on the one hand, unable to sleep because my arm hurt; on the other, unable to do much else because of high fever and a splitting headache. So, I decided to revisit Intelligence … Continue reading The Race for a Vaccine

What I have been reading #6

16th book of 2021 - “Jog On” by Bella Mackie Neither brilliant prose, nor glorious storytelling. This book reads like a chat with the author about how exercise - or, rather, running - has helped her and many others to manage anxiety, panic attacks and other mental health problems. And maybe that’s the right tone … Continue reading What I have been reading #6