The Props Thread! - Page 6

krisk · 04-30-2009, 04:56 PM

maybe I'll take pictures and post them tonight?

badgoodDeb · 04-30-2009, 05:10 PM

We'd LOVE to see piccies!!

krisk · 04-30-2009, 05:13 PM

ok *g* provided I am not in disaster mode I'll do that!

nekokami · 05-01-2009, 11:12 AM

Props: I had a meeting yesterday with the director and two other faculty at the "Center for Teaching Excellence" here at the university where I work, and not only are they interested in sponsoring my proposed dissertation topic, but they are also willing to provide a 4-credit independent study for some of the prep work.

(And there might be some employment possibilities later, which would be nice, as the education department won't hire its own graduates and I hate moving.)

krisk · 05-01-2009, 11:18 AM

how fantastic neko! I've never understood the bit about not hiring graduates in the academic world. I suppose they are afraid of nepotism?

Quote:

Originally Posted by krisk

ok *g* provided I am not in disaster mode I'll do that!

it was far too dark when I finally got around to taking pictures, maybe today *g*.

zelda_pinwheel · 05-01-2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

Props: I had a meeting yesterday with the director and two other faculty at the "Center for Teaching Excellence" here at the university where I work, and not only are they interested in sponsoring my proposed dissertation topic, but they are also willing to provide a 4-credit independent study for some of the prep work.

(And there might be some employment possibilities later, which would be nice, as the education department won't hire its own graduates and I hate moving.)

congratulations neko !! that's wonderful news !

Xenophon · 05-01-2009, 11:29 AM

I can't speak for neko's department, but can explain the reasoning here at CMU. In the Computer Science department (and now in the much larger "School of Computer Science" which includes many departments, institutes, etc.), we have long had a bias against hiring our own Ph.D.s -- unless they've been out in the world for a while. The issue is not nepotism, but rather "group-think." For a research university, it would be a very bad thing to wind up with institutional blinders on; group-think increases the possibility that we will fail to investigate worthy ideas that don't fit the existing preconceptions of the current set of academics.

Some benefits of external hiring include:

A bias against hiring our own students leads to more hiring of people from other schools, which also leads to more mixing of ideas.
Technology transfer works best when the technology is carried by people who are familiar with the new ideas. Sending our students out away from our university helps spread their (and our) ideas more widely and increases our impact on the real world.

Xenophon

P.S. I also note that only one of the top-3 Computer Science graduate programs in the world has a bias towards hiring its own graduates (that would be MIT). The other 2 -- Carnegie Mellon and Stanford -- share the bias against hiring our own grads. As does U.C. Berkeley, which comes next in the rankings.

P.P.S Graduate school rankings in computer science are a bit odd. CMU, MIT, and Stanford have been in a 3-way tie for "best in the world" for about the last 30 years or more. UCBerkeley sometimes is rated #1 also (making is a 4-way tie), at other times they are ranked by themselves in the #2 spot just after the others. There's been no significant change in those top spots since the mid-late 1960s.

krisk · 05-01-2009, 11:34 AM

way back when I viewed the world through rose coloured glasses I wanted to go to the University of Colorado (born and raised in Boulder), earn a history degree, and turn around and spend my life teaching there. when I found out that could not happen... well, life took a very interesting turn.

nekokami · 05-01-2009, 11:56 AM

I understand the policy against hiring program graduates, actually. Though in my case, a lot would have to change in the department before they'd consider hiring me anyway. The issue is not so much perpetuation of group-think, but insufficient conformity with the department philosophy.

ShortNCuddlyAm · 05-01-2009, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

Props: I had a meeting yesterday with the director and two other faculty at the "Center for Teaching Excellence" here at the university where I work, and not only are they interested in sponsoring my proposed dissertation topic, but they are also willing to provide a 4-credit independent study for some of the prep work.

(And there might be some employment possibilities later, which would be nice, as the education department won't hire its own graduates and I hate moving.)

That's great news!

phenomshel · 06-13-2009, 06:22 PM

I'm done with that infernal Algebra class! I ended up with an A (I don't know the exact number grade because I also got a 100 on the post-test, which will count for extra credit).
After tomorrow, Chris will be finished with his Bachelor's Degree program. We each get until July 6 off from classes, then I move to the next session (Speech and Pharmacology), and Chris starts for his Master's Degree. But I never ever ever have to take another math class!!

Verencat · 06-13-2009, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phenomshel

I'm done with that infernal Algebra class! I ended up with an A (I don't know the exact number grade because I also got a 100 on the post-test, which will count for extra credit).
After tomorrow, Chris will be finished with his Bachelor's Degree program. We each get until July 6 off from classes, then I move to the next session (Speech and Pharmacology), and Chris starts for his Master's Degree. But I never ever ever have to take another math class!!

Congratulations! Excellent grade!

phenomshel · 06-13-2009, 07:54 PM

Thanks

I'm so happy!!!
Now I have a nearly three week break from classes

GeoffC · 06-14-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Thanks

I'm so happy!!!
Now I have a nearly three week break from classes

congratulations

you now have more time to spend reading, and reading, and reading, and posting here on MR ....

maths is great - from a long distance away and looked at with the wrong end of a pair of binoculars ......

GeoffC · 06-14-2009, 11:17 AM

.....said he married to a maths genius ....

05-01-2009, 11:29 AM	#82
Xenophon curmudgeon Posts: 1,487 Karma: 5748190 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Redwood City, CA USA Device: Kobo Aura HD, (ex)nook, (ex)PRS-700, (ex)PRS-500	I can't speak for neko's department, but can explain the reasoning here at CMU. In the Computer Science department (and now in the much larger "School of Computer Science" which includes many departments, institutes, etc.), we have long had a bias against hiring our own Ph.D.s -- unless they've been out in the world for a while. The issue is not nepotism, but rather "group-think." For a research university, it would be a very bad thing to wind up with institutional blinders on; group-think increases the possibility that we will fail to investigate worthy ideas that don't fit the existing preconceptions of the current set of academics. Some benefits of external hiring include: A bias against hiring our own students leads to more hiring of people from other schools, which also leads to more mixing of ideas. Technology transfer works best when the technology is carried by people who are familiar with the new ideas. Sending our students out away from our university helps spread their (and our) ideas more widely and increases our impact on the real world. Xenophon P.S. I also note that only one of the top-3 Computer Science graduate programs in the world has a bias towards hiring its own graduates (that would be MIT). The other 2 -- Carnegie Mellon and Stanford -- share the bias against hiring our own grads. As does U.C. Berkeley, which comes next in the rankings. P.P.S Graduate school rankings in computer science are a bit odd. CMU, MIT, and Stanford have been in a 3-way tie for "best in the world" for about the last 30 years or more. UCBerkeley sometimes is rated #1 also (making is a 4-way tie), at other times they are ranked by themselves in the #2 spot just after the others. There's been no significant change in those top spots since the mid-late 1960s. Last edited by Xenophon; 05-01-2009 at 11:30 AM. Reason: fix emphasis

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04-30-2009, 04:56 PM	#76
krisk Wizard Posts: 2,148 Karma: 8229 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: on the road again Device: kindle	maybe I'll take pictures and post them tonight?

04-30-2009, 05:10 PM	#77
badgoodDeb Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,544 Karma: 64462893 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Harrisburg outskirts Device: Palms, K1-4s, iPads, iPhones, KV, KO1	We'd LOVE to see piccies!!

04-30-2009, 05:13 PM	#78
krisk Wizard Posts: 2,148 Karma: 8229 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: on the road again Device: kindle	ok g provided I am not in disaster mode I'll do that!

05-01-2009, 11:12 AM	#79
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Props: I had a meeting yesterday with the director and two other faculty at the "Center for Teaching Excellence" here at the university where I work, and not only are they interested in sponsoring my proposed dissertation topic, but they are also willing to provide a 4-credit independent study for some of the prep work. (And there might be some employment possibilities later, which would be nice, as the education department won't hire its own graduates and I hate moving.)

05-01-2009, 11:34 AM	#83
krisk Wizard Posts: 2,148 Karma: 8229 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: on the road again Device: kindle	way back when I viewed the world through rose coloured glasses I wanted to go to the University of Colorado (born and raised in Boulder), earn a history degree, and turn around and spend my life teaching there. when I found out that could not happen... well, life took a very interesting turn.

05-01-2009, 11:56 AM	#84
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	I understand the policy against hiring program graduates, actually. Though in my case, a lot would have to change in the department before they'd consider hiring me anyway. The issue is not so much perpetuation of group-think, but insufficient conformity with the department philosophy.

06-13-2009, 06:22 PM	#86
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	I'm done with that infernal Algebra class! I ended up with an A (I don't know the exact number grade because I also got a 100 on the post-test, which will count for extra credit). After tomorrow, Chris will be finished with his Bachelor's Degree program. We each get until July 6 off from classes, then I move to the next session (Speech and Pharmacology), and Chris starts for his Master's Degree. But I never ever ever have to take another math class!!

06-13-2009, 07:54 PM	#88
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Thanks I'm so happy!!! Now I have a nearly three week break from classes

06-14-2009, 11:17 AM	#90
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	.....said he married to a maths genius ....