Reading to Nansen ;-)

My daughter is lost in the world of Crayola.

Enrico Rava is our soundtrack.

#caturday

… the sort of knowledge that is waiting to be taken down from old people is always on the brink of extinction… (George Ewart Evans, Ask the Fellows who Cut the Hay)

#oralhistory

A red kite came to check out the drone, which was pretty cool

Drugs are bad m’kay

#catsofmastodon

OK so it’s all crazy in UK Higher Ed right now but I’m still going to try my best to make sense of it all and support others as best as I can: doctoral education is particularly at risk.

It does not produce a financial surplus and *looks like* it can be delivered without much infrastructure. Emphasis on looks like: doctoral candidates deserve more than having to rely on the goodwill of their supervisor(s). That goodwill cannot be assumed, nor can their supervisory or developmental acumen. And don’t get me started on the regulatory complexity we are subject to which is a whole different ballgame to that of taught education (Undergrad and Taught Postgrad).

Good doctoral experience requires an ecosystem of support beyond the supervisory team. Those systems are being dismantled across the UK sector right now to save money. I’m trying to hold the line but I see challenges ahead.

Rant over.

(I am aware that the luxury of exercise is not equally available BTW and it wasn’t me that invoked it in the induction, but it is nonetheless true that PGRs, and my colleagues, could sometimes benefit from lifestyle changes… and not just ones involving physical exercise)

Preventing our climate from becoming more extreme means leaving fossil fuels in the ground. No new drilling in the North Sea.

Haha outed as a crazy cyclist by one of my colleagues at an induction event - he also gets up but to run before work. We’re trying to get postgraduate researchers to pay attention to their health and wellbeing and if I had known where he was going I would have mentioned ballroom dancing (which one of my PGRs did throughout her PhD) - doesn’t require such early starts. Or board gaming.

#cycling #BikeTooter #Commute #graduateschool

The job application process :lolsob:

The only ultra race I entered (and finished second from last) had a DQ for outside assistance. In that case it was the race leader (who otherwise would have won) in this case it’s a rather sadder story. Reading between the lines makes me wonder who was driving that van…

https://www.lostdot.cc/blog/max-aguts-tprno6-disqualification-report

#cycling #BikeTooter #tprno6

One of the most bizarre academic integrity stories I’ve read:

https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2026/oct/08/a-death-a-plagiarism-scandal-and-a-quest-for-revenge-the-bizarre-tale-of-otto-z

Reminded of this classic from @briannosek. Appears to be a de novo schema, but I am not 100% up to date on #BehaviorChange scholarship, so maybe it links up (or doesn't) with the wider literature in ways I don't know

https://www.cos.io/blog/strategy-for-culture-change

Make it required : policy
Make it rewarding: incentives
Make it normative: communities
Make it easy : user interface/experience
Make it possible: infrastructure

They're going to kill us all to build a beach resort.

Feeling better again so who knows

In other news I just received a drum kit performance warning.

Just did a mutual Strava follow with one of my senior colleagues. Now I have to make sure I mind my language in my ride titles. And not ride too far during working hours (whatever those are). I think it’ll be OK.

#cycling #BikeTooter

I think I may be ill: so much for these apps providing early warning (in my experience they often lag behind sensations).

Although who knows it could just be day after a tough ride to work and I’ll be fine tomorrow.

Haha Athlytic you lie (I feel completely destroyed).

Saw a fox on the way in (rather cold ride); currently waiting for my train home feeling very tired today.

#commute #BikeTooter #cycling

Dead last but stronger than last time for a 10 mile TT. Up on my age standard by quite a way. Went out too hard and struggled on the second half of the way out to the turn. Just over my FTP for the duration.

#zwift #cycling #BikeTooter