On the wider theme of science and education, people sometimes ask me why I want to do a PhD (particularly in view of my recent rejections). The short answer is that I want to use it as a prelude to a career in research. And the reason I want to do research is partly that I want to keep studying, and actually cover new ground. In most companies, training is regarded as a necessary evil - you give up a few days for your staff to learn new skills, then you want them to use those skills repeatedly for the next couple of years, until the next upgrade comes along. The other motivation for research is that I want to do something worthwhile with my life - something that matters. The other reason for a PhD is a bit more shallow - I want the respect and recognition that comes with it. More specifically, I'm looking to get that from my peers. I already have vocational qualifications, and my former employers clearly valued my skills (based on my salary), but it's a bit like the Groucho Marx problem ("I don't want to belong to any club that would accept me as a member") - I want to impress the people who aren't impressed by me.
On the wider theme of science and education, people sometimes ask me why I want to do a PhD (particularly in view of my recent rejections). The short answer is that I want to use it as a prelude to a career in research. And the reason I want to do research is partly that I want to keep studying, and actually cover new ground. In most companies, training is regarded as a necessary evil - you give up a few days for your staff to learn new skills, then you want them to use those skills repeatedly for the next couple of years, until the next upgrade comes along. The other motivation for research is that I want to do something worthwhile with my life - something that matters. The other reason for a PhD is a bit more shallow - I want the respect and recognition that comes with it. More specifically, I'm looking to get that from my peers. I already have vocational qualifications, and my former employers clearly valued my skills (based on my salary), but it's a bit like the Groucho Marx problem ("I don't want to belong to any club that would accept me as a member") - I want to impress the people who aren't impressed by me.
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Ghostbusters (2016)
Tonight I went off to the BFI IMAX to watch the new Ghostbusters film. I'll get to my thoughts (with minor spoilers) below, but first a bit of…
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Eddie the Eagle
Tonight I went off to the cinema to watch Eddie the Eagle. This has a similar premise to Cool Runnings: both films are based on true stories, and…
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Secret Cinema: Back to the Future
Last year (August 2014), I went off to a Secret Cinema performance of "Back to the Future". The basic concept of Secret Cinema is immersion: they…
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