PhD graduation ceremony-part2

Following previous post (http://limchoonkiat-ck.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/phd-graduation-ceremony.html), videos below showed speech by our chancellor and the moment where I received scroll.

PhD graduation ceremony

Yeah! Officially completed PhD at Exeter Uni. Attended graduation ceremony last month. Unlike Malaysia, I like the fact that the flow of events here is simple as there is no so many speeches from VIPs and stalls that sell flowers and souvenirs. Come on, after all it’s our big day and not VIPs’. Too many stalls selling flowers and dolls make me feel like the graduation ceremony is sort of commercial event and seems to make the entire ceremony become a market place.

 

Syst.Bio workshop

Attended CPIB Summer School: Mathematical Modelling for Biologists at Nottingham university recently. The Programme is as follows:-


Day 1: Data, Networks and Models
Day 2: Multi-variable models
Day 3: Parameter estimation and sensitivity; Stochastic models
Day 4: Multicellular modelling

More info please visit their website at

http://www.cpib.ac.uk/events/cpib-summer-school/

Definitely, this is a good introductory course for biology background researchers who want to discover or would like to expose to syst bio related research.

Also, I take this opportunity to explore the campuse.

random thought-my works

my works:

It’s just like the endless pit. The more I find out out, the deeper hole i dig for myself :( What a deep s**t..

 

As a lone striker, and the sole person working in my field, it’s going to be hard and challenging. Often, many obstacles arise, most people can’t help, in the end I am the one to think and come out with the strategies. I am tired and helpless. Just suffered another setback: after two years hard work and troubleshooting, only learnt that the incompatible system employed led to the failure of my works. As a pioneer in this “enigma enzyme”, I have no choice but treat this as a lesson, and keep trying. 

 

No doubt, proactive and stay positive keep me soldier on. I’m grateful to get advice from expert in Beijing Genome Institute and encouragement from my former post-doc in Sydney. I don’t expect to get any publication from the thesis at this moment or major findings to be presented in big conference. I will try my best, get things done, submit dissertation and leave no regret.

#PhD workshop- Writing your thesis

Attended a good workshop recently, one of the effective researcher development programmes (EDRP) offered by the university.

A 3 hour workshop is like a condense form of all PhD self-help books I have read. For books list, you can refer to a well written post by my friend at: Lulu's World - Between Ignorance and Enlightenment: Book list for PhD and PhD-to-be - http://ow.ly/4UON0

Here, I would like to share few insightful quotes from the facilitators:

"As a PhD student,you enjoy a good degree of autonomy,therefore you have to responsible to your thesis writing up& submission&not your PI"

"2 competitors,same field with impressive CV, employers prefer the one completed PhD by deadline than the one extended his/her degree."

"Competition is fierce,get ur thesis done,back to normal life,get a job&establish career,start to earn $. It's jz a beginning"

"a PhD thesis'll not change the world immediately,instead it's building up a picture like jigsaw puzzle."

The value/future of #PhD

This topic catch my attention as it’s featured in the cover page of the recent Nature magazine (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v472/n7343/index.html).

The following issues of the topic above maybe of interest:-

Education: The PhD factory : Nature News -  http://ow.ly/4Kkae

Education: Rethinking PhDs : Nature News -  http://ow.ly/4Kkkk

Seven ages of the PhD : Nature : Nature Publishing Group -http://ow.ly/4Kkl9

Reform the PhD system or close it down : Nature News - http://ow.ly/4Kkmg

What is a PhD really worth? : Nature -  http://ow.ly/4Kknl

Fix the PhD : Nature : Nature Publishing Group -  http://ow.ly/4KknH

Books about PhD research

Currently I’m reading/ just finished reading the following books  about doctoral research. You can get it from Amazon book store. Also, thanks lulu ma for the book sharing :). Image of book covers are courtesy of Amazon UK website (http://www.amazon.co.uk)

 

A good review on this book from the following blog post:-

http://phdtalk.blogspot.com/2011/04/unwritten-rules-of-phd-research-gordon.html?spref=tw

 

This book provides guidance on choosing a suitable PhD/Post-Doc project, the reality of scientific research & don’t romanticize your career. How to get the best out of your project within the time period. Learn to say no, don’t please your supervisor blindly & remember in the end of your project, you’re the one responsible for your works.

 

A very good beginner guide for new PhD students or people who wish to explore more info about what research degree is. A dummy guide on how to make use of your PhD, some survival skills, how to make a good presentation,& other source alike. The nature of academia and industrial career, etc.

Aspirations, Expectations and Reality - Postgraduate Toolbox

Thought provoking blogpost from postgraduatetoolbox, as below:-



Aspirations, Expectations and Reality - Postgraduate Toolbox

Valentine day. Dedicate “my love” to “them”.. :)

 

Interesting comic from http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=1420

Likewise my love to Arabidopsis & Thesis: 1) I think about you all the time. 2) I see you in my dreams 3) I sing your praises far & wide 4) I write odes to you no one will ever read 5) I weep at your absence 6) I count the months/years until you're mine 7) I treasure/water you all the time. :)

source: PHD Comics: How do I love you? -  http://ow.ly/3Vqf3

Graduate School: to go or not to go?

A debatable article by the Economist leads to various arguments, as follows:-

Doctoral degrees: The disposable academic | The Economist -  http://ow.ly/3IJZN

In accordance to this, there are other articles may be of interest, such as:-

100 Reasons NOT to Go to Graduate School - http://ow.ly/3KOMk

Career Advice: We Ignore 'The Economist' - Inside Higher Ed -  http://ow.ly/3KONJ 

Of course, some arguments don’t really apply to subjects like science, technology & math.

Anyway, read the article with open minded. No right or wrong in this issue, follow your will.

Featured on the latest issue of GARNet Newsletter.

 

Featured on the latest issue of GARNet (http://www.garnetcommunity.org.uk/) Newsletter.

GARNet is a BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council) sponsored network set up to support UK scientists to develop and undertake excellent research using model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. Funny comment from Prof after he read the newsletter: “You’re famous in UK Plant Science community, but your picture...face too small, windows too big..” LOL =.= haha :)

Quick Update: June to July

Quick update on what I have been doing these days

1) First year PhD viva

A compulsory event before we are allow to proceed to 2nd year. I got good feedback from the assessor. He said:” there’s a price of being good, that’s everyone will have high expectation on you.” Well, I agreed to him, greater opportunity comes greater responsibilities. I will try my best.

 

2) Moved home

My university accommodation contract end in July therefore I have moved to new private accommodation. I am happy with the new accommodation here.

former accommodation

new accomodation

3) A farewell trip to Lyme Reggis

Went to Lyme Reggis, a sea town near south Devon with fellow housemates (former). Here we can see UNESCO natural heritage sites, cliff existed more than billions ago.

4)Farewell dinners

I enjoy eating, so had organised two farewell dinners, oriental and western cuisines  :p

5) Liverpool trip

I went to Liverpool and visited friends from hometown. They are here for summer programme by LJM Uni and TARC.

6) Associate of Higher Education Academy.

I am pleased to obtained recognition from the professional body, more info visit the following link:

http://limchoonkiat-ck.blogspot.com/2010/07/associate-status-of-higher-education.html

7) Makaichoon conference

Always happy to chat with bunch of cocky friends, makaichoon

 

Future events:

Travel to Salisbury, for the world famous heritage site: Stonehenge

image source: http://www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/salisbury/home

Travel to Cambridge

image source: http://www.visitcambridge.org/VisitCambridge/PhotoLibrary.aspx

Associate status of the Higher Education Academy

I just received a good news from the university, in which I have obtained the Associate status of the UK Higher Education  Academy (AHEA).

image source: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/

I have attended 2 modules for 2 months, and then need to produce an assignment describing my teaching roles. The assignment entitled:‘Learning and teaching at university:
a critical reflection on my role.’

I have discussed three learning outcomes, as follows (extracted from the LTHE assignment guideline, Education Enhancement Unit, Exeter University ):

1-7-10

1st of July, the first day after half year. What have you done far? How about your achievements?

Seldom update recently due to intense workloads and lot of events involved, in which I will share in the next blog post.

Often, I learnt that people like to share about their research progress, some bad some good, but mostly bad news…then, so what?

Taken me as an example:

Over the last 8 months,I've been working on a mutant isn't mutant, If you’re complaining on your research progress, think of me and this’ll make you feel better.

From failure we learn to improve, research is a good platform for you to learn how to be patient, tough.

This “tragic” moment hampered my progress and de-motivates me, but I will soldier on, no give up

New Flat

The contact period of my university accommodation will be finished soon. Therefore, My colleague and I have rented the new private accommodation. Pictures are as follows:

More pictures, feel free to visit the album at:

View Full Album

messy desktop

before

after

it takes a great courage to sort out this. LOL :-p

Another hectic and challenging day awaiting

I came across many questions by friends, juniors, prospective postgraduates regarding life as a researcher (I think consultation is my sub-career, LOL). 

First of all, I want to stress that you can’t do a PhD for the sake of ‘Dr’ title. Doing research is challenging and hard, you will be facing many obstacles throughout your studies. This is especially true when you are doing a lab-based doctorate.

Taken me as an example, I not solely doing my own research. In fact, I am working with other colleagues in other projects too. Furthermore, teaching activities, annual progress report, professional/soft skills development etc are extra commitments which I have to bear with.

For a while, I don’t have such a hectic day. Of course this is not my typical daily routine, and don’t worry you are still a normal human being to enjoy your life, to have fun, etc apart from your research. Self-discipline is a must in pursuing research career.

In this hectic day:-

I woke up @ 4am, performed chlorophyll fluorescence analysis until 7am. Breakfast and back uni. Reached uni@ 830am, checking test questions I set previously.

Then 10am, I had a presentation to show my research progress, followed by school’s buffet lunch. Attended a talk by prominent researcher in plant pathology @ 1pm.

From 2pm onwards, I had a series of workshops on new skills development and Systems Biology PhD student discussion. This finished at 6pm, and then we can off to pub.

However, I went to another meeting and discussed about organisation of the coming 3rd year undergrad student course assessment test.

Such a bloody hectic day is not happen every day, but it’s happens very frequently. I enjoy every single moment of this challenging life. Thinking of people in 3rd world/ under-developed countries who are under severe famine situation, I shouldn’t waste time.

However, no matter you are, remember play hard, work hard, play smart, work smart.

That’s why I try to post tweets everyday, to keep my friends, families, secret admirers, followers, & possibly rivals (if there is any, haha) update on latest happenings.

Feel free to talk with me, if you have any problems with your research, life, etc, queries on career planning, evil ideas etc. I am happy to be your audience.

Cheers!

Spring has sprung, I simply like this lovely weather.

Interview questions

i attended two interviews and one presentation before obtaining the studentship at Exeter. Some questions asked by the interviewers are as follow:

 

Interview questions:

1. Explain about additions skills/ additional course have undertaken (with reference to CV you sent)

2. How do you feel with cross-disciplinary studies? Any previous experience?

3. Why PhD?

4. Tell me about your previous works

5. What statistic training you have?

6. What paper (beyond plant science) that you are interested with?

7. Your understanding on the project?

8. Do you have any teaching experience?

9. Other skills that you can contribute to the research group?

10. How do you overcome depression/ failure?

11. Career aspiration

12. Why do you like plant science?

 

Hope these may help in your future interview..

 

cheers

Article@ UTAR’s Feb Newsletter

More info visit the following link:

http://www.utar.edu.my/alumniMain.jsp?catid=8

 

article entitled “Passion, Commitment, and Prolonged Interest: Keys to achieve your goal”

what a hectic day

The day before, slept at 2 am, spending whole night to look at information on the genes of interest. Also, Prof suggested me to give a presentation in Plant Science group meeting next week, I had accepted and therefore I need prepare some slides this weekend too.  @-@

The next day, morning 3 hr demonstration @ 9am morning. As my Prof said, we always see some “odd stuff“ from students’ practical. I believed some of them didn’t do pre-reading before come to the practical session.

follow by research discussion, to troubleshoot some troubles faced in previous experiments and advice on new experiment setup. Afternoon, 2 h meeting with more and more information need to be sorted out and clarify .

This is followed by literature searching, as we have to plan ahead, consider every single step carefully before conducting new experiment.

Also, an insightful discussion with colleague who are taking the assignment for UK Higher Edu Academy, everyone also upset with students’ attitude today, whereby they prefer to be spoon-fed rather solving out problems themselves

Back home for dinner, take a short break.

Back to lab to do some plant tissue culture work and spread out bacterial culture in order to look for recombinant DNA.

Settle all bench works at 1am the next day. Follow by replying comments, reading RSS until 2am.

Arrgh, I seriously need to take a post-CNY break