======= Date Modified 01 Nov 2012 15:35:00 =======
======= Date Modified 01 Nov 2012 15:34:30 =======
This is frightening! As I am 43 and very much hope to pursue and academic career when I finish - hopefully next summer.

It's such shame academics think this way. I mean we will al be working until 70 the rate pensions etc are going, so that mean 25 plus years in the career- enough for anyone, surely.

On the plus side, I know of someone who got his first permanent lecturing post in his late 50s (he is about to retire so I am stalking his job... but that is another story). And my first supervisor got her first full-time permanent post at 51, she was in her mid 40s when she got her first .5 post.

Thank you also Bewildered, I was wondering about conference papers and activities with 'impact' so your response was very useful. Have a sprout too...(sprout)

Thank you Pootle, that's fabulous. A very useful document all round... Have a sprout(sprout)

======= Date Modified 06 Oct 2012 22:15:31 =======
Hello folks! I am just looking at a person spec for the kind of post I will be applying for soon and it got me wondering what exactly is returnable for the REF. I know books, monographs and journal articles are, but are conference papers too and other stuff like organising events and so on? Would really appreciate any info you have - I am in humanities.

Thank you in advance.

======= Date Modified 30 Sep 2012 21:39:52 =======
Hello PhDDiva,

I have had a very mixed experience, some wonderful and some appalling. I guess it depends on the quality of your supervisor and department. I began my PhD having a really bad time with my original supervisor who was ego-driven, rude and not good at her job. My current supervisor is fab, very conscientious in his academic supervision, always professional and seems genuinely bothered about my welfare and future career. He is also head of my department and I think that attitude filters down, although there is still some stag fighting amongst a couple other academics which, sadly, is also played out on PhD students... myself included, I suspect. I've worked in quite a few different fields and I do think the cut and thrust of academia can be one of the most severe, although when postgrad/academic life is good it is very, very good - so an environment of extremes of negative and positive I would say, from my personal experience.

Hi Walminski, really sorry to hear your news about your mum. I'm sorry I can't advise you on this one... it is totally outside of my experience - but I have some understanding your dilema - I know how torturous it is to be away from a loved one who is very ill (at least I know how it feels to be in another city in the UK...). Can you get time off any time soon, will your family be up front if it gets really bad? Also there might be counselling at your uni so at least then you wold have someone you can confide in. You can PM me if you want.


p.s. I bet mum is having kittens about your great new career, so I'm sure you are doing enough, even though you are far away.

======= Date Modified 14 Aug 2012 19:42:20 =======
Another double posting! Soz

Thank you all for you lovely responses, very helpful and encouraging, as usual.


I would like to go to Australia for my academic career, so a post-doc would be great. I think it's the place to be for new academics.


I agree that I have a lot of years left, I would like to work until I can't any more - like my dad who still works at 71 and going strong, but am not sure if employers will see it that way...

======= Date Modified 14 Aug 2012 17:50:42 =======
======= Date Modified 14 Aug 2012 17:50:09 =======
Dear friends,

I have had a long PhD journey - I'm part-time and have juggled demanding teaching hours at various unis throughout my PhD. When I first began this journey, I was in my late 30s, but various events mena that I didn't actually start the PhD until I was just 40... I am now 43. There is light at the end of the tunnel in termsof the PhD work. I have written almost half of it and my work is now of the right standard. I have an excellent supervisor who is right at the top of his tree - and very encouraging. Of his 18 past PhD student 12 have academic posts. Apart from my age I would feel quite good about things, as good as anybody can do at present. However, I will be at least 44 when I finish. Yes I will have loads of teaching experience and hopefully the beginnings of a good research profile, but I will be into an age bracket that means I can't really hang around at all, whatsoever. I'm applying for organisational and admin roles in universities now, just because I am so tired of the instability and sheer man hours for no pay of lecturing. But the idea of an office based job makes me go aaaarrrrrgggghhh, it's everything I've ever wanted to avoid. I'd really love to go to Australia but I don't know if it would be too late for me by the time I finish.

I suppose this is a crisis brought on by the end of my PhD beckoning. Reality bites. Any thoughts?

Kraft cheese slices

Hey Walminski! How are things going?

======= Date Modified 13 Aug 2012 19:21:21 =======
double post soz!

Hi Pam,

I do a similar trek for my job and it does get me down a bit but I can be doing it three days per week, once a week should be ok, you'll get used to it. Plus being in anoher city - or a just in a city, not sure where you're based - during your week can be a lot of fun, especially somewhere excititng like London. You can get much of your marking and prep stuff done on the train, certainly reading, planing seminars and even some of the work for writing lectures can happen on the train. I find it's a good way to allocate time which is seperate to home life. I've never managed PhD'ing on the train though, takes too much concentration. Sounds like a great opportunity and as if you might enjoy it very much. I always love teaching in good departments student interaction makes all the difference. Good luck!!

Thank you Bewildered, those are some great comments after the article, really useful and thought provoking. I found the tone of the article quite naive and a bit daft, why has this all come as such a shock? Perhaps his supervisor or department could have given better guidance. Or maybe he should have spent more time around here at the forum.

======= Date Modified 04 Jul 2012 23:09:51 =======
double posting - sorry.