Oh, fantastic, well done,

When I say 'sorted', Ju, I mean, I know where I can borrow some money! My dog is also having puppies in 3 weeks, pedigree ShihTzus, so that should cover the rest .
I have also just delivered nearly 500 yellow pages and I am studying A level biology so I can be a tutor, perhaps!! So, it isn't exactly straightforward for me but I feel that I am doing something, at least!
I hope you get sorted, I am sure one day when we are rich and famous, we shall look back at these lean years with fondness

Hi Ju
Funding, that is a worry box that I popped on the shelf for a bit!! I was getting so down about it, I could think of little else except pull out of my PhD, so I decided to just not think about it for a bit. I have my fees sorted for the first year. Fortunately, I live at home, of course, so no expenses there. My Prof. said he would be looking into more funding opportunities for me as well. I grew up really poor and I registered for my first university without any money at all. After registering, I applied for a student loan at a bank and the man backdated it to a time when they gave out loans to students without security. I also ended up getting 2 scholarships, so I figure, maybe I am just meant to fly by the seat of my pants!!

Oh, ok, thanks you two. That makes me feel better. I thought full-time meant FULL TIME. If that is the general consensus at other unis then I am not going to worry about it. I know I have a few inductions to do and obviously, testing next year but if he seemed happy for me to do a lot at home then I will accept that. He said, himself that if he only goes in twice a week, he gets more done at home where he can't be bugged by students so much. I am just getting jitters about it being so very close and official. Ok, let me find something else to worry about

When I went to see my Prof., I didn't even know it was an interview! I was recommended to see him based on my proposal which I sent round to a few universities. He is in the same field as me and we hit it off from the start and 20 minutes in, he said he would love to supervise my project and would incorporate it into his. I said I needed to go part-time due to family commitments but he recommended I register full-time and just work from home, mostly, if that suited me (except when testing, meetings etc.). I even got a better computer to handle big amounts of data etc. He, himself, only comes in 2 x a week. Now, September is getting closer, I have reminded him of our arrangement and he hasn't replied. I am worried that if I don't get something concrete out of him, I will be stung. Should I 'nag' him and risk being a whiner or be safe and get it confirmed before I officially start. Do any of you have this type of arrangement?

David Colquhoun, a professor of pharmacology at University College London, who has made similar complaints, said of the article: "I think most research active people will agree with it already, and most vice-chancellors will take no notice."

But Steve Bloom, head of the division of investigative science at Imperial College London, said that as long as output measurements were considered along with other factors, such as reputation, they could be a good way of making decisions.

"You can choose people who take you out to lunch and lend you their holiday home, or you can choose the people whose research you favour, which could lead to considerable bias."

Taking the opinion of a number of specialist colleagues in the field was the "least bad" alternative, he said.

"If people are distorting the system, that distortion must be eliminated or compensated for," Professor Bloom said.

Dr Lawrence, an MRC emeritus scientist in the department of zoology, complained that evaluating research by quantity rather than quality will create a culture of "citation-fishing and citation-bartering".

Bad papers, which may have wasted the time of hundreds of scientists, still end up helping their authors secure a job, promotion or tenure, he said, while original work that is not immediately appreciated counts for little.

Studies show that articles are often cited even if they have not been read, he said, and group leaders claim credit for authorship from junior researchers. As scientists spend "bizarre amounts of their time touring" to network, he said, less pushy but talented researchers were left behind.

Dr Lawrence said that a fightback could start with a "public discussion on what justifies authorship", and urged appointment committees to read or listen to their candidates' work.

Other one, taken from THES 10/8/07 split up to post here.

Scholar slates 'dodgy' criteria

Louise Radnofsky
Published: 10 August 2007



A leading Cambridge scholar has published a stinging attack on the "audit society", which he says is destroying originality and honesty in research.
Writing in the latest edition of Current Biology, published this week, Peter Lawrence, a developmental biologist at Cambridge, says that "dodgy" criteria for evaluating the value of research, such as the "impact factor" of the journals where academics publish, and article citations, are "dominating minds, distorting behaviour and determining careers".

In the article, "The mismeasurement of science", he adds that to secure funding and promotion, "scientists aim, and indeed are forced, to put meeting the measures above trying to understand nature and disease".

http://www.thes.co.uk/current_edition/story.aspx?story_id=2037803

Here is the link to the article.
I will copy and paste the other one if I can find it as you have to subscribe to see the other one

It is not online yet. When it is, I will paste the link and if you have to be a subscriber, I will copy and paste the article here. Further in the paper, people are criticizing this attitude exactly for the issues mentioned by you all. It is quite unbelievable that suddenly, I have to make my proposal and research 'economically viable' just to get funding? I am doing neural ageing, now I am going to have to swing the thing to show how this will benefit the economy? Sure, maybe it can but to have to drive your research based on these requirements loses both individuality and passion. Anyway, I will see what I can do to get both articles posted, or just buy this weeks THES, it is out tomorrow or even today, I think.

I subscribe to the THES and in this morning's issue (On sale tomorrow) the main headline is about 'Plans to award research grants on the basis of 'economic impact''. It states that Ian Pearson, the science minister expects research councils to award funding to projects that improve economic impact. It continues with another chairman, Ian Diamond (RCUK) stating that researchers must now show 'high quality' proposals to both impress and show eco. impact and without this, research will not be funded. I thought this may interest those of you and myself who did not get funding for our proposals. I can try and copy and paste it, if I am allowed?

Oh, well done you

Just to say to everyone that didn't get funding, that I know how you feel and just good wishes that you can hold your head up high still. It took me a long time to get over not getting my scholarship last month and just heard that my Prof. also didn't get funding for the project (for me) either. My confidence has taken a REAL big knock but I am determined to go ahead, regardless. I have nearly 500 yellow pages to deliver over the next four days, not exactly funding but I need to move in the right direction. So hang in there everyone, I think, as some have said, I am learning to grow rather than wilt from this all

Hence, BB, discovering a table!! These were for a BSc Hons, PG dip and MSc and I only found my computer by the light of the screen!

Tidying my study, I can actually see the floor and a table appeared out of nowhere and I think I am nearly ready to tackle this PhD now I have filed the last 5 years study papers. Have just sat in the sun for 2 hours, for vitamin D, of course