H, I you are so right about lab coats being designed for blokes. You'd think that manufacturers would do a 'cut for women' lab coat. Mind you, as a undergrad I saw some techs wearing very bizarre A-line, almost dress-like lab coats which I presume are (or were) designed for women (probably in 1950s). Frankly, given the choice, I'd rather stick with my 'too long sleeves, tight around the womanly curves' coats!

I'm fine thanks 404, manic as ever at work but can't complain. Going for a night out tomorrow (first for ages) so looking forward to that!

How are you apart from the booklet stress? Hope that you can get somewhere with the advertising idea. Sounds like you are doing a fantastic job with organising this event so don't feel down, feel proud!

I found the Will Young song "Stronger" quite motivating on days when things are all going pear-shaped

"It only makes me stronger when you say I won't succeed.
I'll work that bit harder when you say you see no strength in me.
The barriers, I'll break 'em down,
I'll prove myself, I'll stick around,
I'll get through it all somehow.
Nothing's unreachable.

Oh, it's just a state of mind.
If you set yourself up to fall,
You'll never get there at all.
All you've got to do is rise,
It takes more to break me than a wave or two,
Whatever set to test me gonna make me through."

I like trituration - I used it in my thesis and one of the examiners asked me if it was a real word!

404, I was sure that you would have already contacted them. Surprising that they have been so unflexible though, I would have thought that a uni media dept. would have been used to receiving very varied requests.

Couldn't your Uni media services department help?

1) Something that you don't care about in case you spill something nasty on it
2) Something that covers all vulnerable places
3) Nothing with flappy, dangly parts that might get caught in a centrifuge

If your dress code allows it, I think jeans are good lab wear - nice protective thick fabric and cheap to replace (well, unless you wear designer ones!).

Was she not Dr van der Akker?

Don't forget us Post-docs After all, it says on the home page;

"PostgraduateForum.com aims to bring together students, post-docs and lecturers to discuss any issues relating to postgraduate study"

I vote to keep the 'latest threads' section, it would be a real pain to have to trawl through all the different boards.

Hi 404! Hope you have a great weekend too, don't work too hard!

Definitely lead singer of The Stone Roses

The UK visa website states that for a student visa:

"You must...be able to pay for your course and support yourself and any dependants, and live in the UK without working or needing any help from public funds"

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1018721067373

Do you have your student visa sorted yet? You will usually need to prove that you have sufficient cash to support yourself without working.

I did my PhD as a salaried research assistant - to all intents and purposes it was no different to a normal research studentship except that I was a salaried member of staff and took home slightly more than the standard bursary rate at the time (although as I mentioned above, not much difference after tax). However, not all research assistant posts are the same i.e. not all will expect the candidate to register for a PhD.

12K GBP means 12,000 pounds sterling as in UK currency.