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Ev is right, I wouldn't read too much into it. I imagine it was a stock phrase said to everyone, primarily so they don't have to bother physically posting rejection letters to 13 people! the panel head couldn't possibly know whether you had or had not been accepted until he'd discussed it with the rest of the team and was probably just reeling off anything he'd forgotten to cover. It's not the most warm and tactful behaviour but then academics are an odd lot! If you do get it then congratulations, if not then keep looking and don't feel discouraged.

That's fantastic Jepson, well done!

Hmm, sneaks does in fact sit at her desk in a top hat? Ok maybe not, but it was a nice image!

Argh. Left it late AGAIN!
What to do so the maternal one feels loved and appreciated (allowing for uk posting)?

Anyone had an amazing idea this year that I can steal?

Hey Mathkitty, thanks for the words of encouragement :-) I actually did get some work done on the train today, something of a miracle given I was out last night (celebrating a friend's viva success no less!).

How's your stuff going? I have a delightful image of a little anime-style cat batting at numbers and equations as they swirl around her desk...... hmmm, I think I've been spending too much time with my cat recently!

What a happy update! Glad you're off the hook and that the two creeps are getting their just desserts (hopefully anyway), that poor new lecturer!

Good luck Hannah, hope it all works out :-)

I don't know if there's a foolproof way (she can always turn it off) but you could take the new document and merge it with your old version to see where the changes are.

Back on the wagon, thank God.
It took working til 4am but I have finally re-started writing. Word count is a piddly 16,192 but I don't care, I'm just so hugely relieved to be out of no-mans land for now. I was getting scarily close to a bit of a breakdown but I'm sure that if I can keep working I can keep some semblance of sanity.
The next two days will be travelling and other work so I'm debating whether to just take papers or lug my laptop in the knowledge that I can get little done without internet access and a weight-prohibitive stack of resources. Hmmm, sod it, laptop it is, I'm hungry for more word count!

I sit up late into the night drinking coffee with spray cream and trying to trick myself into working.
I've just realised what a sad, depraved life this is.

I feel bad even posting here after the hours you guys have been putting in. In my case I'm up late because I've achieved nothing for yet another day, I'm hoping that extreme working hours might kick me into action, if only because sheer tiredness dampens my anxiety enough that I can focus. I'm going to make coffee and convince myself that working through the night is fun.....

Keenbean this is classic, well done you (and I so hope the masters students deliver!).

I have a love of winding people up and can never resist a bit of trouble making come meetings, but my supervisor's themselves get off very lightly; one is lovely and very human, the other struggles with English so any attempt at a joke would just leave me untangling linguistic knots for hours to come! One of my little amusements consisted of placing an over-sized worry doll in the middle of the table just before a team meeting, everyone stared at it but no one would say anything, they just kept staring and trying to pretend they weren't distracted. Eventually I cracked and started laughing, I probably looked a bit of a freak but personally I thought their repression was more telling than my prank.

Sarah, interviews can vary quite a bit in terms of duration and what they'll ask so it's hard to say exactly what they'll want from you. Be reassured though, if you've been offered an interview they must think you're suitably qualified and have a good shot at this. Everyone spends the first year or so literature searching anyway, so while you should be aware of the field already, no one would expect you to be an expert.

Good luck!

Hi Lkay

First up, the DNA issue. I used to work in genetic testing and our standard samples were stools, so yes, you can get decent DNA from faeces and genotype it no problem. The extraction process is of course somewhat messy and time-consuming, but it's perfectly doable. I'd imagine that the condition and age of the scats may impact your yeild slightly, have you checked any publications to see how others have used this technique? The process of identification could require quite a bit of time, but once you have the DNA you can run all the tests in a batch.

In terms of your being asked to respond to the offer right away, that's pretty standard. I was asked on the spot five minutes after one interview! You can of course ask for longer to think things over (best to say you need to check up on logistics of moving or something) but if you give them a firm date for an answer then do stick to it. Gut feeling can be a good guide but you do need to separate it from nerves. How did you get on with the supervisor? Did you meet any other students, if so how did they seem to feel about the place? Does the project really light your fire (concerns over methodology aside)? Don't let nerves or the gap since your degree put you off, but if it's really not for you then be honest and don't feel under pressure just because you got an offer.