I am actually interested in finding an attractive PhD student, and I'm sure girls that choose to study Public Health make good partners, but I'm not about to hook-up with someone from a message board, unless you happen to be very good looking

lol at the topic - "looking for an attractive and sponsored PhD in Public Health". Makes it sound like a personal ad.

I'm looking for an attractive and sponsored PhD student myself, possibly in Public Health.

Sorry for the divergence and my lack of assistance to the problem.

The general consensus seems to think that industry pays better, offers more excitement (you actually get to see many products built and sold if you're successful) and has better facilities for what you're doing, due to potential product sales.

Maybe you could be more specific about your area, engineering is very vague. Somebody could then quote some figures and actually give more of an insight.

Oh sorry I should have said - Perhaps it's worthwhile posting on the St. And message board and asking current PhD students their opinion on the matter rather than listening to external generalisations - http://www.thesinner.net/

This is a quote from a St. And PhD student on the topic copied from their message board:
"Get rid of Gradskills. Seriously. They're a waste of time - I don't need hand-holding whilst doing a PhD."

Not that I am a PhD student, agree with the statement or know the details as to why someone has this opinion. I just thought I should copy it as I recalled reading it sometime ago.

I guess it depends on your slides and presentation room. The rooms I have presented in have not suffered from reflection problems. I tend to have a lot of graphs in my slides giving me the problem of backgrounds that don't match. I try to add colour with navy blue text and borders to please the people bored by the content

Personally I would always go for white. Images from a variety of sources tend to usually have white backgrounds e.g. graphs and any scans from books. It looks nice when you can blend these images into the slide without having the big block of white you would get with a different colour slide background.

I can see a complication immediately in the fact that you're studying such a specialised subject. Unless you're lucky enough to have a partner in the same field of study or just doing another PhD (and can at least share with you the problems of PhD study) there will surely be difficulties?

As I am about to embark upon a PhD myself I fear for my relationship. My gf bores quickly at any mention of my academic work/life, even below PhD level. I fear the science/arts relationship may be doomed once only one partner continues onto a PhD?

I have been communicating regularly with my prospective PhD supervisor by e-mail and once in person. I naturally address him by his title then his last name - Dr ... and he addresses me by my first name all the time. When is it appropriate to address your supervisor by his first name, if at all? I guess it depends on the establishment, circumstances and nature of the relationship but an insight into what is appropriate would be very helpful. Thank you.