So that you WILL perform/produce! Surely it’s obvious that people will do better research if they have peace of mind? And what about rewarding older people for a lifetime of effort, instead of kicking them in the ass the moment the creative juices start to flow less freely? Sorry, this is not directed at you, cvj, but this system really sucks. And all that is under the highly dubious assumption that it is administered fairly!

Or is it perhaps the case that at universities like yours, grants are in practice almost never discontinued?

As it should be, it is nothing whatsoever to do with the university, and everything to do with the quality of what I -the individual researcher- do. Sure it’s stressful, but yes, if I don’t perform/produce, why should I continue to be paid?

-cvj

Oh no. You mean that this pays a large chunk of your salary?! But that’s barbarous — how can you buy a house or anything on such an uncertain income stream? I’m not saying of course that there is any question about the worth of your work, I just mean that anything in the control of bureaucrats is bound to be uncertain. Isn’t it incredibly stressful? It’s like not knowing where your next meal is coming from. Or is it perhaps the case that at universities like yours, grants are in practice almost never discontinued?

Cheers,

-cvj

This is a good questiion and not borne of ignorance. Thanks for asking. Here’s a rough answer off the top of my head:

Well, we theorists need to live and breathe and pay the bills just like experimentalists. So we need support for that. (Our employers typically pay us to teach and do service-type tasks, not research…..at least in the USA’s way of doing things.) Then we must support the salaries of students and postdocs. Most places also try to have a healthy stream of visitors in the form of a seminar program. Then even tough many of us are turning to macs, our computers still break down, even the regular ones used for admin and preparation of documents, small computations, etc…..and some of us also need more high-end machines for intense computations, simulations, etc. The there are all sorts of incidental things related to facilities, etc that can cost real money too a research programme. Attending conferences are actually quite a way down the list….. and I’m sure I’m forgetting something.

Cheers,

-cvj

Q: What causes a string to break and re-configure?
A: A force management event

This sounds rather like those new-fangled things 100-level physics textbook writers invent every now and again as whole new ways of learning classical mechanics (because for some reason people neve explain the old ways keep going bad).

-cvj

BTW, this kind of introspection is said to be necessary in the “real world” as well – as in “what useful addition to my resumé did I make in the last six months?”, “am I bringing in my employer at least twice as much revenue as I cost?” and so on. If you don’t have good answers, you may be in for a “force management event”, and your prospects for the next job may not be very good.

cheers,

-cvj

e.

Where’s the circumflex-e in “raison d’être”? I think it’s time for some lessons in pointing and clicking…

Whether I like it or not, however, it is *also* accompanied by passing judgement. There’s not enough money in the system to go around. Someone has to judge whether research output is “worth it” or not. This is not a bad thing either… as long as the judging is fair, and done in context.

So I welcome having these thoughts, and asking those questions, and this is why I highlighted them in the post.

Cheers, and thanks.

-cvj

I think it’s a mistake to think of this sort of exercise as “assessing your worth” because that casts it in the light of passing judgement on your past year’s work. Instead, you should look at this sort of assessment as an opportunity to keep your research agenda sharp and focused, to winnow any parts of your research effort that are getting stale, and to avoid complacency.

Anyway, good luck with your report.

Regards,
-rpl

Arun: I do agree that one can be made to feel uncomfortable in neighbourhoods like San Marino in a way that is not unconnected to one’s sckin colour. Happens all the time. But I should say that I’ve never been given any reason to say the same thing about Hunutington. Although I seldom see people of colour in there, the staff are all nevertheless very polite, friendly, and welcoming. I’m sure some of the other visitors might harbour some less than welcoming feelings, but that’s (so far) their problem, not mine.

Overall it is an excellent place. Another great Los Angeles (county) resource that is underused by the locals. Consider visiting there if you’re on holiday here or out for a business trip. And if you live anywhere near it, go over some time and check it out. If you’re at Caltech, PCC, or other nearby institution….. it’s in your back yard – buy a basic annual membership for $100 and visit regularly!

Cheers,

-cvj

As I was reading your post I DID wonder about you being bothered by … ahem … strange people in the park. I love this time of the year and longingly look at parks ablaze with Fall colors. I would love to linger in one of them, admiring the scenery and getting some clear thinking done as well. But I’m always leery of some weirdo either running away with my purse while my focus is elsewhere or pestering me with unwanted attention.

-cvj

If you don’t like this type of post, then either stop reading, or don’t visit our site. But don’t leave silly, insulting nonsense as a comment.

I don’t think any of us appreciate it when the typically high level and polite nature of the discourse in our comments section is brought down by this type of behavior.