world against me?

[VJ]

And back to square one: the project extension is not certain, and when it does go through, it will be from March...

That still leaves 2 months gap...
Here's hoping that there will be a solution for those two months also...


Jörg

[Fat Tone]

Sorry mate.

Can you pick up and teaching or marking work in January? Private tuition?

[gt40]

Keep up the good fight, Jorg. I'm sure it will all sort itself out.

[VJ]

In the long run, it looks quite positive: I could start on a project that would start in March (and that builds on the work I did for the durrent project, but that project is not yet certain), file for a postdoc and - should I have it - move to that contract in December. This will buy me another couple of years. And over the next 3 years, many reformations are planned, which will call for new staff. So I just need to hold out till then.

It is just all these short term stuff... Friday (December 5th) I signed my contract which actually started on the first! That is what really bothers me: I'm a bit of a control freak and plan everything meticulous and well in advance; now I just don't have it under control.

But overall I feel less worried than when I started the thread. All the other things seem to go well so far, so that is positive.

Thanks for the support!

[Nowhere]

//imminent threat of discovery averted, we can proceed with the plan

[VJ]

//imminent threat of discovery averted, be can proceed with the plan

Hehe....

[DukeP]

Basically, this was why I stopped doing research and started teaching instead.

I feelt I was too good to be wasted on writing applications that would, perhaps, purchase myself another 6 months of wage. That and that a 3 year contract lost 1/3 of its founding - not to reduce it to 2 years, no no. To reduce wages and project cash to 2/3....


I have heard of one person that actually got tenure, tho. So hang in there (might consider lottery too!).


~~DukeP~~

[Fat Tone]

I wonder if our system is a bit different to yours. My academics ALL teach. Their research then continues in between the teaching and admin duties, which are generally shared fairly equitably. They are expecting to apply for funding from the main bodies (ESRC for example), and ideally to win the equivalent of their wages in funding (with hugely varying degrees of success of course).

Having said all that we are unlikely to employ a recent post-doc unless they've got a few good publications under their belt. Other departments may be differenct though.

[DukeP]

Our system is... Complicated. Most post. doc work is done as "research professors" With various Junior or Senior titles added. Research professors are not required to teach.

Tenured professors ARE required to teach, although they can purchase a "leave of absence" from their teaching duties.

In the end, most of everyone teaches something, but the amount of hours vary greatly.

The person that made me realize that I needed to change my vocation - was a VERY good research professor, who had worked in our lab for more than 16 years straight - without getting tenure. He was by far the most published of all the researchers, tenured ones included - and his citation numbers where through the roof.

But, but.

For 16 years he had a small roome on the wrong side of the office door - literally - and with no tenure, he had to apply for research grants all the time. He had a hard time lending money to pay for his house (lovely wife, 2 kids) -since he was in effect without a job all the time.

He did make about the same amount of money every year as if he had tenure (actually often slightly more).

But department politics, timings, amount of students, grants and such all conspired against him.

I visited him last year. He had finally gotten his Tenure. He still stayed in the small and amazingly crowded room (papers, books, more papers, the odd vessel containing fluids of dubious nature etc.) outside the offices of the tenured professors. I think he consider his placement as a kind of stigma on his hardship.

~~DukeP~~

[VJ]

Yes, here it is similar...
Only tenured professors are allowed to teach. Assistants (people making a phd) are required to assist with the exercises (but limited in percentage of their time). Researchers (pre-phd) are not required to teach, and are even more limited in the amount of time they may spend teaching.
Doctor-assistants (sort of assistant professors, have a phd but no tenure) are allowed to help tenured professors with theory courses. Other postdocs are only allowed to teach in the event the tenured professor/doctor-assistants can not (and are very time limited).

I'm now applying again for both a post-doc and and doctor-assistant. Main criteria is publications, so it is important for me to still publish a lot, which I unfortunately have been unable to do lately (merely one chapter and one journal paper this year). Basically, it should go better once I get either of those, as it then gives me time to publish and - as DukeP says - file for projects.

The main reason I'm still pursuing this, is that there are big changes afoot (integration of higher education schools with universities, and an obligatory shift towards research) which will create a demand for researchers holding a phd. These changes are planned over the next 4 years, so it is interesting for me to stay at the university now, despite the cumbersome procedures. As the biggest higher eduction school (not university) is located also near my university (and they are already working together), there are opportunities lurking.


Jörg