It’s such an itch-inducing word: networking. Immediately, I’m reminded of networking events where you don’t know anyone and have to pretend you’re having a good time, and of forced introductory rounds with games. Yuck… Maybe I’m projecting my own discomfort onto you, but I know few people who say, ‘Great,…
Suppose you want to learn how to bake bread. You look for someone to teach you and find Charles, a wiry, enthusiastic master baker with traditional checkered baker’s trousers who is eager to get started with you. He has won various awards, been featured in professional magazines, and presents at…
Regularly, I am asked why I organise writing courses, “…after all, there are academic writing courses available, and if I’ve taken those, why would I need another writing course?” Good question. Academic Writing Academic writing courses focus on theoretical and analytical aspects; they cover topics such as the structure of…
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” Julia indicates with this world-famous line that a name is just a label and that a name, in itself, means nothing. Are names important? In the context of Romeo and Juliet,…
“We would appreciate it if you could stay for a few days. That way, we can better monitor how you respond to the medication.” And so, what I thought would be a half-hour appointment turned into the beginning of a four-and-a-half-week hospital stay. During my time in the hospital, it…
Maybe it is the time of the year, maybe it’s the era, maybe a combination. Fewer students have finished their PhD the last couple of years. One cause is Corona, stress is another one. I also hear from many PhD students that they are at the end of their tether.…
