Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Got It!

Well, just found out that I got the career development award I applied for several months ago. This means that starting next summer I get: a faculty title (NTT), 3 years of 100% salary support + research funds (not a lot but enough) + travel funds. And more importantly, a freaking office!

Looks like the odds of staying here in Freezerville are looking greater...

As for grant/funding applications, including my repayment grant, I am now 2 for 2 on the first try. I think I will stop while I'm ahead!

Labels:

Friday, November 06, 2009

News from the Frontlines

So I have an inside scoop on a big application for a career development award I put in a few months ago from a participant from the review committee. And it looks good! Apparently MDs and PhDs were ranked separately and among the PhDs I was ranked either 1st or 2nd based on 3-4 committee members' rankings. Though time will tell; the applicants are re-ranked after the full groups' discussion and my inside scoop wasn't allowed to participate in that discussion. Only 5 people will be selected for this career development award and the odds are that only 1 or 2 PhDs will be selected, so I hope, hope, hope that I was ranked PhD-Numero-Uno. Although that means staying here in Freezerville where I have no friends, am always cold, find the food bland, and where Spousal Unit (SU) still has no job. But whatever.

I had convinced myself that it was going nowhere. Silly Julep.

On a totally unrelated note, there is no reason I should have even come into work this week. I have done zilch, zilch. Instead, I cruised the internet, wrote a few emails, stared blankly at some articles I need to read, and put together a baby registry. Seriously.

Probably the most useful thing I got out of this week was a meeting with Visiting Professor (VP) from Scandinavian Country who may prove to be a useful future collaborator. VP does research on toadstools* in my favorite continent, Africa.** VP has never before examined the effect of lullabies*** on toadstools, however, and I happen to specialize in the effects of lullabies.*** This does not bode well for Spousal Unit (SU), who for some reason, does not fully support my desire to someday relocate to Africa.** But I jump the gun.

Tootles all and happy weekending.


*Research area changed to protect the identity of Visiting Professor.
**Actual favorite continent.
***Research area changed to protect my semi-pseudonymous identity.

Labels: ,

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Those Damn Letters of Recommendation

I am submitting an application for a K--an institutional career development award--by 5 p.m. today. All 3 of my letters of recommendation are yet to come in. I am watching the online system obsessively. Of course my two awesome proposed mentors have already submitted theirs. But my 3 recommenders are slacking. ARGH!

This happened a few months ago with the last application I completed. (Which btw I was awarded, even though one of my recommenders was LATE!) Why do people do this to me? I vow to never be this way with my underlings.

I know that in the academic world there is really no point at which you stop needing letters of recommendation. But really, it is sooooo irritating.

Labels: