Category Archives: Rants

So, there’s another consultation document on the Research Excellence Framework — “the new arrangements for the assessment and funding of research in UK higher education institutions that will replace the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE)”. A wonderful document indeed, literate and … Continue reading →

I remember, quite a few years ago, giving the same introductory logic course two years running, as far as I could tell doing as a good a job each time. But my student evaluations plummeted between one year and the … Continue reading →

I think I’m turning into a grumpy old man … [Cue suppressed laughter off stage, murmurings of "Turning? Turning? Happened years ago", etc. But I shall ignore these scurrilous interruptions.] … and the latest cross-making irritation (especially galling for a … Continue reading →

I’m in the midst of reading through a pile of applications for the Analysis Studentship. There are some impressive looking candidates. But I’m frankly not too impressed with some of my colleagues in various universities who are writing references. Indeed … Continue reading →

I’ve a sabbatical coming up next Lent term, and I really ought to apply for matching “double your research leave” funding from the AHRC to have another term off. Not that I hold out much hope of getting it rather … Continue reading →

Once upon a very long time ago, I spent a year or more of my life doing nothing else much but mathematics problems, preparing for the then entrance scholarship to get into Trinity to do maths. The standard was fairly … Continue reading →

Well, we expect no other from the crazed geriatric Pope. But we might have hoped for better from science teachers than from some dingbat Muslim loony. Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia …