ap.io/blog

Chronicle job interview advice for faculty candidates

February 17th, 2010 · advice

Here’s an excerpt:

January 21, 2010

Overdoing It in the Hiring Process

By David D. Perlmutter

It’s natural after a job interview to want to feel like you aced it. But one of the contrarian truths of applying for any position, whether it be lumberjack, Baptist preacher, or assistant professor, is that you can overdo it.

You can exaggerate your qualifications, offer too much material, be too intricate in your answers, overreach in describing your research and teaching goals, and come off too strong in persona. The dimensions of the “overdo” are best studied—and guarded against—by looking at each component of the application process.

… …

For more, read the whole article at The Chronicle online. Well worth the effort.

Comments OffTags:careeradvice

My talk Feb 26 at CFI Ontario

February 12th, 2010 · talks

STRING THEORY FOR THE SCIENTIFICALLY CURIOUS

String theory, a part of modern theoretical physics, has wiggled its way into the popular consciousness during the past decade. While the details are technically complicated, the basic idea is stunningly simple – that the fundamental Lego blocks making up matter and force are tiny vibrating strings (rather than infinitely small particles). Some people presenting string theory to the public, like Brian Greene, emphasize its mathematical beauty. By contrast, this presentation will focus on the powerful physics motivations for the invention and development of string theory.

Ideas on the menu will include: explaining the epic clash between quantum mechanics and general relativity, string theory basics, extra dimensions of space, D-branes and duality, the LHC, the origin and ultimate fate of the universe, and the black hole information paradox. This presentation will be largely self-contained; no physics or math background will be assumed, other than a layperson’s curiosity about physical science. Interested 11th and 12th grade high school students are welcome.

Warning! Skeptical humanists often consider it their duty to react to any unfamiliar scientific idea with skepticism. That attitude is unwise, because it profoundly discounts the role of expertise. Accordingly, the centre of gravity of this presentation will be the *science* of string theory. Questions about its ‘truth’ or perceived similarity to ‘religion’, or parrotting of critical views by outsiders like Lee Smolin, will be entertained only after all scientific questions have been answered. Genuine queries about the science will be warmly welcomed and answered, regardless of the sophistication of the questioner.

[Smiling image of Amanda Peet]

Amanda Peet is an Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Toronto and a Fellow of Trinity College. She holds a B.Sc.(Hons) from the University of Canterbury and a Ph.D. from Stanford University. Her awards include a Radcliffe Fellowship from Harvard University and an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Research Fellowship. She was one of the string theorists interviewed in the three-part NOVA PBS documentary “Elegant Universe”. She grew up in the South Pacific island nation of Aotearoa/New Zealand and has a web site at http://ap.io/.

Where and When

Friday 26th February 2010 at 7pm

CFI Ontario, 216 Beverley St, Toronto

Comments OffTags:CFI·outreach·stringtheory

Steven Weinberg is being completely awesome again

February 4th, 2010 · Uncategorized

Weinberg is absolutely right to support Obama for killing off George W. Bush’s folly: planned manned moon/Mars missions. (Duh, that’s not a sexist typo – only men are stupid enough to volunteer for THOSE missions!)

Read the WSJ opinion piece for yourself: it’s beautiful!

author: Steven Weinberg
section: Opinion
title: “Obama Gets Space Funding Right”
date: February 3rd, 2010

Psst! If you don’t have access to WSJ, it’s very easy to circumvent the subscriber-only lock on WSJ.com. Just search on google for the complete article title (just cut and paste from the teaser). The link you get contains the full article, not the tease. The link cannot be reused, however.

Comments OffTags:awesome

Shame on UofT and construction company

January 14th, 2010 · opinion

This bulldozer and other heavy equipment were parked on a Critical Disabled Accessway for over seven hours on Thursday January 14th 2010, an accessway which is demarcated by yellow cross-hatching and signage saying 24-hour NO PARKING AT ANY TIME.

Why did the University of Toronto permit the construction/utility workers to block this critical disabled accessway with no notice and no alternate arrangements of any kind whatsoever?

Seems to me as if this is a case of failure of disability accessibility policy at the very least, and could even be interpreted as wilful disregard for the safety of disabled University of Toronto faculty, staff and students. For shame.

When are blockages to classroom access going to stop? How many more dozens of times must this happen before something fundamental changes?

I think I’d be within my rights to withdraw my labour until and unless I get an iron-clad guarantee that I can get into the classrooms where I am expected to teach and rooms in which I am expected to sit on committees.

Fair’s fair, UofT. Ball’s in your court. Want me to make even more noise about this?