It was Friday and the Vth year PhD student presentation. The total attendance: 2 faculty (myself and the student's PI) and 10 students. Absymal.
I cannot emphasise enough on the importance of attending seminars. They are absolute must because one never knows what one will learn. I learn today about the differentiation process in Trypanosomes. I do not work on Trypanosomes but it was interesting to learn about the process in a protozoan parasite. Of course, I do not hesitate to confess that there are many seminars where I have fallen asleep also but...
The faculty and the students alike think it is not necessary to attend seminars. If it is not their topic what is the point? At UVa, the Head of the Department had made attendance compulsory. But here there is no such rule. No one cares.
Which is a pity. There is lot of hand wringing about the quality of our students and about our program. But things like seminars add value to the program. It would be good if both the faculty and the students would remember that.
But I also know that I write in vain. No one, not even my students, are going to turn up for the seminars. They have much more "important" things to do.
I cannot emphasise enough on the importance of attending seminars. They are absolute must because one never knows what one will learn. I learn today about the differentiation process in Trypanosomes. I do not work on Trypanosomes but it was interesting to learn about the process in a protozoan parasite. Of course, I do not hesitate to confess that there are many seminars where I have fallen asleep also but...
The faculty and the students alike think it is not necessary to attend seminars. If it is not their topic what is the point? At UVa, the Head of the Department had made attendance compulsory. But here there is no such rule. No one cares.
Which is a pity. There is lot of hand wringing about the quality of our students and about our program. But things like seminars add value to the program. It would be good if both the faculty and the students would remember that.
But I also know that I write in vain. No one, not even my students, are going to turn up for the seminars. They have much more "important" things to do.
1 comment:
You sound completely crazy but in a good way. Just on AF(SP)A and how every government approves of it. It's not strictly true. A K Antony down south supports the Army's desire for it. But Chidambaram has been canvassing at least to reform it following three judicial reviews arguing for the same, Jeevan Reddy, 2nd Administrative Reforms, also the Manipur Human Rights Commission report spring last year.
I'm trying to visit Sharmila now. The meeting was set for today but they changed it to Monday or Tuesday. Anyway I always comment on sites that write about her. There was a leak that the Cabinet Security Council was forcing through specific reforms to try and stop the extra-judicial killings and the gang rapes, involving warrants and just making killing by soldiers investigable by the police. But General Singh kicked off again.
But who knows who really runs this country. Anyway just passing through. I am using a profile I no longer because many reasons. If you think India has strange views on marriage they are a very closed xenophobic society in Manipur, but yeah anyway grateful that you wrote something about her.
I have not been that impressed with Indian students, you seem to expect a lot of yours. India needs more teachers like you.
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