Lost and Found
Well, I left my wallet and keys at the bus stop today. It was different from other times I've lost things because I knew about 10 minutes afterwards what I had done. Another difference was that although I knew exactly where they were, it was almost impossible at that point for me to go back and get them. Thanks to nice people, they've been found. Whew.
On another topic, I was chatting with my boss yesterday on the increasing role of women in academics (specifically science in our case but it could probably extend to other fields). He expressed the idea that the increasing number of women in academia could (negatively?) affect the sorts of intellectual collaborations that are born over a couple of beers on a Friday night.
To explain the argument, the idea is that women in grad school are more likely to be married/be in a long-term relationship than are their male counterparts (this, in turn is due to women tending to choose male partners that are 1) older than them and 2) of similar social class and so are as busy as their partners as opposed to taking care of things at home) and therefore have more obligations outside of work. Alternatively the single (male?) grad student is more likely to be willing/able to go out for that beer and have that journal club outside of work.
I could see it to an extent... I really do try to get out and join journal club/beer club with the other grad students as much as possible, but I think I'd be more consistent about it if I were here alone (being married, I'm choosing between being at home with Alex and going out with new people, as opposed to sitting home alone).
The "female" part of the argument (as opposed to just married vs single) relies on the idea that women grad students are more likely to be married than men (and that men married to female grad students are less likely to be willing to take care of most of the home chores than are women married to male grad students).
Any opinions? Total BS, or possible?
On another topic, I was chatting with my boss yesterday on the increasing role of women in academics (specifically science in our case but it could probably extend to other fields). He expressed the idea that the increasing number of women in academia could (negatively?) affect the sorts of intellectual collaborations that are born over a couple of beers on a Friday night.
To explain the argument, the idea is that women in grad school are more likely to be married/be in a long-term relationship than are their male counterparts (this, in turn is due to women tending to choose male partners that are 1) older than them and 2) of similar social class and so are as busy as their partners as opposed to taking care of things at home) and therefore have more obligations outside of work. Alternatively the single (male?) grad student is more likely to be willing/able to go out for that beer and have that journal club outside of work.
I could see it to an extent... I really do try to get out and join journal club/beer club with the other grad students as much as possible, but I think I'd be more consistent about it if I were here alone (being married, I'm choosing between being at home with Alex and going out with new people, as opposed to sitting home alone).
The "female" part of the argument (as opposed to just married vs single) relies on the idea that women grad students are more likely to be married than men (and that men married to female grad students are less likely to be willing to take care of most of the home chores than are women married to male grad students).
Any opinions? Total BS, or possible?