There is a common misconception that university academics, like school teachers, do not do much when their students are not in class (before I get a barrage of dissent from school teachers, I grew up in a family of teachers and know that summer holidays does not mean summers “off”!). So I thought I’d jot down a few words about my own summer, typical or not.
I have had a holiday, we spent 2 weeks in the amazing Yellowstone, Tetons, Arches and Canyonlands national parks in USA – even had time to pop into Dinosaur national monument. Some may think this was a bit of a busman’s holiday, but it’s nice to appreciate landscape for its own sake and not worry too much how it all got there for once – and the fact I get to secretly enjoy the odd glacial landform when I see it is a bonus! We got to see wolves and grizzlies in Yellowstone too – how amazing is that 🙂
Geotourism at Old Faithful
I took my vacation early in the summer this year so have been fairly busy since I got back. I spent 8 days in Bern at the INQUA congress, the 4 yearly get together of geoscientists working on the Quaternary – there were 2000 of us there this year from all over the world, and it was a great week of talking about science and catching up with old friends. I’ve come back reasonably inspired and full of ideas – conferences are great!
Planning the reseach agenda for the next 4 years (photo from Suze McGowan - thanks)
Usually in the summer I spend 2 or 3 week somewhere in the Near East doing fieldwork, this is the first year since 2000, apart from the year I was writing up my PhD thesis (which wasn’t an exactly normal year), that I haven’t been out in the field so I find myself with a month of time on my hands. So I’m going to be spending most of August trying to pull together a large grant proposal and finish off some papers – it’s nice to have the time to sit down and think about some of these things. There is also next semesters teaching to think about and I’ll be meeting colleagues on Monday to talk through various plans for next years’ modules.
Just prior to the INQUA meeting I attended the Geography graduation ceremony at Nottingham for the first time. My first group of tutees, who I started tutoring 3 years ago, graduated this time and it was great to see them all collect their degrees having all done really well. Was also the first time since my PhD graduation I’d had to put my own gowns on – to some outrageous abuse from colleagues for the colour scheme (take a look in the mirror next time Louise :)). Anyway judge for yourself – and have a good summer whatever you are – or are not – doing.
Tasteful - no?
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