Thank you! Others before me have made much progress, but we are stuck chasing what “Chem Ed” means (of course we *just* develop new lab exps).
I’m finding it rather difficult to not wave my previous PhD thesis abstract with my degree title of “chemistry” (from the dept!) whilst looking perplexed!
I’m also finding it at odds with having a DBER PhD in Chemistry It’s v draining to have colleagues question my ability to teach Y3 content as I’ve not done a “Chemistry PhD” but then have others not let me work in the area I’ve been in! I’m good enough to teach our 13hrs/week Int. Fdn. Mod. though…🤔
I feel stuck in a particularly tiresome cycle. We make progress to then be told “projects must be practical or theoretical chemistry (i.e. develop a new lab exp)”. Given my lab space is 0 sq. ft. and I actually don’t want a new experiment it’s somewhat not the “chem ed projects” I want to be doing…
I was on the registration desk for most of the conference, and a scary number of people said that this was likely to be their last ViCEPHEC. Shrinking departments, closing departments, and removal of conference/travel funds all mentioned multiple times. A brilliant community in a terrible shadow.
I fear this is a very real reality that must be shared, especially with any changes in funding/expensing compounding an existing lack of departmental support.
I’ve been lucky to be able to save monthly to cover attendance, etc for the last 2 years, but know of others who wouldn’t have been able to.
Still true… oops (come on Hayley, try harder)
DBER work has taken a real backseat in the last 20 months (thanks post-PhD and trying to get/keep a job) but a want to re-find my interests is defo back.
Now to continue the on-going “can DBER work be a chemistry MSci project” convos 🤦🏼♀️ (and write those papers I’ve been saying I’ll do for X months).
My highlight - seeing the sig. grown community of interested/current PhD students chatting together and smashing their presentations - so diff to my first ViCEPHEC as a PhD newbie in 2020 (and a humbling reminder of just how much I tripped and fell through my PhD in comparison to these experts!)
Spending the morning slightly frazzled after a fab #ViCHEPHEC25 - lovely chatting to many, many of lovely others I didn’t get to chat to!
Always lots to chew over and a great time to be re-working my Y2 lab workshops and Foundation study skills advice/interventions (amongst the rest, of course!)
@chemistryworld.com has just covered our recent paper on the experience of 1st Gen students in the sciences! Thoughtful context ... 🧪
And you can read the original article, "Being a first generation university graduate, the impact on a career in science", here: pubs.rsc.org/doi/d5sc00205b
Joined here forever ago but I’m determined to actually find some time to use…
