I suppose time will tell. Not quite sure when we'll actually make the move! We have more to do in this time of the year. And I have had a month of enjoying Paul's desk!
Not much longer my view!
29 September 2017
Kicked out of office
The last working day before the start of the academic year I was just sitting in my office, working away, when I heard feet approaching. David, the Head of School, appeared, together with my colleague Dei. David started to point around. It became clear that he wanted Dei to move into my office, and me to move out. Into Dei's office would make sense. It did fall out of the sky, though! It wasn't quite clear tome why. My office is way too big for one person, even for someone as senior as Dei. But would someone as senior as Dei be expected to share? That would be highly unusual.
I suppose time will tell. Not quite sure when we'll actually make the move! We have more to do in this time of the year. And I have had a month of enjoying Paul's desk!
I suppose time will tell. Not quite sure when we'll actually make the move! We have more to do in this time of the year. And I have had a month of enjoying Paul's desk!
28 September 2017
New assignment
I am taking an old module back again! It was the first I had even been module leader on. And my first full lecture. The previous year, James has taught it. Now it was my turn again! I'm talking about 'Ice and Oceans'.
In the olden days, the students got some 11 or 12 lectures, and a day in the field. They would also have to do an assignment in which they would have to rummage through the most recent IPCC report, looking for information. And they would have to write an essay. The IPCC work tended to be done badly.
My colleague Tom, who also teaches on this module, had suggested we change the assessment of the module. He said the students were unhappy about having to write an essay before they do the 'science communication' module. In that they practice essay writing. They do that in the first year as well, but somehow that doesn't seem to count. He suggested we scrap the essay, and replace it with an exercise that will train the skills they need for the IPCC exercise. And I figured we may as well!
It was me, of course, largely making the assignment. Tom is good at organizing things that way. But that way I can do what I think is right. I had already designed a lot of questions in early spring, but now it was time to make some more, and turn them into an online test.
The test is in two parts; one part by Tom in which he just tries to get the students thinking about, well, ice and oceans. And then my part in which they get ask very specific questions on specific journal articles. I see students be sloppy with data way too often! Giving the wrong reference, getting the number wrong, giving a seasonal average while claiming it is an annual average, and so forth. So now they have to be precise to get the right answer!
So will this work? We will have to see. Many things can go wrong! But they may go right too. We will have to see!
In the olden days, the students got some 11 or 12 lectures, and a day in the field. They would also have to do an assignment in which they would have to rummage through the most recent IPCC report, looking for information. And they would have to write an essay. The IPCC work tended to be done badly.
My colleague Tom, who also teaches on this module, had suggested we change the assessment of the module. He said the students were unhappy about having to write an essay before they do the 'science communication' module. In that they practice essay writing. They do that in the first year as well, but somehow that doesn't seem to count. He suggested we scrap the essay, and replace it with an exercise that will train the skills they need for the IPCC exercise. And I figured we may as well!
It was me, of course, largely making the assignment. Tom is good at organizing things that way. But that way I can do what I think is right. I had already designed a lot of questions in early spring, but now it was time to make some more, and turn them into an online test.
The test is in two parts; one part by Tom in which he just tries to get the students thinking about, well, ice and oceans. And then my part in which they get ask very specific questions on specific journal articles. I see students be sloppy with data way too often! Giving the wrong reference, getting the number wrong, giving a seasonal average while claiming it is an annual average, and so forth. So now they have to be precise to get the right answer!
So will this work? We will have to see. Many things can go wrong! But they may go right too. We will have to see!
27 September 2017
Casualty care: passed!
On Friday I worked until I had to donate blood, and then came back to the office for a few things I needed to do, and went home. I intended to not think of work at all; only go through my Casualty Care stuff again. I had read the book a few times, and attended four training sessions. I should be ready! I had also found an old exam online and gone through that. That helped! I looked some last things up and had another look at the medication list. That's hard to remember...
On Saturday I drove to the old school of Capel Curig where the exam would be. I got a cup of coffee, and learned I would first do the 'moulages' (scenarios) in which you have to sort out one trauma patient and one medical one. Good! These can be a bit nerve-racking. The theoretical exam did not scare me.
When I was called into the kitchen for my first moulage I found a man on the floor, moaning. The had allegedly slipped an fallen some four meters, and his knee hurt like hell. Oh dear! But I went through the scenario I had been taught: I checked him all over, and then covered his wound, splinted his leg, and gave him pain relief. Other than the knee he was fine! Then I was sent out.
Soon one of the medics came out: I had passed this one! Excellent!
I had to wait for a bit and then I did my medical scenario. It concerned a man who was known to be an asthma sufferer, who had become terribly short of breath. He had just sat down and that is how I found him. He confirmed he had asthma, and when I asked him about his reliever he said he had run out. Well that explained things. As he had only sat down he would have no injuries. I just gave him oxygen and salbutamol; the reliever he had run out of. He was starting to feel better!
When I was called back in I heard I had to re-sit that one. I had not done any damage to this man; I had actually improved his situation. But I hadn't fully checked him over. And I think it is a bit weird to check people for neck wounds and laryngial trauma (among other things) if you know they are only short of breath and have not fallen or bumped into something or anything like that. Oh well! If that is what makes you pass an exam...
Now it was time for tea and biscuits. And then the theory exam! That started a bit difficult but got better. There were some six questions (of forty) that I wanted to get back to at the end. I decided on all of them, with varying levels of confidence, and handed it. More loitering with other candidates followed! And we loitered happily; after a while Glynne, the man in charge of this entire course, came out and said we had all passed the theoretical part. Good! Time for lunch.
After lunch the scary bit followed: re-doing my medical moulage. This time it was a man with a heart attack! He, too, had just sat down when he didn't feel so good. But I had learned my lesson and checked him over for the compulsory stuff. No wounds, no laryngial trauma, none of any of that, strangely enough. I gave him aspirin and oxygen and morphine. In hindsight I could have left the oxygen, but well, it doesn't do much damage. Then I handed him over to the paramedic who appeared.
When the lady who had lead this scenario came get me she gave me a hug. She told me I had passed! That meant I had passed all of it! Hurrah!
I went back in to check what I had had wrong in the theory exam; only three questions, and all of them had been ones I had been uncertain about. Two of them involving children! Oh dear.
I helped clean up, thanked the people who had taught and judged us, and said goodbye tot the rest. I would get my certificate later. I was glad I had passed! Now I will have to keep it up. Ogwen Mountain Rescue said I was welcome to train with them. That sounded good! They are a nice bunch. And let's just hope I can keep my head cool if I ever have to really use it!
On Saturday I drove to the old school of Capel Curig where the exam would be. I got a cup of coffee, and learned I would first do the 'moulages' (scenarios) in which you have to sort out one trauma patient and one medical one. Good! These can be a bit nerve-racking. The theoretical exam did not scare me.
When I was called into the kitchen for my first moulage I found a man on the floor, moaning. The had allegedly slipped an fallen some four meters, and his knee hurt like hell. Oh dear! But I went through the scenario I had been taught: I checked him all over, and then covered his wound, splinted his leg, and gave him pain relief. Other than the knee he was fine! Then I was sent out.
Soon one of the medics came out: I had passed this one! Excellent!
I had to wait for a bit and then I did my medical scenario. It concerned a man who was known to be an asthma sufferer, who had become terribly short of breath. He had just sat down and that is how I found him. He confirmed he had asthma, and when I asked him about his reliever he said he had run out. Well that explained things. As he had only sat down he would have no injuries. I just gave him oxygen and salbutamol; the reliever he had run out of. He was starting to feel better!
When I was called back in I heard I had to re-sit that one. I had not done any damage to this man; I had actually improved his situation. But I hadn't fully checked him over. And I think it is a bit weird to check people for neck wounds and laryngial trauma (among other things) if you know they are only short of breath and have not fallen or bumped into something or anything like that. Oh well! If that is what makes you pass an exam...
Now it was time for tea and biscuits. And then the theory exam! That started a bit difficult but got better. There were some six questions (of forty) that I wanted to get back to at the end. I decided on all of them, with varying levels of confidence, and handed it. More loitering with other candidates followed! And we loitered happily; after a while Glynne, the man in charge of this entire course, came out and said we had all passed the theoretical part. Good! Time for lunch.
After lunch the scary bit followed: re-doing my medical moulage. This time it was a man with a heart attack! He, too, had just sat down when he didn't feel so good. But I had learned my lesson and checked him over for the compulsory stuff. No wounds, no laryngial trauma, none of any of that, strangely enough. I gave him aspirin and oxygen and morphine. In hindsight I could have left the oxygen, but well, it doesn't do much damage. Then I handed him over to the paramedic who appeared.
When the lady who had lead this scenario came get me she gave me a hug. She told me I had passed! That meant I had passed all of it! Hurrah!
I went back in to check what I had had wrong in the theory exam; only three questions, and all of them had been ones I had been uncertain about. Two of them involving children! Oh dear.
I helped clean up, thanked the people who had taught and judged us, and said goodbye tot the rest. I would get my certificate later. I was glad I had passed! Now I will have to keep it up. Ogwen Mountain Rescue said I was welcome to train with them. That sounded good! They are a nice bunch. And let's just hope I can keep my head cool if I ever have to really use it!
Arbitrary image of a serious injury
26 September 2017
Academic year on doorstep
When the academic year approached I was less ready than I had hoped. I had been redesigning lectures, mainly; I also needed to get the websites ready, check the exams, make a new assignment, sort out a practical (more about that later) and suchlike. It got a bit busy! And with a wedding weekend just before Welcome Week, homely tasks had also been piling up.
I decided to skip Monday climbing so I could finish the things I would have wanted to finish on Sunday but hadn't. Then on Tuesday I went to the first Welsh class of the year. On Wednesday I went to the last Casualty Care training session; on Thursday I bailed out of the underground trip so I could stay in the office a bit later, and then do homely things (laundry, and writing my sister a letter) before going to bed early. I wanted to be fresh on Friday for the last full working day before things would properly kick off on Monday, and also on Saturday for the Casualty Care exam!
I did that exam (more about that, too, later) and went fro there straight to the office. I stayed there until 18:30 or so, but I got done what I wanted to get done! That meant I had the Sunday off.
Now the teaching will start properly. I have two lectures back-to-back on Monday. It will be good to get back into it again! And let's hope all goes well!
I decided to skip Monday climbing so I could finish the things I would have wanted to finish on Sunday but hadn't. Then on Tuesday I went to the first Welsh class of the year. On Wednesday I went to the last Casualty Care training session; on Thursday I bailed out of the underground trip so I could stay in the office a bit later, and then do homely things (laundry, and writing my sister a letter) before going to bed early. I wanted to be fresh on Friday for the last full working day before things would properly kick off on Monday, and also on Saturday for the Casualty Care exam!
I did that exam (more about that, too, later) and went fro there straight to the office. I stayed there until 18:30 or so, but I got done what I wanted to get done! That meant I had the Sunday off.
Now the teaching will start properly. I have two lectures back-to-back on Monday. It will be good to get back into it again! And let's hope all goes well!
25 September 2017
Welcome Week; a lot on!
I never before had much to do with Welcome week (or Freshers' week). The most I had done was deliver a so-called taster lecture during freshers' week. It's fun! It is one of these times when you don't have to think about learning outcomes and what is in the exam and how it connects to other modules: you just teach what you feel like. But this year would be different, with my new responsibility.
Another change was that this academic year, I would have tutees from the beginning. Last year I took over James' in the second term. Now I got a group at the very start! And they get to meet their tutors on the first day. My new group is a nice bunch! And they seem a bit less shy than last year's batch. I look forward to working with them!
Before I got to see them I was preparing for the new term in my office. About three times, some Head Peer Guides appeared with an issue of sorts. I tried to addrress it all! I have to think on my feet as I have never done this before but I think it all worked out.
On Tuesday the Head Peer Guides got on with it. I did get an email, though, during the first Welsh class of the year. Oh dear! There was an issue from the last day that hadn't gone away. On Wednesday I tried to sort it. It was a lot of mailing and texting and phoning around.
Then Thursday came and things got better; it was the day of the annual beach trip. I had never joined before, but lots of other people had: the Head Peer Guides, of course; the two technicians who came as support; and David who came to photograph the event. So I didn't have to do much! My biggest job was juror in the sand castle competition. The freshers are divided in groups and have to make a marine-themed sand sculpture; the staff judge them. They have to tell the story of their sculpture. There were sharks, octopuses, mermaids and whatnot; the winning sculpture, however, was rather unusual in both that is was a living person on a sand throne, and that the person depicted one of my colleagues as an insane homicidal maniac with magic powers. The colleague in question would have seen the humour in that and they won.
After the scultpures the students did a tug-of war. Quite a lot of the teams were very competitive!And in the meantime, the weather improved. It got really sunny! The jacket went, and so did the jumper; sunglasses took their place (or at least a nearby one).
The second-last task set was to take a big PVC pipe with holes in, place it in the sand, and fill it up with sea water. That means: preventing the water to percolate through the sand, plugging the holes, and somehow carrying water from the sea (they can't use bottles or suchlike). It is essentially a team-building exercise. Many wellies were filled up with sea water!
The last task was marine pictionary. Then it was done! People were free to loiter for a bit, until it was time to get back to the buses. It took a while to verify we indeed had everybody; then the day was over. As far as the freshers were concerned, though. I went back to the office! A lot to do.
On Friday I saw them all for the last time; there was a programme that included a person from the Student Union talking about, well, the Student Union; a person from the Sustainability (you can guess what she talked about), and then taster lectures. As said before; they are just lectures about something pertaining to Ocean Sciences that you feel like talking about. I enjoy doing my lecture. I had also roped in the Head of School, and two (other) biologists. One had volunteered; that was Sarah, a cephalopod behaviourist; and James, who studies charismatic megafauna like dolphins. You can guess why I asked him!
When the taster lectures were over, the Head Peer Guides would tell the students some more useful stuff. I was off, though! I gave them all a hug and left. I think it was a good welcome week! And yes there is still an issue to sort out, but well, that's minor as far as I am concerned. And all Head Peer Guides were quite knackered by now, but they go out pretty much every night and I don't. And next week we'll evaluate the whole thing! I hope all agree with me it went well...
Another change was that this academic year, I would have tutees from the beginning. Last year I took over James' in the second term. Now I got a group at the very start! And they get to meet their tutors on the first day. My new group is a nice bunch! And they seem a bit less shy than last year's batch. I look forward to working with them!
Before I got to see them I was preparing for the new term in my office. About three times, some Head Peer Guides appeared with an issue of sorts. I tried to addrress it all! I have to think on my feet as I have never done this before but I think it all worked out.
On Tuesday the Head Peer Guides got on with it. I did get an email, though, during the first Welsh class of the year. Oh dear! There was an issue from the last day that hadn't gone away. On Wednesday I tried to sort it. It was a lot of mailing and texting and phoning around.
Then Thursday came and things got better; it was the day of the annual beach trip. I had never joined before, but lots of other people had: the Head Peer Guides, of course; the two technicians who came as support; and David who came to photograph the event. So I didn't have to do much! My biggest job was juror in the sand castle competition. The freshers are divided in groups and have to make a marine-themed sand sculpture; the staff judge them. They have to tell the story of their sculpture. There were sharks, octopuses, mermaids and whatnot; the winning sculpture, however, was rather unusual in both that is was a living person on a sand throne, and that the person depicted one of my colleagues as an insane homicidal maniac with magic powers. The colleague in question would have seen the humour in that and they won.
Early in the day, it was quite overcast. Here the students have been subdivided into sand sculpture groups.
The winning sculpture
Fanatic tugging-of-war
The second-last task set was to take a big PVC pipe with holes in, place it in the sand, and fill it up with sea water. That means: preventing the water to percolate through the sand, plugging the holes, and somehow carrying water from the sea (they can't use bottles or suchlike). It is essentially a team-building exercise. Many wellies were filled up with sea water!
Plugging the holes with sea weed
Filling your wellies with sea water
The last task was marine pictionary. Then it was done! People were free to loiter for a bit, until it was time to get back to the buses. It took a while to verify we indeed had everybody; then the day was over. As far as the freshers were concerned, though. I went back to the office! A lot to do.
On Friday I saw them all for the last time; there was a programme that included a person from the Student Union talking about, well, the Student Union; a person from the Sustainability (you can guess what she talked about), and then taster lectures. As said before; they are just lectures about something pertaining to Ocean Sciences that you feel like talking about. I enjoy doing my lecture. I had also roped in the Head of School, and two (other) biologists. One had volunteered; that was Sarah, a cephalopod behaviourist; and James, who studies charismatic megafauna like dolphins. You can guess why I asked him!
When the taster lectures were over, the Head Peer Guides would tell the students some more useful stuff. I was off, though! I gave them all a hug and left. I think it was a good welcome week! And yes there is still an issue to sort out, but well, that's minor as far as I am concerned. And all Head Peer Guides were quite knackered by now, but they go out pretty much every night and I don't. And next week we'll evaluate the whole thing! I hope all agree with me it went well...
24 September 2017
News from Svalbard
In Norway there is some strange law that says you have to give job applicants information on who else has applied. I assume there is a one month limit; when I applied for the job on Svalbard the deadline was August 15; I got the list of applicants on September 15th. So now I know! And three things were remarkable: first, that there were only 8 applicants. Second, that one of them was nowhere close to having the qualifications that were given as required. Some people will just try no matter what! But that's one down. And third: one I knew. He has worked here in Bangor before, and regularly comes back, for reasons of science, practicalities and friendships. I'm not sure if I can take the likes of him on! But one way to find out. It will take the Norwegians forever to make a shortlist. It would be nice if the chap I know and me are both on it; we could go and do some Svalbard scampering together maybe! I mailed him already and he thought it was a good idea. I'm sure we can resist the temptation to feed each other to the polar bears in order to reduce competition...
Longyearbyen. The big building on the left is the university building. Pic by Bjørn Christian Tørrissen
22 September 2017
Wedding Abi and Adam
When I was in York I had lovely friends. I was only there for a year but blimey did it make an impression! One of them was a tireless PhD student called Abi. She had a lovely (but more understated) boyfriend called Adam. I had been to her birthday once while already living in Bangor. And now she would do something much more memorable than having a birthday: she and Adam would marry! And I got invited!
I had to first sort out how to get my hands free for it. I hinted before at that this wedding would fall within Welcome Week, which has a weekend component as during the weekend the students move in. I'm the peer guides' emergency contact! But I wouldn't answer phones in a wedding ceremony. My colleague Andy volunteered to cover for me. What a sweetheart! So I could go.
I drove up. When I got close I saw the landscape was beautiful. And so was the venue! Initially I didn't see anyone I knew so I just introduced myself to the first two people I saw. But then a man appeared: it was my friend Tom! It was great to see him again. And then I saw Owain. And Sian. Lots of familiar faces! Great! Nobody had changed a bit (except Owain having a beard now).
After a while the ceremony started. It was beautiful! I tend to reverberate strongly with social atmosphere, so in an emotional setting like a wedding ceremony I get swamped with feelings. As I did now! They were both very beautiful and very sweet.
Later there were pictures, and dinner, and speeches, and all the usual ingredients of a wedding. Lovely! I also greeted Abi's family; I had met her mother, of whom Abi had once said she has two settings: very happy and asleep. True, as far as I can tell! And now I also met her father. She looks like him! And he is a wheelchair user these days but clearly won't let that get him down. For his speech he stood up against the wall, upon which Abi barricaded him in with a chair so he wold be able to remain standing for the duration of his speech. It's such a cheering family. And now Adam, who has been described by Abi as having the face of a Quokka on the body of a seal, is joining them. He'll be quite happy I'm sure! And so will she.
When the dancing stopped I started saying my goodbyes. It was getting late, I was tired, and I had to first drive to my accommodation and then all the way back the next day. And then snap into peer guide coordinator duties immediately afterwards. It was sad to say goodbye to all these folks. But it had to be done at some point!
I am sure Abi and Adam will have a lovely married life! And I hope to see them again. Not in the too distant future this time!
I had to first sort out how to get my hands free for it. I hinted before at that this wedding would fall within Welcome Week, which has a weekend component as during the weekend the students move in. I'm the peer guides' emergency contact! But I wouldn't answer phones in a wedding ceremony. My colleague Andy volunteered to cover for me. What a sweetheart! So I could go.
I drove up. When I got close I saw the landscape was beautiful. And so was the venue! Initially I didn't see anyone I knew so I just introduced myself to the first two people I saw. But then a man appeared: it was my friend Tom! It was great to see him again. And then I saw Owain. And Sian. Lots of familiar faces! Great! Nobody had changed a bit (except Owain having a beard now).
After a while the ceremony started. It was beautiful! I tend to reverberate strongly with social atmosphere, so in an emotional setting like a wedding ceremony I get swamped with feelings. As I did now! They were both very beautiful and very sweet.
Later there were pictures, and dinner, and speeches, and all the usual ingredients of a wedding. Lovely! I also greeted Abi's family; I had met her mother, of whom Abi had once said she has two settings: very happy and asleep. True, as far as I can tell! And now I also met her father. She looks like him! And he is a wheelchair user these days but clearly won't let that get him down. For his speech he stood up against the wall, upon which Abi barricaded him in with a chair so he wold be able to remain standing for the duration of his speech. It's such a cheering family. And now Adam, who has been described by Abi as having the face of a Quokka on the body of a seal, is joining them. He'll be quite happy I'm sure! And so will she.
Posing with the bride
After dinner there would, of course, be a ceilidh. Abi is (apart from a fisheries scientist and a school teacher) a folk fiddler. I like ceilidhs! Although most I have done were ceilidhs for the sake of ceilidhs, so everyone there wants to dance. Very easy to find a partner! But here everyone was there for the wedding, and dancers were harder to come by. The disadvantage of going to a wedding on your own! I had to miss quite a few dances due to lack of partner but, mainly thanks to the York bunch, I got to join enough of them. The last dance I even formed an inventive 'couple' of three with Tom and Sian. It worked!
The first dance
When the dancing stopped I started saying my goodbyes. It was getting late, I was tired, and I had to first drive to my accommodation and then all the way back the next day. And then snap into peer guide coordinator duties immediately afterwards. It was sad to say goodbye to all these folks. But it had to be done at some point!
I am sure Abi and Adam will have a lovely married life! And I hope to see them again. Not in the too distant future this time!
My view the next morning
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
