Learning to be a post-grad - keltingmeith's Chemistry Journal

[VanillaRice]

Right now, I've transitioned into casual work as I wait for next year. I'm doing it with one of my honours supervisors - what he's done is organised for a "virtual" lab to be designed with help from a programmer in the physics department. It's actually really cool - it kinda pretends to be a real lab, in that you still have to do all the nuancy things you'd have to do if you were actually using the instrument (so in the case of a uv-vis, you still need to pick your cuvette, clean it, wipe down the sides, then fill it with a new solution). It's suprisingly fun to play with, I'm just play-testing it to make sure it's as true to the real thing as possible, and figuring out where to best put it into our current education system. If anyone has ideas, hmu.

Just a thought - after doing CHM1022 this sem, I think that it would be beneficial if something like this could be implemented into some sort of pre-lab interactive activity to introduce new techniques that students would be using during the next lab session (such as performing a UV-vis), so they would have a better idea of what to expect when they come into the actual lab.

[Sine]

Just a thought - after doing CHM1022 this sem, I think that it would be beneficial if something like this could be implemented into some sort of pre-lab interactive activity to introduce new techniques that students would be using during the next lab session (such as performing a UV-vis), so they would have a better idea of what to expect when they come into the actual lab.

no one does pre labs unless they are a part of your grade

although i think when i did chm1022 (2016) a portion of the lab mark was a pre lab quiz.

[keltingmeith]

Just a thought - after doing CHM1022 this sem, I think that it would be beneficial if something like this could be implemented into some sort of pre-lab interactive activity to introduce new techniques that students would be using during the next lab session (such as performing a UV-vis), so they would have a better idea of what to expect when they come into the actual lab.

Interesting idea - definitely thinking about it. Currently talking to some demonstrators about it and seeing what they think, and I might ask some of my first year friends to have a look at it. I'll let you know if it goes anywhere!

no one does pre labs unless they are a part of your grade

although i think when i did chm1022 (2016) a portion of the lab mark was a pre lab quiz.

Yeah nah - I doubt this would be directly assessable. But, we might be able to put it at the start of relevant pre-labs, and flag it as something to try. Most of them won't do it, but you'd be surprised the amount that are willing to give it a try - particularly in the advanced variants.

[keltingmeith]

So, I got offered a PhD scholarship just the other day! (some of you may have noticed the sneaky signature change ) Looks like I'm continuing my trip into madness just a bit longer. I also got offered the harder to get one, which amazed me.

Just for background, there were essentially two scholarships (really much more, as you automatically go for 10 just by applying, but there were the only two I was likely to get) I was going for - an RTP stipend (previously called an APA), or a Dean's scholarship. The RTP is much harder to get - you typically want around 86 to get it, but is done by rankings, so you might need higher or lower depending on the year. The Dean's scholarship is decided by supervisor - each supervisor has a certain amount they're able to give out, and it's up to them if they want to give it to particular people. (your mileage may vary based on university and department)

I "only" got an 83 - which should've been enough to get me a place, and I just assumed I'd get a Dean's. However, I somehow lucked out, and ended up with the RTP, which is a nice little confidence boost! We also think I was the tail end of the scholarship rankings, as a friend of mine who got 82 got a Dean's. So, now I get a living allowance, and an offset which hopefully pays for most of the course! As for the next four years, only time will tell how big a mistake/great an opportunity this'll be.

[AngelWings]

So, I got offered a PhD scholarship just the other day! (some of you may have noticed the sneaky signature change ) Looks like I'm continuing my trip into madness just a bit longer. I also got offered the harder to get one, which amazed me.

Ah, congrats!! That's absolutely amazing to hear!

[Joseph41]

That's really exciting, Meithy. APA is a big deal. Well done!

[keltingmeith]

Ah, congrats!! That's absolutely amazing to hear!

That's really exciting, Meithy. APA is a big deal. Well done!

Thanks so much, guys! Suffice to say, I'm stoked. 

[keltingmeith]

So, uhhh, it's been a while.

Not too much to say. Thank fuck I got that job, because Centrelink cut me off yesterday. Being able to survive is nice, so, the job is definitely appreciated. Monash mucked up my payment for the month and a half, too, so at least it was only now they cut me off and not two months ago.

On top of that, I got soooooooo many teaching shifts. Typically people only get 1 - I got 4. 3 in first year, and 1 in third year. The best part is, the third year one is legit my favourite subject from undergrad, and I got the best pracs to teach. I also didn't think I get this shift - I thought I'd get a different subject, which I didn't get, but this one is way better, so happy with that.

Otherwise, yeah, things are going along. There's a lot less to say about things when you're finally out of uni and doing some real work, I've discovered.

[Vaike]

On top of that, I got soooooooo many teaching shifts. Typically people only get 1 - I got 4. 3 in first year, and 1 in third year. The best part is, the third year one is legit my favourite subject from undergrad, and I got the best pracs to teach. I also didn't think I get this shift - I thought I'd get a different subject, which I didn't get, but this one is way better, so happy with that.

That's awesome to hear! If you don't mind me asking, which subjects/what topics will you be taking? And why is that 3rd year one your favourite?

[keltingmeith]

That's awesome to hear! If you don't mind me asking, which subjects/what topics will you be taking? And why is that 3rd year one your favourite?

So for first year, I'll be doing CHM1011. First year chem you only have one demonstrator and they teach every prac, so I'll be doing every one there. It's honestly because first year isn't that hard given that you're taught by people who are at least doing honours, and it better mimics the high school setting that you're used to.

The third year shift I got is for CHM3911, Advanced Physical Chemistry. It was just one of those subjects where all the content was super interesting, and on top of that it was really well run. The labs were also great, but actually got you to come up with your own ideas, which no other subject had done, and so that was really interesting.

Third year is a little different - the knowledge is a lot more specialist, so typically only PhD students or PhDs will take it, and you'll only get a couple of pracs, that are usually only given in experiments that you'd already be comfortable with. Some exceptions, but not in this subject. So, I'll be doing the thermodynamics and kinetics experiments. There are two, the first is one in which you find a molecule's hydrophobicity (legit just by measuring the equilibrium constant of the molecule moving between water and a non-polar solvent), the second you measure the activation energy of a molecule converting from one state (its trans conformation) to another (its cis conformation). They're both super cool, and my favourite experiments of the lot.