Post-Academic Quote of the Day

I never thought about Jane Goodall as a post-academic before, but despite all the honorary degrees she has earned since finishing her actual Ph.D., I think she still counts, given that her research was all done outside the bounds of a traditional academic appointment. Here's a little nugget of wisdom from an interview with her that speaks to what we might do with all that academic learning once we've left the campus behind:

So when I got to Cambridge, I wasn't there because I wanted to be a scientist, I was there because Louis Leakey felt I needed a Ph.D. and he was right. But I didn't actually care about academia, and I knew they were talking rubbish. I knew they were wrong, so what I did at Cambridge was learn how to express what I knew in a way that did not leave me open to be attacked.

Being able to think critically about the world around you and express yourself to people who might not want to hear what you have to say but need to -- asking impertinent questions in the right kinds of situations without getting your ass kicked or getting fired -- these could be the most valuable takeaway from academe.

What do we do with this knowledge? I don't know ... I guess it's up to us to figure out.

RIP Sally Ride

I don't know about you, but I admired Sally Ride a lot when I was growing up. I was deep into middle school hell when she went up for her shuttle missions in 1983 and '84, and I thought it  was just the coolest thing beyond this world that a woman was going into space, even though I didn't really think science per se was all that cool at the time. It was inspiring.

Here's an excerpt from an interview with her discussing the science education organization she founded later, after her time as an astronaut, which essentially took concrete action on all the things she herself represented:

ID: So you put a female face on science?

SR: That’s a good way to say it. We put a female face on math and science. We target both boys and girls, but we emphasize girls. We try to introduce them to female role models. Make the girls appreciate you can be a scientist and be a normal person.

ID: Discuss the intersection of science education and its intersection with innovation – does one beget the other?

SR: They absolutely go together. Basic science research, basic engineering are what lead to some of the innovations that propel the country. Look around, there’s a computer on every desk, everyone has a cell phone. iPods have taken over. That’s just in the consumer-electronics market. These things are part of our lives. We can’t imagine a world without them anymore. Some of our largest, most productive companies wouldn’t exist without a science engineering base – HP, Apple, Microsoft, Dell, the list is endless. This stuff is all around them. It’s in their pink Nanos. It’s in IM (instant messaging). It’s in their cell phones that can take pictures.

ID: What’s at stake should the nation lose its scientific standing?

SR: We’ve always thought of ourselves as an innovative country that keeps at the forefront, a world leader for the last many many decades. We’ve always prided ourselves on innovation. In World War II, the Cold War, the race to the moon – our self-image is being a technologically superior country. Without the new generation having some background or ability to enter engineering or science, we risk losing that. It’s part of our identity. We’re pioneers. We’re innovators. And we’re not producing engineers and scientists in the numbers we need.

Is it too ironic that the organization I now work for -- in fact, both my immediate supervisor, as well as the organization's president -- had been in contact with her just a few months ago? They talked with her about supporting our new program, about being involved in some way. Apparently, she was enthusiastic but not in good enough health to take an active role.

Anyway, RIP Sally! You are an icon that people -- smart girls especially -- will look up to for many, many years to come!!

"We still believe in pirates. Do you?"

My last day as Operations Director of New Think Tank is this Friday, July 13. We held my farewell lunch yesterday, though, since New Think Tank President will be out of town most of next week. 

At lunch, my successor asked what I would most miss most about leaving. Now, I am not a huge fan of such questions, reasonable as they may be. This falls in the same category of questions as "What is your favorite book?" Of course, you can always come up with some kind of answer, but it's always a bullshit answer. So, I gave a sort of bullshit answer that may perhaps have disappointed people who may have cared about what my answer was.

Becauses, of course, there are silly things I will miss (a desk in a former art gallery by a floor-to-ceiling window with an awesome view) and silly things I won't miss (taking out the trash). And I could, of course, add onto these lists ad infinitum, but what would that really tell you? Not much.

Instead, since they say a picture is worth a thousand words, I offer you one of the coolest pictures ever:

New Think Tank President commissioned an artist friend of mine to draw this pirate-themed caricature of the New Think Tank team as a gift to the donor who made it possible for us to split seamlessly from Old Think Tank and start up New Think Tank after the Great Scandal of May 2012.

On the far left is New Think Tank President depicted as the pirate captain. On the far right with the red bandana is me. And on the bottom right with the glasses and beard is the person I've occasionally referred to here as "Other Colleague." The other three are directors of New Think Tank's offices in Ohio, Texas, and Florida.

The guy with the eye patch is -- ooooooooo! evill!!!! -- a former executive director of ALEC who has never been anything but polite, respectful, and an all-around cordial and colleagial person to work with, which is pretty much what I can say about EVERYBODY at New Think Tank and, sadly, a lot more than I can say about more than a few people I knew in academe. While some of my liberal friends (who have often wondered how I could "stand" to work where I did for as long as I have -- WTF people!??!!?) might cringe to hear me say it, I'd rather work with nice people who vote differently than I do than asshats who claim to share my politics but hypocritically reinforce an exploitative and destructive class system in their own workplaces and profession.

(Ahem ... Yes, Academe, you and some of your loyalest servants still piss me off.)

Pirates are sort of a theme around here. I won't go into details, but, suffice it to say, I like working in a place where, unlike in academe's lower ranks, you get to make up your own rules, chart your own course, and keep the treasure you acquire along the way.

That piratical spirit, shared by all of my New Think Tank colleagues, is what I'll miss most when I leave.

But, fortunately, I don't think I'll be entirely leaving it behind. If you look closely at the picture, notice the text at the very bottom. You might have to enlarge your screen to see it, but it's an inside joke of sorts. If you figured out what the Great Scandal of May 2012 was about, you'll get the joke. Even if you didn't and don't, appreciating the spirit of it is enough. The text says, "We still believe in pirates. Do you?"

My answer: Yes, friends, always and forever! Once a pirate always a pirate!! And the best adventures, for me and for you, are yet to come!!!

I can haz suitcase?

Is this not the cutest thing you ever saw? Poor Lucky missed me so much he jumped into my open suitcase as I was unpacking:

And wouldn't leave! As if, Stoopid Evillll Hooomin, I might can packed up clothez right aways and abandon teh poor kittehs more again!!!!!

At least somebody missed me :)

On Vacation

Been out of town since last Wednesday, in case any of you readers have been wondering why the posting has been light. Peaches and I took a rode trip to the Midwest. So far vacation has included swimming in one of the Great Lakes and lounging on a private beach, visiting with my aunt and uncle at their cottage nearby (in their late 70s but still fun to hang out and drink with), and dancing our asses off at a party in the forest with about 3,000 other people. At the moment, Peaches is still sleeping off the party which is why I've got time for a little blogging, but later we're going back to the beach. Heading back to DC tomorrow with maybe some pictures to post. Happy summertime!