Goals and Narratives of Graduate Education by Aris Winger https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme What do we assume to be true that needs to be questioned? How are the goals in the department not aligned to your goals? en-us 2024-01-14 11:44:49 UTC 2024-04-05 00:54:46 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849555659 know your stuff before speaking

]]> 2024-01-15 21:08:51 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849555659 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849555893 be sincere and respectful

]]> 2024-01-15 21:09:15 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849555893 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556083 math is a meritocracy

]]> 2024-01-15 21:09:35 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556083 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556128 Defer to more senior academics, and expect some amount of deference from more junior ones.

]]> 2024-01-15 21:09:41 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556128 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556157 Research is individualistic and collaboration isn’t necessary / looked down upon

]]> 2024-01-15 21:09:44 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556157 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556361 People of all titles should be allowed to not know things. With respect to graduate students, it’s really bizarre to me that we’re expected to know everything already and to be entirely responsible for our own learning. Isn’t this an educational institution? What is Berkeley responsible for if not my education?

]]> 2024-01-15 21:10:08 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556361 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556445 mistakes are a sign of weakness

]]> 2024-01-15 21:10:17 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556445 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556618 silence means you understand

]]> 2024-01-15 21:10:31 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556618 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556683 There is “important math” and “other math.”

]]> 2024-01-15 21:10:39 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556683 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556920 Learning to collaborate. Hard because of lack of community in my subfield and support from my advisor.

]]> 2024-01-15 21:11:06 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849556920 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849557348 hiding one’s struggles/putting on a brave face. sharing helps us receive help and also make everyone feel like we’re not alone

]]> 2024-01-15 21:11:53 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849557348 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849557861 "Smartness" can be measured linearly

]]> 2024-01-15 21:12:20 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849557861 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849558408 math = smart

]]> 2024-01-15 21:12:57 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849558408 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849558524 Being an 'excellent scientist' first and a person only second

]]> 2024-01-15 21:13:07 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849558524 the genius trope https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849558837 2024-01-15 21:13:37 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849558837 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849558852 There is only one way to produce knowledge

]]> 2024-01-15 21:13:39 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849558852 That you need to have some "undying passion" for math, or have your whole life and being surround mathematics. If you're not spending all your time doing math, then you're not as good of a mathematician. https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849558970 2024-01-15 21:13:51 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849558970 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849559080 Challenging authority is necessarily seen as necessarily bad, even if you’re demanding respect.

]]> 2024-01-15 21:13:59 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849559080 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849559311 Math is absolutely true or false, so human considerations are irrelevant

]]> 2024-01-15 21:14:15 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849559311 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849559655 a pressure not to take up people's time

]]> 2024-01-15 21:14:40 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849559655 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849559827 Students need to “qualify” for candidacy.

]]> 2024-01-15 21:14:55 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849559827 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849560221 Building a wider network, although maybe i’m not quite at that stage yet

]]> 2024-01-15 21:15:36 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849560221 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849560521 Test scores dictate research capacity.

]]> 2024-01-15 21:16:03 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849560521 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849561018 i’m not sure there’s a clear, intentional goal

]]> 2024-01-15 21:16:48 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849561018 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849561052 Produce "excellent" research (in the ivory tower sense mentioned above)

]]> 2024-01-15 21:16:52 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849561052 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849561896 I need to be able to focus on a lot of things at once — e.g., studying AND research. This department doesn’t let you do that. We’re greatly discouraged from finding ways of learning that work for us and very incentivized to pursue the degree in a prescribed way.

]]> 2024-01-15 21:18:08 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849561896 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849562219 math is not all of my life nor all of my identity

]]> 2024-01-15 21:18:43 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849562219 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849562267 The big shots know everything. 😒

]]> 2024-01-15 21:18:48 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849562267 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849563362 that knowing is a binary

]]> 2024-01-15 21:20:39 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849563362 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849565574 I have noticed a lot of comparison, but in my experience I've seen it lead more to imposter syndrome than active competition. (I worry about the undergrads in the math club though.)

]]> 2024-01-15 21:25:04 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849565574 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849565588 I often worry about if my advisor likes other of my peers more than me - feel insecure about the amount of math I know

]]> 2024-01-15 21:25:06 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849565588 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849565744 I think that there’s still a culture of using big words to try to sound impressive, but I think it’s largely from the insecurity that was mentioned. I get the vibe that we all share this insecurity of belonging (largely because of the lack of attention from faculty).


I will note that I have found my circles where collaboration IS possible, but it took a long time to craft those spaces.

]]> 2024-01-15 21:25:18 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849565744 Something I witnessed https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849568338 A faculty member said that they would not pass the prelim had they been given it right now. Another faculty member replied, “Well then maybe we should be giving new faculty an exam to see if they belong here.”

]]> 2024-01-15 21:30:05 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849568338 Seminar culture https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849577501 I find the seminar culture intimidating and not great for learning. I feel like the speakers and the organizers don't care if I get anything out of it. Even for learning seminars, often the people leading the seminar have big personalities which control the room. I wish there was precedent for members of the audience to help each other learn, instead of letting everyone float away with the tides.

]]> 2024-01-15 21:45:29 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849577501 https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849577848 It would be much more effective to list pedagogical goals of each requirement instead of listing what happens when people fail.

]]> 2024-01-15 21:46:05 UTC https://padlet.com/ariswinger/8pmgpglftont0vme/wish/2849577848