Benji Turnbull

Missing placement day 5 of my #PGDE due to sickness.

Feel bad for doing so, and struggling to actively rest.

I am a terrible sick person.

#Maths nerds:

Is a helix a simple spiral, like a line is a lil ear curve, or are they mathematically different objects?

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Since August I've been doing a #PGDE to become a high school #Biology #Teacher.

Here're my reflections so far :)

Ask me anything :)

bencturnbull.wordpress.com/2025/10/28/p...

Srs Q:

Why is " New paper out!" acceptable #scicom?

Shouldn't we be describing, in simple terms, the question, significance, findings, and future and not just announcing our achievements?

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Cos, ultimately, how can one know they're underperforming if they're not told so nor shown *how* to do better to reach the bar?

2/2

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Nothing like a warm, jovial, academic comedy night to trigger your #PhD trauma.

Academia really needs a mechanism to prevent folks spending a decade of life on something only to be set up to fail.

1/2

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#DNAReplication Q:
1) Why does DNA Primase make RNA primers?
2) Why can't DNA Polymerase start a DNA chain?

Both facts seems quite inefficient, is it a relic from RNA world?

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If someone does a #PhD to their best under the guidance given, submits thesis corrections per the examiners outline and with input from their supervisor, and the have their degree downgraded...

What amount of fault is theirs?

AFAF 👀

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#Evolution #Photosynthesis Q:
Why isn't green light used by the primary photosystems?

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Rest in piece #JaneGoodall.

Modern legend of natural sciences.

Thank you for treating your animals with so much respect.

First day of UG teaching this year and am nervous af.

Always am to meet my first years.

Plus, am feeling a lil overwhelmed by my current workload.

Hope y'all are doing well!

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Not really an acceptable response or system, is it?

How can people possibly better present themselves if they don't learn what their shortcomings were?

What an awful culture we have.

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#PGDE Week4:

I've got 2 weeks of tasks to do, I'm quite overwhelmed.

Not sure how much is absolutely essential either.

Feeling a little lost.

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#PGDE week3:
Between a stag do and now falling ill, am already behind the workload.

Feeling overwhelmed but it all, tbh.

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Imagine how embarrassing it must be to outline to someone how to get a #PhD and then fail them when they do that.

💀

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#ProudOfMe moment:

In L'Pool at a stag, last time I was here was a conference, I eagerly built bonds for a postdoc.

Last year, being back would've been triggering. After my #PhD being failed and postdoc ls now unavailable.

But am really enjoying myself. #Growth

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Week1 of the #PGDE has been good.

Biggest revelation is how little attention I have now. Reading articles and taking notes is taking painfully long.

Hoping the weekly tasks will help train that.

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I started a #PGDE which is a teaching training degree. In 2 years I'll be a high school Biology teacher.

Teaching was always the aim. But having the option of doing so in HE taken away from me sucks.

Ultimately, I'm now more nervous because what if it's not for me?

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Potentially unpopular opinion:

If you're hiring but don't have the capacity to give feedback to your unsuccessful applicants, you shouldn't be hiring.

You could at least offer feedback by request...

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My former department, whom did not set me up sufficiently to be awarded the #PhD I worked for, also awarded someone one after only 20 months.

A PhD is meant to literally represent 3 years of work...

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Job app is interviewing Monday, guess I didn't get it.

Prob means zero chance of feedback too, aye?

Folks can't communicate.

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Should PIs be investigated if their #PhD students fail!

Or at least be hella embarrassed!

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Just applied for a one year teaching fellow position.

Think I absolutely nailed it but tryna not get hoeps too high since I'm sure they'll have 10s, if not 100s, of applicants.

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I really want my PhD back.

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Does anyone else get really nervous doing things they:

1) Have done before, and
2) Actively enjoy?

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How does someone not get too excited about a near perfect job opportunity as to not end up deflated if they don't get it?

Afaf...

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Nah. Was just birds and learning. Not much in there which is useful outside of academia. But hey :)

Unlikely. The feedback I got from resubmission amounted to "not good enough". So, they downgraded it to an MPhil.

I could try to get some papers from the chapters but ultimately seems a bit pointless yano. Since I won't be staying in academia.

Unexpected ongoing trauma of having my #PhD failed:

My friend told me they start there's soon, and I had to force myself to be happy for them because my entire gut feeling was dread/sadness.

All this for a book nobody will read.

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Imagine having to reject your ideal job offer because two people failed you after you did the revisions they outlined 💀

#StillAngry

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