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Amen! On 15/04/19 14:58, Judith Gregory wrote: > Great, thank you, jg > > On 24/03/12 23:46, Bob Este wrote: >> Dear Teena /et al/: >> >> Having just been virtually convocated with the Ph.D 20 Feb 2012 after >> 10 (ten) years of consistent effort (yes, 1/6 of my life), the only >> drudgery I ever experienced was with making a living during this >> time. This had nothing whatsoever to do with the intellectual >> challenge, learning and exploration that took place over that decade >> (and continues, of course). >> >> The unfolding intellectual pursuit of what I gradually came to focus >> on, about 1/2 way through that time -- which pursuit is far from over >> and in fact has become my life-long focus -- had nothing whatsoever >> either in common or isomorphic with drudgery. >> >> In achieving the Ph.D, I know that I created a path never previously >> trod. Simply put, I "broke trail" the whole way. Although others had >> perhaps been on parallel tracks, nobody had ever taken the path I >> chose. And in so doing, the notion of drudgery never once entered my >> mind. >> >> The metaphor that my supervisor and I both used from time to time >> emerged from our respective and quite independent experiences of >> growing up in the Far North of Canada -- something neither he or I >> even knew about when I began -- we knew nothing about each other in >> that realm when the first connections and alignments were undertaken. >> >> So, the Ph.d for me was a long, _/totally/_ independent, and quite >> difficult but exceptionally exciting journey through arduous (and, in >> my unique case in terms of physical health, even life-threatening) >> conditions. >> >> The metaphoric question was how to survive and get to one's goal in a >> very hostile environment -- whether this happened to be the real >> Arctic, or the intellectual terrain that was being traversed in such >> unique ways. >> >> I chose this particular journey very consciously -- and I have been >> unbelievably fortunate that my wife, family, and friends never >> stopped urging me to take yet another step, and then the one after >> that. Even if they got sick and tired of hearing my frequent cries of >> frustration, apparent hopelessness and expressions of profound >> existential angst, it was wonderful to know that my journey in such >> absolute solitude was supported in this way. In a sense, being so >> very alone meant never really being alone. >> >> So, on this almost impossible journey (that sometimes I thought would >> never end), my goal was to trudge through the penetrating cold and >> exceptionally deep snow to eventually get to something like a frozen, >> long-abandoned cabin in the wilderness. Finally getting there >> represented the completion of the dissertation. I pushed the creaking >> door open, and saw ... nothing. >> >> But, once inside in total frozen darkness, I had to figure out a way >> to spark a sustainable fire in the stove to warm things up, to get >> the kerosene lamp to flicker to life, to melt some ice to make tea, >> and then to get back on track and effectively make use of both the >> experience of finally getting there and the essential process of >> shaping the next steps. Onwards into the future. >> >> This last part is still very much underway. >> >> There is no drudgery in this journey. Joy and satisfaction, yes -- >> drudgery, absolutely not. >> >> Please accept my best wishes for your successful completion (which I >> am sure will burst forth, no matter what) ... >> >> Bob Este, Ph.D >> Business Development Officer >> Institute for Space Imaging Science >> Department of Physics and Astronomy >> The University of Calgary >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On 24/03/12 3:33 PM, Bill, Amanda wrote: >>> I'm with you, Teena. I'd happily do a PhD all over again! Enjoy these >>> final weeks of enlightenment and I hope the drudgery never returns. >>> >>> Amanda >>> >>> On 25/03/12 9:57 AM, "teena clerke"<[log in to unmask]> wrote: >>> >>>> Dear all, >>>> >>>> I am delighted to see the positive responses to my provocation. >>>> >>>> Speaking as a doctoral candidate 4 weeks away from submission, while >>>> the PhD has been intense, confusing, enlightening, humbling, >>>> frustrating, exciting and many other things besides, it has never, >>>> ever, not once, felt like drudgery. >>>> >>>> On the other hand, professional design practice, teaching, academic >>>> life in general, as well as family life have all, at times, felt like >>>> drudgery. >>>> >>>> My hope is that life after the PhD continues to not feel like >>>> drudgery. Happy studying for those in the middle! >>>> >>>> cheers, teena >>>> >>>> >>>> On 24/03/2012, at 9:06 AM, Mark Evans wrote: >>>> >>>>> Teena >>>>> >>>>> Speaking as a supervisor and examiner, PhDs pose a significant >>>>> intellectual challenge and it¹s quite possible that the lack of >>>>> rigour and discipline experienced during an illustrious career >>>>> outside of academia has failed to equip the candidate with the >>>>> skills and knowledge required to undertake robust research. Or >>>>> maybe they just picked a topic that failed to inspire them. >>>>> >>>>> Dr Mark Evans >>>>> Loughborough Design School >>>>> >> ----------------------------------------------------------------- PhD-Design mailing list <[log in to unmask]> Discussion of PhD studies and related research in Design Subscribe or Unsubscribe at https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/phd-design -----------------------------------------------------------------