Professor under fire for telling students they have to work hard.

[Mountain Man]

...not allowing a balance, which apparently is an issue at Cambridge and potentially deadly.

What?

[Cerebrum123]

What?

He's talking about people over working themselves, which can be really bad for you.

[KingsGambit]

I gotta agree with DE on this one; the prof's advice seems over the top and ignores that some form of balance is good for your mental health. That doesn't mean students should be out partying on weekends or anything of course.

[Cerebrum123]

I gotta agree with DE on this one; the prof's advice seems over the top and ignores that some form of balance is good for your mental health. That doesn't mean students should be out partying on weekends or anything of course.

Seems no different than the kind of advice you'd get from a coach in sports. "Give 110%", and other things they say that seem like they are saying that you are to do the training for sports, and only that while you are under their instruction. I'm pretty sure most realize it's just hyperbole.

[KingsGambit]

Seems no different than the kind of advice you'd get from a coach in sports. "Give 110%", and other things they say that seem like they are saying that you are to do the training for sports, and only that while you are under their instruction. I'm pretty sure most realize it's just hyperbole.

I don't see a reason to think it is hyperbole. Based on the professor's last name, it appears he's probably not native to the UK, and he may be from a country with a different academic culture.

[Mountain Man]

He's talking about people over working themselves, which can be really bad for you.

What some people call "over-working" is what other people call a typical day. I really don't think this present coddled generation is in any danger of working themselves to death.

[rogue06]

What some people call "over-working" is what other people call a typical day. I really don't think this present coddled generation is in any danger of working themselves to death.

Many of them I've worked with look at a 40 hour work week with horror. They want more money but when you offer them more than 25 to 30 hours a week they recoil from it.

[Mountain Man]

Many of them I've worked with look at a 40 hour work week with horror. They want more money but when you offer them more than 25 to 30 hours a week they recoil from it.

And then the people who do work hard and put in the time and get raises and promotions are dismissed as undeservedly "lucky". But as the saying goes, "People say that success is a matter of luck, but the funny thing is, the harder I work, the luckier I get."

[Cerebrum123]

What some people call "over-working" is what other people call a typical day. I really don't think this present coddled generation is in any danger of working themselves to death.

True, it doesn't seem to be a big issue in our society. At least not from what I've seen. Based on what I've heard, it is a much bigger problems in places like Japan, and China.

[Sparko]

It looks like the objections are coming from people who think the professor is not allowing a balance, which apparently is an issue at Cambridge and potentially deadly.

Deadly? You are going to drop dead if you don't party?

[guacamole]

LOL at this. Presumably, the students have already taken and passed whatever physics or math prereqs are required for this. The astrophysics curricula seem rigorous:

http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergrad

Some select quotations with colorful words I don't fully understand:

The Physics of Astrophysics plays the dual role of introducing students to a range of exciting topics in contemporary astrophysics, while developing abilities in physical reasoning and order of magnitude estimates in an astronomical context. Statistical Physics (in Mathematics) and Astrophysical Fluids (at the IoA) continue the essential physics education and Stellar Dynamics and Astrophysics (at the IoA) adds a further course in applied astrophysics.

The style throughout requires minimal memorizing of descriptive terminology, and avoids the simple quoting and application of complicated formulae. Rather, lecturers will concentrate on the derivations of fundamentals from first principles, and the teaching of basic understanding..

Sounds like a cake-walk.

Here's the syllabus Astrophysics II. It's only 36 pages.

https://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/sites/defa...2003102016.pdf

My favorite line so far:

The IoA staff have coffee (and tea) in the Hoyle building foyer from about 11:00am. There is no charge for
coffee for Part II Astrophysics students.

Presumably they are cross they have to pay for tea.

fwiw,
guacamole

[Psychic Missile]

Deadly? You are going to drop dead if you don't party?

I'm speaking with the higher rate of depression and suicide among med school students in mind, which can be extrapolated to any high-stress academic environment.

[Sparko]

I'm speaking with the higher rate of depression and suicide among med school students in mind, which can be extrapolated to any high-stress academic environment.

so you are saying that they would drop dead if they work hard and don't party.



Not drinking and partying is not the same thing as spending your entire time studying and worrying about school.

[One Bad Pig]

LOL at this. Presumably, the students have already taken and passed whatever physics or math prereqs are required for this. The astrophysics curricula seem rigorous:

http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergrad

Some select quotations with colorful words I don't fully understand:



Sounds like a cake-walk.

Here's the syllabus Astrophysics II. It's only 36 pages.

https://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/sites/defa...2003102016.pdf

My favorite line so far:



Presumably they are cross they have to pay for tea.

fwiw,
guacamole

Looks rather familiar. For tests, we were expected to extract useful information from a word problem, derive and solve the equations necessary to get an answer, all without notes or a calculator. We had a 50-minute class period to solve about 5 of these. Fun times.

[guacamole]

Looks rather familiar. For tests, we were expected to extract useful information from a word problem, derive and solve the equations necessary to get an answer, all without notes or a calculator. We had a 50-minute class period to solve about 5 of these. Fun times.

My collegiate education in English was not quite as vigorous--for tests, we had to read drafts of poems and explain why the writer made certain choices. The ancient Greek was a touch harder, but not higher math by any stretch of the imagination.

I've always admired people who had the discipline to excel in higher math and science. I have no idea why anyone enrolling in astrophyics, at cambridge, would expect an easy time.