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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

I Am Going To Graduate! (And Possibly Going To Back To Los Alamos.)

As some of you may have noticed, I have been neglecting the blog for several months.  The biggest reason is I have frantically been playing the game of both doing research and applying for jobs; a combination that is stressful enough that it is nearly impossible to maintain any side hobbies.

One glance at the Astro Rumor Mill, where the state of the cosmology/astrophysics jobs are being discussed, you will see that there are several hundred applicants applying for a lesser number of positions.   (Which alone is stressful) Now add the fact that you start seeing other people's names get entered onto that page having received offers or being shortlisted while you are receiving rejection letters starting in December and you can get an understanding why come the end of January you might start feeling as stressed as you ever were awaiting the decision of whether you passed or failed the comprehensive exam.

I plan on making a couple blog posts on this as many of you will go through this yourself and I want you to be well prepared. :)

With all that out of the way, a quick glance at that rumor mill and you will find I was offered a Director's Fellowship at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.  This is a good offer and it means, among other things: I will be able to graduate this year for sure!!! Graduate school is going to actually come to an end in the coming months!

Now, there is still time to receive other offers, for example the Hubble Fellowships have not yet been named which among many circles are considered a bit more prestigious, so it isn't 100% I will take this offer yet.  However, I am very happy to have received this offer as the Director's Fellowship is a great offer and Los Alamos is a great institution to do research at. (And am happy and excited you know what offers you all will have in the coming years.)

10 comments:

  1. Many congratulations and future success!  I just hope this doesn't mean an end to your blogging altogether.

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  2. Congratulations, both on the impending graduation and the offer.  It's good to know at least one of us is actually going to graduate eventually.

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  3. Thanks everyone.  No I will try to get back into habitual blogging now as this was a huge weight lifted.  And thanks especially for all of you who have supported this blog whether we have been neglecting it or not. 

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  4. Congratulations!  Like Nick said, it's good to know at least one of us will graduate some day.  Let us know how things work out. 

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  5. Yes, indeed. Congratulations, and now we have proof that someone from the blog can graduate! Yay!!

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  6. Congrats Joseph! I know how you feel, and it is certainly a relief when you realize someone somewhere is willing to pay you for your past few years of blood, sweat, and tears.  Also, I know one of the current Director Fellows at LANL -- Jarrett Johnson.  Have you met him?  He's really enjoyed it so far.

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  7. I hate to break it to you Joe, but they don't actually do atmospheric tests of A-bombs at Los Alamos any more. So just fair warning or you might be one sad little boy on Christmas morning ;-)

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  8. Don't forget your backpack and connect with what is all around you.

    Center of the Universe is where one is. - American Indian faith, forgot who said that.

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