For while early in my career I was involved in drilling and one of the things we were warned about was "dropping the casing" ( This is the outer tube of metal used to stabilise an oil well and allow it to contain pressure ).
Here is a video of what I assume to be a bad day for someone ...
If you've survived a period of time in postgrad study (grad school in US terms) then you'll appreciate Piled Higher and Deeper. Its a sort of Dilbert for strange alternate world post grad study.
If not then I have to tell you the cartoons convey an suprisingly large amount of contextual truth about the PhD world - and are a lot of fun.
I returned to the world of University after 4 years employment and tried to explain to my fellow grad students why Dilbert was so funny - they just didn't get it then. Maybe the same might be true of the PhD cartoons - they're funny because it hurts!
The Chemical Industry has had an image problem for as long as many of us can remember. It also needs to enthuse the next generation of chemists, chemical engineers and such, so that they will be available when they grow up.
To this end I was up in Liverpool a few weeks ago and decided to drag my Son over to the Catalyst science discovery centre in Widnes. Its a great idea, and a good location in an area where you can still see the UK's chemical industry. However the exhibits are perhaps beginning to wear a little. No doubt it is a great place for a school trip. From a Chemical Engineers viewpoint I was disappointed to see most of the careers advice on offer was aimed at scientists - but there you go it was ever such at school. Some mention of the history of Chemical Engineering was present, but I thought more could have been made of it.
The major problem is not being allowed to take the time I'd like at each exhibit being dragged round by impatient offspring - look a bubble cap distillation tray .... come on Dad etc etc. ( I have images flashing through my mind of my own father who kept getting me into various military aircraft as a child in the hope I'd follow him into the RAF. )
But we need more of this sort of thing to keep people informed about the vital chemical industries in the UK.
Anyone know of any good places to go in the South East of England ?
(Photos from cheap camera phone - you get what you pay for ... ) PS My apologies for not keeping this blog up to date, its something I intend to do far more often from now on.
I returned to the world of University after 4 years employment and tried to explain to my fellow grad students why Dilbert was so funny - they just didn't get it then. Maybe the same might be true of the PhD cartoons - they're funny because it hurts!.jpg)
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The major problem is not being allowed to take the time I'd like at each exhibit being dragged round by impatient offspring - look a bubble cap distillation tray .... come on Dad etc etc. ( I have images flashing through my mind of my own father who kept getting me into various military aircraft as a child in the hope I'd follow him into the RAF. ).jpg)
But we need more of this sort of thing to keep people informed about the vital chemical industries in the UK.
