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Reposted by Cristi Proistosescu

Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 1d

It's Nobel week, so time for the annual poking light fun of economists. Here's what I've workshopped for this year:

Real "assistant *to* the regional manager" vibes on the "Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel"

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 1d

Once again Veep turns out to be the most accurate description of American politics.

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 1d

It's Nobel week, so time for the annual poking light fun of economists. Here's what I've workshopped for this year:

Real "assistant *to* the regional manager" vibes on the "Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel"

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Reposted by Cristi Proistosescu

Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 4d

honestly I don't really mind writing the 15 page research summary (though 10 pages would be better for both writing and reviewing). It is, inter alia, a helpful conduit to plan out a project.

What kills me is the extra week(!) filling in tabs in research.gov, and ...

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Andrew Dessler @andrewdessler.com · 5d

the amount of time we spend trying to raise $$$ for our research is absolutely immense and results in a huge amount of wasted time. BUT there is a limited amount of money, so they have to have some method of distributing it. not sure what the best way to do it is.

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Reposted by Cristi Proistosescu

Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 4d

The ancient Greeks were right. Hubris* is the ultimate source of all men’s downfall!

*I just had to text my wife bragging that i stuck a perfect nap time routine, instead of just knocking on some wood and saying three Hail Mary’s like usual.

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 4d

The ancient Greeks were right. Hubris* is the ultimate source of all men’s downfall!

*I just had to text my wife bragging that i stuck a perfect nap time routine, instead of just knocking on some wood and saying three Hail Mary’s like usual.

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 4d

Whenever anyone asks why all British prime ministers behave the same regardless of party, i point them to this very helpful (and oddly specific?) Wikipedia page:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...

Only one PM since Churchill has NOT gone through Oxford.

List of prime ministers of the United Kingdom by education - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 4d

This expansion of grant process overhead effort gets compounded by a tendency of universities* to offload more of this effort on faculty rather than specificialized staff

*at least at our public-ass university. It’s may be different at Ivies

But this is a whole different rant thread…

7/7 fin.

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 4d

I also assume it comes out of a perceived need for increase compliance and scrutiny. Making sure every dollar is well spent.

But we're probably getting something like a Laffer curve (though not exactly), where the extra $$$ and time spent in ensuring compliance far outweighs the $$$ saved.

6/

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 4d

I assume it comes out of good intentions. But humans have a tendency to try and improve porcesses by adding to them rather than subtracting.

5/

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 4d

I would honestly like an answer from more senior scientists or anyone with insight into this mission creep of funding agencies to make sure all the i's are crossed and all the t's are dotted.

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 4d

... and generally all the temporal overhead associated with the grant process.

Recently applied to a call where the Funding Opportunity Announcement was 105 pages. I found a version of the call ~ 20 years ago that was 12 pages.

How did we get here?!

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 4d

... going back and forth with the grants office over the precise wording in the budget justification, chasing collaborators to send me an SciEnCV-formatted resume, coordinating statement of works between institutions; plus week long panels, spending confirmation reports that assume I'm a CPA...

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 4d

honestly I don't really mind writing the 15 page research summary (though 10 pages would be better for both writing and reviewing). It is, inter alia, a helpful conduit to plan out a project.

What kills me is the extra week(!) filling in tabs in research.gov, and ...

1/

Andrew Dessler @andrewdessler.com · 5d

the amount of time we spend trying to raise $$$ for our research is absolutely immense and results in a huge amount of wasted time. BUT there is a limited amount of money, so they have to have some method of distributing it. not sure what the best way to do it is.

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 5d

One easy thing that would help is just extending funding horizons from 3 to 5 or 6 years.

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Reposted by Cristi Proistosescu

Dr. Kelly Núñez Ocasio @knubez.bsky.social · 6d

🚨 New Study Alert!

Our study with @zmoon92.bsky.social & @edougherty.bsky.social offers new insights into how
African Easterly Waves (AEWs), the seeds of Atlantic hurricanes 🌀, are being shaped by a warmer, moister climate.

doi.org/10.1029/2025...

doi.org

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Reposted by Cristi Proistosescu

Silvia Caldararu🌿 @scaldararu.bsky.social · 9d

Come work with us - The School of Natural Sciences at Trinity College Dublin is looking for a tenure track assistant professor in plant biodiversity and conservation 🧪🌏🌾 my.corehr.com/pls/trrecrui...

Drop me a message if you want to chat about what it's like to work here or live in Ireland.

an old building with climbing plants around the door with purple flowers. The sign above the door says school of botany 1907

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Reposted by Cristi Proistosescu

Rosie Fisher @rosieafisher.bsky.social · Nov 10

I made a list (or 'starter pack') of Land Surface Modelers, because that's the kind of thing one does on #bluesky. Please tell your friends and also (v. important) TELL ME if you want to be added. We need more people here! go.bsky.app/Mw4tJ3t

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 10d

I'm not even sure this is a classical Private Equity business model. This might be part of the media buyout strategy we're seeing, as online gaming is (or at least is perceived) to be a good medium to influence young people.

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 11d

since you asked for ”favorite” and not “best”: Terry Pratchet’s Discworld series. Hard to choose one that stands out, but some faves:

- Hogfather (contains my favorite passage - ‘the sun would not have risen’)

- Small Gods
- Guards, Guards! or Jingo (city watch)
- lors and ladies (witches)

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Reposted by Cristi Proistosescu

Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 11d

So AGU apparently took down their announcements introducing the plenary keynote speaker for this year’s fall meeting?

Does anyone have insight into what happened there?

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 11d

I know the instant ten was advertised as being able to be set up in 5 minutes.

But whoever timed that did not have a helpful 4 year old by their side.

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 11d

They had posted some announcements that Vandana Shiva was the keynote speaker. But they seem to have been taken off.

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 11d

So AGU apparently took down their announcements introducing the plenary keynote speaker for this year’s fall meeting?

Does anyone have insight into what happened there?

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Cristi Proistosescu @cristiproist.bsky.social · 13d

I wouldn’t say that the last decade has made me more religious.

But it did make say “Jesus Christ!“ a lot more.

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