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Adam Golberg

@cash4questions.bsky.social

680 followers 330 following 490 posts

Strategic Research Development Manager (Research Growth) @ University of Nottingham. Occasional Research Professional columnist. Bureaucratic realist. Soft Order Muppet. Runner. Blog at socialscienceresearchfunding.co.uk

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · Jul 17

My latest for @resprofnews.bsky.social - Research Culture: looking within

Features William Bligh, the Bounty and the phrase "hierarchy of bastards". Which I am disproportionately proud of. I invite you to read that phrase in the voice of a Sharpe-era Sean Bean. Or the whole thing, if you like.

Research culture: looking within - Research Professional News

A cautionary tale from British naval history, and why it might inspire self-reflection

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 22h

.... and Part 2, Risky research: Getting a research warrant, about how to approach risk in funding bids.

Risky research: Getting a research warrant - Research Professional News

How to approach risk on funding bids

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 22h

My two latest articles on 'risky research' for @researchprofnews.bsky.social are now available.

Part 1: Risky research: Fishing for a red herring

Risky research: Fishing for a red herring - Research Professional News

What do we mean by ‘risk’ and how does it relate to reward?

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 23h

In the light of the continuing university sector perma-crisis, I'm sharing this again in case it's useful...

Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · Apr 15

We've made this article from @cash4questions.bsky.social free to read, as it is proving very popular.

University funding crisis: How to stay serene when wellbeing sessions are offered.

"Beware employers bearing yoga mats..."

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-funding-k...

Coping with the university funding crisis - Research Professional News

Positive steps in uncertain times, including how to stay serene when wellbeing sessions are offered

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 23h

Enjoyed this piece.. good overview of the issues/state of play.

Research Professional News @resprofnews.bsky.social · 1d

AI in peer review: where to draw the line?

www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-worl...

AI in peer review: where to draw the line? - Research Professional News

As publishers seek “shared principles”, others warn AI could become “sticking plaster” for structural problems

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 2d

I'm seeing the phrases:

"... having said that", or "That [being] said, ..."

... absolutely everywhere atm. Is this just a memetic linguistic tic? Is it AI related, or is this just the Baader–Meinhof phenomenon now that I've noticed it?

Not a fan of the phrase, but at least it's not "moreover".

Reposted by Adam Golberg

profserious @profserious.bsky.social · 5d

Here are your 10 -essential- AI prompts for academics ... make your life easy with help from @profserious.bsky.social profserious.substack.com/p/10-ai-prom...

10 AI Prompts for Academics

making those hard jobs a little easier ...

profserious.substack.com

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Reposted by Adam Golberg

dr. rehemat 👩🏽‍💻👩🏽‍🔬 @rehemat24.bsky.social · 6d

Here is a conversation starter for your Friday on Bluesky:

What are your top tips and tricks for chairing meetings as an introvert?

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 6d

Great question- I'm looking forward to other answers from more experienced meeting chairs. I've found that treating chairing as service helps - attendees want firm & fair chairing to feel in safe hands. Also think it's a performative role, so channelling it as performance helps my introversion.

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 10d

I don't want too be too cynical. The restoration of maintenance grants (level TBC etc) is very, very welcome. It's a Labour government doing Labour things (at least). But that doesn't make the international student levy a good or even workable idea.

Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 10d

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 11d

It's one of the most useful running things that anyone ever told me. It's great for confidence, and a reason why many people start too fast.

Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 11d

Thanks! Ten marathons and many more halfs. Really enjoy it, and I'll be entering next year's when they send me the discount code next week. You feeling like another half, or too soon to say?

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 11d

Robin Hood half marathon today. What a pleasure and a privilege to run through my home city. Great support as always, huge thanks to all the marshalls, volunteers and my F1CC club mates.

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 11d

Congratulations!

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 15d

I've bowed to the inevitable and got some new glasses, which I'm actually going to wear. I was hoping for a mild productivity boost through reduced squinting at tiny fonts, but in fact I just spend ages trying to find where I've left them. So now I'm feeling doubly old.

Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 15d

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 18d

Not much to add to what others have said. Hard work is done, don't go off too quickly, enjoy it! Most of your training has been in a fatigued state because of the training. Relax this week and you start the race fresh. Above all it's a huge achievement, enjoy every moment!

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 20d

Yeah, I don't want to be setting limits on aspirations or to talk down our students' abilities.... but as you say I think it can be realistic only for a small minority. Which is to be encouraged, but shouldn't drive public policy.

Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 20d

Said this before, but given how hard it is to start a business and how many fail, surely straight out of university is not necessarily a great time to start one. Maybe get some professional experience and connections and £££ first. Especially for those without angel investors for family members.

Chris Havergal @chrishavergal.bsky.social · 20d

Business secretary criticised for complaining too many UK university students want to "explore research and knowledge", with too few wanting to start businesses of their own www.timeshighereducation.com/news/kyle-ou... via @julietterowsell.bsky.social

Kyle 'out of touch' for claiming British students 'lack drive'

Former science secretary called ‘out of touch’ after accusing British students of lacking 'vigour'

www.timeshighereducation.com

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 20d

Just sent a load of calendar invitations for six meetings of the course of the academic year to two different research networks, each with 100+ members.

I don't know what/how I've messed up, but statistically I'm very unlikely to have made zero errors. Waiting for the emails with bated breath...

Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 21d

I think that the more expensive subjects to teach are the ones more at risk at the moment.

Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 21d

Have we reached the point where it would be easier to list the universities where staff haven't been forced into industrial action to try to minimise job losses?

Times Higher Education (THE) @timeshighered.bsky.social · 21d

Union members at the University of Bradford will walk out for the first two weeks of the new academic year in a bid to save jobs, reports @patrickjack.bsky.social #academicsky #strike www.timeshighereducation.com/news/univers...

University of Bradford staff announce 10 day strike

Industrial action follows previous walkouts in June, July, and August

www.timeshighereducation.com

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 22d

I tend to get procurement spam, industrial suppliers, probably-predatory-conferences, corporate training stuff, and something in Polish that I don't understand. I don't get so much of the old public sector conference stuff since COVID.

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Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 22d

From an applicant perspective, I've seen quite a lot of "crow barring" over the years, where existing ideas are forced to fit with new strategic priorities. This seldom works. I wrote a Research Professional piece about how weak arguments for fit can make good proposals seem much less persuasive.

When less is more - Research Professional News

Should the weaker elements of a proposal always be cut?

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

Adam Golberg @cash4questions.bsky.social · 22d

This is an interesting read from a funder perspective about funder strategies and how researchers should respond to them in grant applications and in the choices they make about their future research direction.

Jacqui Marshall PhD CSci 🧪🧫🧬🧑‍🔬🧑‍💻📊🌳🏞️🧗🥎🇪🇺 @jjmarshall.bsky.social · 22d

How should researchers respond to funder strategies - and what do these documents really mean for your work?

Read my latest blog! www.linkedin.com/pulse/readin...

#ResearchStrategy #CancerResearch #FundingLandscape #ECRSupport #ScientificIntegrity #StrategicAlignment #ResearchCulture

Reading Between the Lines: What Researchers Can Take from Funder Strategies

Strategic documents from research funders are everywhere - roadmaps, frameworks, updates, priorities. For early-career researchers (ECRs), they can feel like both opportunity and overload.

www.linkedin.com

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