Michael Barany
@mbarany.com
Historical and cultural theories about maths and science theories. Fields Medal killjoy. Scotland enjoyer. formerly @mbarany on birdsite and intermittently @[email protected] on fediverse
there were three Michael B's and a Michael R and, briefly, a Michael W in my middle school math class. felt bad for the substitutes when our regular teacher was away
January 12, 2026 at 9:12 PM
there were three Michael B's and a Michael R and, briefly, a Michael W in my middle school math class. felt bad for the substitutes when our regular teacher was away
yeah here we have lots of consultation but no evidence that it makes any difference to decisions or plans
January 11, 2026 at 7:44 PM
yeah here we have lots of consultation but no evidence that it makes any difference to decisions or plans
the pattern here is fairly high satisfaction with bosses the closer they are to you on the ladder, where they are accordingly much more likely to understand and value what you do and appreciate what you need to do it
January 11, 2026 at 7:07 PM
the pattern here is fairly high satisfaction with bosses the closer they are to you on the ladder, where they are accordingly much more likely to understand and value what you do and appreciate what you need to do it
of course internal appointment of leadership is not a solution in itself, but it can help address a basic factor in the disastrousness we expect from external ones
January 11, 2026 at 4:03 PM
of course internal appointment of leadership is not a solution in itself, but it can help address a basic factor in the disastrousness we expect from external ones
it's much easier to find out what is done elsewhere than it is to understand how and why your own institution works, and all the elsewhere-knowledge in the world is useless (or indeed harm-prone) without a solid own-understanding
January 11, 2026 at 4:00 PM
it's much easier to find out what is done elsewhere than it is to understand how and why your own institution works, and all the elsewhere-knowledge in the world is useless (or indeed harm-prone) without a solid own-understanding
the biggest benefit is you avoid career VCs, the jobs become something you do as an exception to your norm of working within an institution, which keeps you at least nominally sensitive to what it means to work within the institution
January 11, 2026 at 3:58 PM
the biggest benefit is you avoid career VCs, the jobs become something you do as an exception to your norm of working within an institution, which keeps you at least nominally sensitive to what it means to work within the institution
honestly if you can't fill your senior roles from people who have made a significant part of their careers within the institution, you need to reform your hiring and career support, not seek leadership externally
January 11, 2026 at 3:23 PM
honestly if you can't fill your senior roles from people who have made a significant part of their careers within the institution, you need to reform your hiring and career support, not seek leadership externally
see e.g. senate paper 6 here, which was approved overwhelmingly registryservices.ed.ac.uk/sites/defaul...
registryservices.ed.ac.uk
January 7, 2026 at 10:34 AM
see e.g. senate paper 6 here, which was approved overwhelmingly registryservices.ed.ac.uk/sites/defaul...
fwiw the academic senate, research directors, heads of subject, union, and more have been raising all these questions and concerns about the edinburgh metrics, and no movement yet from management
January 7, 2026 at 10:33 AM
fwiw the academic senate, research directors, heads of subject, union, and more have been raising all these questions and concerns about the edinburgh metrics, and no movement yet from management
yeah quick search puts some summer truffles at that price point
January 7, 2026 at 10:19 AM
yeah quick search puts some summer truffles at that price point
I think some high end mushrooms come in around there? expensive but also low density
January 7, 2026 at 10:17 AM
I think some high end mushrooms come in around there? expensive but also low density
came here to recommend that series 👍
January 5, 2026 at 7:45 AM
came here to recommend that series 👍
I was an officer of one of a large number of organisations issuing statements calling for the ICM to be suspended during those four interim days, so more firsthand experience than historian in this case
January 3, 2026 at 8:18 PM
I was an officer of one of a large number of organisations issuing statements calling for the ICM to be suspended during those four interim days, so more firsthand experience than historian in this case
Four days later, the International Mathematical Union moved the ICM online in recognition that asking mathematicians to gather in the aggressor nation would be untenable www.mathunion.org/fileadmin/IM...
www.mathunion.org
January 3, 2026 at 8:01 PM
Four days later, the International Mathematical Union moved the ICM online in recognition that asking mathematicians to gather in the aggressor nation would be untenable www.mathunion.org/fileadmin/IM...
well into my third decade of being a stickler for minutes
January 1, 2026 at 6:41 PM
well into my third decade of being a stickler for minutes
going to take a while to convert the whole publication list to the new approach, but I think this will be a lot more user friendly.
obvi a work in progress, pointers/feedback welcome!
obvi a work in progress, pointers/feedback welcome!
January 1, 2026 at 4:17 PM
going to take a while to convert the whole publication list to the new approach, but I think this will be a lot more user friendly.
obvi a work in progress, pointers/feedback welcome!
obvi a work in progress, pointers/feedback welcome!
rebuilding this and my teaching site (study.histsci.scot ) on the same basic static html/css, for all the reasons web 1.0 is making a comeback
Study.HistSci.Scot
Course materials and resources for teaching and learning the history of science, based in Scotland.
study.histsci.scot
January 1, 2026 at 4:17 PM
rebuilding this and my teaching site (study.histsci.scot ) on the same basic static html/css, for all the reasons web 1.0 is making a comeback