Yvette Cendes
@whereisyvette.bsky.social
Astronomer here! I’m a Hungarian-American radio astronomer, alias /r/Andromeda321 on Reddit. Assistant professor at the University of Oregon
Sometimes on reddit I can’t help myself and tell these folks “congratulations, you win the pedantic award of the day!”
Like should I, no, should these people not get all “well actually,” also no
Like should I, no, should these people not get all “well actually,” also no
November 23, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Sometimes on reddit I can’t help myself and tell these folks “congratulations, you win the pedantic award of the day!”
Like should I, no, should these people not get all “well actually,” also no
Like should I, no, should these people not get all “well actually,” also no
I remember a few years ago going into a club and they played the Macarena and I realized it was not even ironically. Def a moment where you feel like you’re getting old 😬
November 23, 2025 at 7:51 PM
I remember a few years ago going into a club and they played the Macarena and I realized it was not even ironically. Def a moment where you feel like you’re getting old 😬
You mean it’s not to just put something into chatGPT and copy/paste the results?! 🙃
November 22, 2025 at 1:31 AM
You mean it’s not to just put something into chatGPT and copy/paste the results?! 🙃
THAT is true! I suppose it's just frustrating because you always have some applicants that I think COULD be a good fit... but yes, if they don't care enough to search their future employer's name on Google or ADS it doesn't really inspire confidence they'd be a good postdoc
November 22, 2025 at 1:05 AM
THAT is true! I suppose it's just frustrating because you always have some applicants that I think COULD be a good fit... but yes, if they don't care enough to search their future employer's name on Google or ADS it doesn't really inspire confidence they'd be a good postdoc
Like seriously, if I just use "do you say the words "radio" OR "tidal disruption event" in any capacity" at least a third of applications do not fit that criteria. Yikes.
It's also not a great look if you confuse me for other UO colleagues. UO has a big LIGO collab, but I'm not in it 🫠
It's also not a great look if you confuse me for other UO colleagues. UO has a big LIGO collab, but I'm not in it 🫠
November 22, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Like seriously, if I just use "do you say the words "radio" OR "tidal disruption event" in any capacity" at least a third of applications do not fit that criteria. Yikes.
It's also not a great look if you confuse me for other UO colleagues. UO has a big LIGO collab, but I'm not in it 🫠
It's also not a great look if you confuse me for other UO colleagues. UO has a big LIGO collab, but I'm not in it 🫠
I am! Teaching a class on the solar system this quarter and record the class anyway for students, so the trimmed lectures go onto YouTube. :)
November 20, 2025 at 3:29 AM
I am! Teaching a class on the solar system this quarter and record the class anyway for students, so the trimmed lectures go onto YouTube. :)
Yeah so fun fact I learned today- technically our physics major doesn’t require QM! It’s just a senior year elective and most students take it but you don’t HAVE to, hence this entire “but can astronomy require it?” thing.
Sooo yea obv that’s also dumb and should be fixed, but makes more sense now
Sooo yea obv that’s also dumb and should be fixed, but makes more sense now
November 20, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Yeah so fun fact I learned today- technically our physics major doesn’t require QM! It’s just a senior year elective and most students take it but you don’t HAVE to, hence this entire “but can astronomy require it?” thing.
Sooo yea obv that’s also dumb and should be fixed, but makes more sense now
Sooo yea obv that’s also dumb and should be fixed, but makes more sense now
Cool!
Ok, so I've hit upon the real issue here- technically we don't require our physics majors to take QM! It's on a list of electives, so ALMOST everyone takes it, but you don't HAVE to, so in that context it's tough to make the astro majors.
Yes, this is dumb, and they're trying to change it 😬
Ok, so I've hit upon the real issue here- technically we don't require our physics majors to take QM! It's on a list of electives, so ALMOST everyone takes it, but you don't HAVE to, so in that context it's tough to make the astro majors.
Yes, this is dumb, and they're trying to change it 😬
November 19, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Cool!
Ok, so I've hit upon the real issue here- technically we don't require our physics majors to take QM! It's on a list of electives, so ALMOST everyone takes it, but you don't HAVE to, so in that context it's tough to make the astro majors.
Yes, this is dumb, and they're trying to change it 😬
Ok, so I've hit upon the real issue here- technically we don't require our physics majors to take QM! It's on a list of electives, so ALMOST everyone takes it, but you don't HAVE to, so in that context it's tough to make the astro majors.
Yes, this is dumb, and they're trying to change it 😬
Yeah what I'm mainly getting out of this is how many courses I and others have taken that were taught by physicists who did a really not-useful-to-astro version. I did like 2 years of deep potential well type QM. I never did subatomic physics or radiative transfer.
November 19, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Yeah what I'm mainly getting out of this is how many courses I and others have taken that were taught by physicists who did a really not-useful-to-astro version. I did like 2 years of deep potential well type QM. I never did subatomic physics or radiative transfer.
We actually do the quarter system so even more complicated!
The liberal arts requirement thing is def out of my pay grade. But in its defense I did LOVE taking random classes at uni- I have a history minor, and feel I'm a better writer/teacher/person for having done them.
The liberal arts requirement thing is def out of my pay grade. But in its defense I did LOVE taking random classes at uni- I have a history minor, and feel I'm a better writer/teacher/person for having done them.
November 19, 2025 at 6:15 PM
We actually do the quarter system so even more complicated!
The liberal arts requirement thing is def out of my pay grade. But in its defense I did LOVE taking random classes at uni- I have a history minor, and feel I'm a better writer/teacher/person for having done them.
The liberal arts requirement thing is def out of my pay grade. But in its defense I did LOVE taking random classes at uni- I have a history minor, and feel I'm a better writer/teacher/person for having done them.
Well anyway thank you, I’ll see what we can do w our current means. The good news is for the most part everyone wants to see this new astronomy major be successful, which one can’t always say about physicists! 🙃
November 19, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Well anyway thank you, I’ll see what we can do w our current means. The good news is for the most part everyone wants to see this new astronomy major be successful, which one can’t always say about physicists! 🙃
That all sounds wonderful! All I can say is I wish we had enough astro faculty to do everything. To be clear our students do see some QM 2nd year, basically fancy modern physics, but trouble is also they don’t take QM until 4th year here as physics majors (by which point they’d already take stellar)
November 19, 2025 at 4:07 PM
That all sounds wonderful! All I can say is I wish we had enough astro faculty to do everything. To be clear our students do see some QM 2nd year, basically fancy modern physics, but trouble is also they don’t take QM until 4th year here as physics majors (by which point they’d already take stellar)
Yes but to be fair I never did most of those in ugrad QM either! 🙃 Nor does our class, usually it’s taught by a gnarly theorist from another sub-field of physics
November 19, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Yes but to be fair I never did most of those in ugrad QM either! 🙃 Nor does our class, usually it’s taught by a gnarly theorist from another sub-field of physics
Like, if we just have a big list of physics electives and require everyone to take one, I don’t mind if a student not going to grad school chooses advanced lab or GR over QM. Might suit them better! But “everyone MUST do QM bc you might apply as a prof” is a bit weak IMO
November 19, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Like, if we just have a big list of physics electives and require everyone to take one, I don’t mind if a student not going to grad school chooses advanced lab or GR over QM. Might suit them better! But “everyone MUST do QM bc you might apply as a prof” is a bit weak IMO
Yeah basically all the arguments I’ve heard are relating to grad school and beyond… which is not great IMO when we’re trying for a curriculum that acknowledges most students don’t go to grad school. I think we’ll have a “take these too if you’re wanting to do grad school too” list and have QM there
November 19, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Yeah basically all the arguments I’ve heard are relating to grad school and beyond… which is not great IMO when we’re trying for a curriculum that acknowledges most students don’t go to grad school. I think we’ll have a “take these too if you’re wanting to do grad school too” list and have QM there
Yeah I think the trick is our students do that already in 2nd year as what’s basically modern physics. QM on the other hand is a 4th year class
November 19, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Yeah I think the trick is our students do that already in 2nd year as what’s basically modern physics. QM on the other hand is a 4th year class
Number of courses were capped you could take in physics as an astronomy major?
November 19, 2025 at 6:39 AM
Number of courses were capped you could take in physics as an astronomy major?
Like, if you don’t want to go to grad school or be a prof, I don’t care if you wanna take GR or physics advanced lab for your electives. Might serve your future/ interests better! But for those keen yea take QM
November 19, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Like, if you don’t want to go to grad school or be a prof, I don’t care if you wanna take GR or physics advanced lab for your electives. Might serve your future/ interests better! But for those keen yea take QM
Yeah it’s also interesting- most people are citing reasons for QM that involve grad school, but most majors do NOT go to grad school. Makes me wonder if the solution here is to have some physics electives where you must take X number, but then HIGHLY recommend those wanting grad school choose QM
November 19, 2025 at 6:29 AM
Yeah it’s also interesting- most people are citing reasons for QM that involve grad school, but most majors do NOT go to grad school. Makes me wonder if the solution here is to have some physics electives where you must take X number, but then HIGHLY recommend those wanting grad school choose QM
Yeah I have yet to hear an argument that doesn’t hinge on “you need this for grad school material/admission” or beyond. That isn’t IMO a compelling enough reason given most ugrads don’t go to grad school over having recommended additional classes for students who want to do that
November 19, 2025 at 5:09 AM
Yeah I have yet to hear an argument that doesn’t hinge on “you need this for grad school material/admission” or beyond. That isn’t IMO a compelling enough reason given most ugrads don’t go to grad school over having recommended additional classes for students who want to do that