Academic Publisher Conducting Qualitative Research Project Needs Your Help  

Academic publisher De Gruyter is seeking humanities and social science authors willing to share their experiences publishing a book with an academic publisher and/or their plans to publish in the future as part of a qualitative research study they are conducting.

The study includes a 50-60-minute interview following a short survey that qualifies and prepares you for the interview process. Those who complete the qualitative interview will receive a $75 Amazon voucher. De Gruyter is being assisted in the research project by Prolifiko Consulting, owned by TAA member Christine Tulley. Complete the survey

Karen and Bill Timberlake Receive 2023 Alumni Legacy Award From UCLA

UCLA alumni Karen Timberlake (M.S. ’65) and William Timberlake (M.S. ’66) received the 2023 Alumni Legacy Award at the Chemistry & Biochemistry Departmental Awards Ceremony on May 31.

The award honors distinguished UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry alumni who have received a graduate-level degree from our department, in recognition of their achievements in life, and generous support and service to UCLA.

At the ceremony, the award was presented to the Timberlakes by Department Chair Professor Neil Garg and former Department Chair Professor Catherine Clarke, who helped to establish the award in 2018.

A.D. (After Dissertation): How to have a life

A motivational truism says that the most dangerous time is when you’ve reached a goal. This may be why many doctoral candidates experience Post-Parting Depression (PPD). Consciously and unconsciously, you’ve been pushing so hard for so long. Preoccupied with the intensity and innumerable details of the work itself, you may have lost sight of the larger purpose of the dissertation and degree. After graduation, you no longer have to spend every moment (after eating) on the dissertation.

Most clients I’ve helped in my dissertation editing and coaching practice experience this void. For a year or usually more, they say, they’ve wished for nothing but to finish the durn thing. Now that they have . . . somehow, and with shock, they miss it—and get depressed.

Chat GPT: Forget about it…

Unless you were on that island with Tom Hanks in Cast Away, you have likely heard a lot about ChatGPT, Bard, and other artificial intelligence chatbots in the last two months. I mean a lot. Like too much.

You have likely heard about the revolutionary changes coming to the web, the world, education, and more. I am here to tell you as authors, take a breath. Don’t give up the ship. It will all be okay.

When you’re facing the fearsome doctoral defense

As you reach the end of your doctoral work, you will probably need to “defend” your dissertation. Most universities in the United States require this, although the procedures and formats may differ among them and from those in other countries. In the U.S., the advisory committee you’ve had a love-hate relationship with throughout your dissertation writing constitutes your defense committee as well. In other countries, the defense may be conducted with a blind peer review process (Australia) or as a viva (U.K.). For most students, though, it’s still a one-to-three-hour torture, with much agonizing beforehand.