Changing Academic Life

Kylie Ball, a Professor at Deakin University, leads initiatives for early- and mid-career researchers. She shares the importance of virtual mentorship through her blog, The Happy Academic, addressing how to support EMCRs with workshops and resources. Kylie discusses strategies for wellbeing, emphasizing the significance of kindness and creating supportive work cultures. She also talks about managing busyness with choice and forming good habits while promoting independence and job security among researchers.

Carman Neustaedter, an Associate Professor at Simon Fraser University and director of the Connections Lab, dives deep into the complexities of academic life. He emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with personal identity and values through regular reflection. Surprising insights emerged from his year-long work tracking, revealing he worked fewer hours than anticipated. Carman also discusses navigating reviewer critiques and the significance of prioritizing family time, all while managing a balanced academic routine. His approach highlights empathy and perspective-taking in both professional and personal realms.

James Wilsdon, Professor of Research Policy at the University of Sheffield, offers a fascinating look into the evolving landscape of research metrics and impact. He discusses the cultural shift in UK academia toward valuing research impact and the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Wilsdon emphasizes the need for responsible metrics and governance, arguing against purely algorithmic evaluations that may undermine diversity in research outputs. He also highlights the growing role of boundary spanners in academia, catering to a new skillset vital for collaborative impact.

Luigina Ciolfi, a Professor of Human Centred Computing at Sheffield Hallam University, shares insights on mentoring and work-life balance. She passionately discusses her experience organizing the ECSCW conference while coping with personal loss. Ciolfi emphasizes that there's no one-size-fits-all strategy for work-life balance, as individual needs vary greatly. Her recent research delves into nomadic workers' experiences, and she reveals practical coaching techniques to empower mentors. Ultimately, she highlights the importance of knowing oneself to navigate professional challenges.

Reflecting on the past year, the host shares insights from diverse academic guests. She discusses personal challenges and the importance of supportive colleagues. A focus on the value of kindness in the workplace arises, backed by research linking compassion to well-being. Practical tips for fostering kindness include simple acts and creating supportive networks. Cultural changes like reducing after-hours emails are proposed. Ultimately, the call to celebrate achievements advocates for quality over quantity in academic metrics.

Michael Muller is a researcher at IBM Research in Cambridge MA. We cover a lot in this conversation, Michael reflects on his long PhD process in cognitive science, long in part because of chronic diseases that he still deals with. He talks about the decision to move to industry and his experiences working in various industry positions since then, including interpreting participatory design methods for a North American industry context, finding out he wasn’t suited to management, and loving the work he is doing now. A theme across many of the stories is the tension arising from navigating organisational demands and his own deeply held values, and throughout you can hear his deep care for people.“Work in any organisation involves some kind compromise of principle at one time or another.”  “I’m a white American boy, got all this honour and privilege, let’s do something constructive with it.”“Mentoring very quickly becomes two ways.”“I like the work I’m doing, I love the people I’m working with. And it’s work I can hold my head up about. It’s work that I’m thinking is making good kinds of changes. That’s a good life.”“That’s the core spiritual practice… Take care of people… be in relationships in which we are exchanging affection and support.”He talks about (times approximate) …01:30 Introducing his cognitive psychology background and now working in a research organisation in industry (IBM), scored like academics, managed by objective and the processes in trying to get criteria for preferred publication venues changed; cushioning of researchers in the organisation07:30 Discussing reasons for his 9 year PhD – two chronic diseases, costs money, working part-time, and moving across parts of Psychology Dept at Rutgers09:15 Going to work in an industry organisation straight after, seeing academic psychologists not very happy, story of his role model Mark Altan (?) who was dedicated to teaching, received a teaching award which he was told was a ‘kiss of death’, told not going to get tenure, and went to work at Bell Labs. Michael lost his role model. A shearing between surface and deep values – “Didn’t fancy being in an academic environment in which each time I wanted to do something kind or considerate or useful for students I would be jeopardising myself”. Advisor told him “Michael you will have to learn to be a mediocre instructor like the rest of us” because he was being too dedicated to students. So he went into industry, thinking industry jobs were relatively stable compared to not getting tenure.13:55 After finishing degree with 4 hours to spare, finished winter at uni as a research assistant then took his first job at IBM in Charlotte NC but was not the place then as it is now. Within months, the choice was stark, he could stay at IBM or stay married – he chose love and found some way to get them out. Spouse depressed at isolation. Then went to Bellcore for 8 years.16:13 Sometime was in Seattle for a CHI conference, went to Participatory Design Conference nearby, first one in North America and “got religion”! A year later he began to think with two colleagues about how to adapt participatory design (PD) to the American context (though says Susanne Bodker still doesn’t think it was Scandinavian PD); became the existence proof this could work in industry. Industry attention span is brief so they shortened PD methods down to less than 60 mins and conducted a series of conversion experiments. Glory days. They were revelations to people. Showed it was fun, information rich. Local management in Bellcore got it. But then baby Bellcores started taking each other over.20:30 He was doing something pioneering in North American industry context, had thought they were following the Scandinavian model, but with modifications for industry attention span and culturally had to make changes, mostly by intuition, mostly got it right. Said ‘workplace democracy’ over and over again but sometimes got push back and this probably delayed their promotions.22:55 Eventually made the mistake of trying to get a promotion when at Microsoft and within 10 months Microsoft and manager explained what a bad mistake that was! He was given a performance improvement plan – could see it was designed to be non-survivable and the criteria for success were not well spelt out so he could be fired at any time without protections. Accepted that judgement and went away.24:30 Had moved from New Jersey because of spouse at the time found her spiritual life in nature, and a job came up in US West Advanced Technologies in Boulder Colorado – called Terry Roberts (manager) about it, moved there. A different kind of job, interviewing telephone operators to help them lose their job but was also able to show they were doing important knowledge work. CHI 1995 presentation explaining this (link). But he was deemed by management to have helped the wrong side.27:10 He talks of observing operators’ work in a bunch of places, their work being monitored by management, the tension of having sympathies with the workers but reporting to management. He reflects on having just listened to Mark Ackermann talk at ECSCW17 about the far right organising on the internet. He was helping management use technology to displace labour. Principles in a grey area. Lost sleep over it. “I’d say work in any organisation involves some kind compromise of principle at one time or another.” Making it an explicit topic of conversation.30:55 Eventually his work supported using technology to reduce operators so not a clean story. “A politically pure person would have walked away from that job.” Tells Arnie Lund’s story when he worked in a ‘doomed organisation’ and was made to lay people off then lay himself off -because they knew he would hate it and knew he would do it with care for the people. That was their gift to the employees. “So I tried to do things with care […] but at the same time I was hopelessly compromised. That’s the life in an organisation.” Thinks it also happens in academia. “If we work in organisations, organisations have their own logic and it’s a little bit more reptilian, cold blooded, than the logic that most of us bring to each other.”33:50 Continuing to work in industry contexts, for family reasons. Discusses options for moving to academia. Currently has an unpaid academic role at Wellesley College. Paying back white male privilege. If could find a way to increase work in academia without letting people down (the only social scientist now in his group) he would do it. Mentors students in internships.37:45 Doing mentoring, “I’m a white American boy, got all this honour and privilege, let’s do something constructive with it.”, can open doors, and ongoing relationship with students/mentees. Has roughly same job title as started with 1984 because he tried the ‘manager thing’ at Microsoft and it didn’t work. Managing not his skill set but can mentor, also has friends who are female, LGBTQ, native American, etc, and can understand he has had a blessed life so helping to open doors for others. An ongoing mentoring relationship but also responsibility of person to walk through the door. But opening the door an important first step.40:40 Discusses doctoral consortium and career development workshop mentoring experiences. “Our own failures are an important part of what we bring to those.” Some about careers. And it’s thinking together. “Mentoring very quickly becomes two ways.”. Gives example of Shion Guha. Reflects on internship mentoring and transitioning to peers/colleagues.45:55 What is keeping him excited at work? Asked by IBM to work on employee engagement. Doing engagement surveys, find out if there are issues, do an intervention in Jan, but can be too late in next Nov to find out if it worked. So trying to use data from IBM’s thriving social media ecosystems (Bernard Geyers, David Millen’s work) but first attempts didn’t work; now fixed and can get monthly reports. So can describe, predict and now into fixing it by gathering ideas to increase engagement. Making the experience of work a better experience, and helps the organisation. It’s fulfilling.52:56 Other part of job is to help IBM think about leadership position in AI and ethics. Collaboration with Vera Lia0, bringing qualitative methods. Returning to some participatory themes and design fictions and value sensitive design to explore.54:56 Navigating long working hours. “Our work could expand to cover every waking moment that we have and then cause us to have more waking moments. We all have to work out work family balance.” Talks about current partner and “supporting each other as they both over work” and her passion for justice, where both are “trying to make positive change in the world, make up for the good stuff we’ve got”. And the work content is extremely interesting. “I like the work I’m doing, I love the people I’m working with. And it’s work I can hold my head up about. It’s work that I’m thinking is making good kinds of changes. That’s a good life.”59:00 How he maintains his health and wellbeing? “I love people that’s a very healthy thing to do.” “That’s the core spiritual practice… Take care of people… It is to be in relationships in which we are exchanging affection and support.”1:01:03 EndRelated Links:Michael Muller - http://researcher.watson.ibm.com/researcher/view.php?person=us-michael_mullerWendy Kellogg - http://researcher.watson.ibm.com/researcher/view.php?person=us-wkelloggScott Robertson podcast - https://changingacademiclife.com/blog/2017/7/27/scott-robertsonSusanne Bødker - http://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/id(87d4fbb6-b38c-449e-b87d-59f693b7d6f0).htmlTerry Roberts - http://terroberts.home.mindspring.com/IntDesUAPortfolio/index.htmlMark Ackermann - https://www.si.umich.edu/people/mark-ackermanArnie Lund - https://www.linkedin.com/in/arnielundShion Guha – https://www.shionguha.netDavid Millen - http://researcher.watson.ibm.com/researcher/view.php?person=us-david_r_millenMatt Davis - http://researcher.ibm.com/researcher/view.php?person=us-davismatVera Liao - http://qveraliao.comWellesley College - http://cs.wellesley.edu/~oshaer/index.htmlCHI conference - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conference_on_Human_Factors_in_Computing_SystemsParticipatory Design Conference - https://pdc2018.org/about-pdc/Usability Professionals Association - https://uxpa.orgCHI95 paper: Telephone operators as knowledge workers: consultants who meet customer needs - https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=223904.223921Human Computer Interaction Consortium - https://hcic.org/hcic2018/index.phtmlValue Sensitive Design - http://www.vsdesign.org

In this engaging conversation, Jolanta Burke, a Positive Psychologist and Senior Lecturer at the University of East London, shares her journey from business management to academia. She dives deep into the topic of burnout, recounting her personal struggles and the shift towards harmonious passion. Jolanta emphasizes the importance of creating positive workplaces in academia and the role of supervisors in supporting overwhelmed students. She also highlights the need to effectively communicate research to the public, advocating for a balance between knowledge sharing and performance.

Evan Peck, an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Bucknell University, passionately advocates for liberal arts colleges as the ideal balance between teaching, research, and personal life. He discusses his journey through academia, emphasizing the importance of deliberate time management after fatherhood transformed his priorities. Evan highlights the enriching environment of liberal arts institutions, where student engagement takes precedence. He urges PhD students to consider these teaching-rich roles, breaking the mold of traditional academic career paths.

Scott Robertson, a Professor in Information and Computer Sciences at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, shares his inspiring journey through academia. Having faced tenure denial twice, he discusses the importance of perseverance, community, and mentorship in overcoming setbacks. Scott reflects on how his early career as a child actor enriched his understanding of human interaction and ties this to his research in Human-Computer Interaction. He also explores shifts in his academic focus toward civic engagement and the insights gained from failures, urging others to define themselves by their mission rather than their positions.

Margaret Burnett is a professor of Computer Science in the School of EECS at Oregon State University. She is a pioneer woman in computer science whose work has been honoured with numerous awards, including ACM Distinguished Scientist. Her passion is to change the world by designing more gender-inclusive software. In this conversation, she shares experiences being the first woman software developer at Proctor & Gamble Ivorydale in the 1970s, and creating two start-ups as well as a women’s business network in the 1980s. She also talks about her work in academia, in particular about her GenderMag project, as well as practical experiences including mentoring and management using dove-tailing strategies as well as managing family life by drawing fences. She also tries to do one thing every day to make the world a better place. An inspirational person in so many ways!“Don’t ever say yes unless you know why you are saying yes. ” “No one person can do everything.”“Try to do something every day that makes me feel like the world is a little better” “Please help me change the world! … When people change their products [to be gender inclusive] everyone likes them better.”She talks about (times approximate) …1:30 Being the first woman software developer hired by Proctor&Gamble Ivorydale and navigating how to fit in as a women in this era and in this industry, “not having a vocabulary”8:00 Pulling up roots and moving to Santa Fe New Mexico, following husband; starting up a new business, and doing freelance programming11:54 Dealing with reactions to being a woman in IT and a client who didn’t want to deal with her because she was a woman13:27 Moving into academia – influence of professor as an undergrad; being dragged ‘kicking and screaming’ to a new town pregnant with first child, doing a Masters degree at Uni of Kansas and starting another business; dealing with two careers and daycare issues15:30 Going to social events where everyone wanting to know what husband did for a living but not wanting to know what she did for a living; deciding to start an organisation of professional women to help them network, the ‘Lawrence Women’s Network’; starting to teach a course at the university and discovering she really liked teaching, which became the motivator to go and do a PhD17:45 Doing a PhD to become a faculty member, the second woman to ever get a PhD; Going back to university to get a PhD from Uni of Kansas in Computer Science18:25 Starting in faculty job, promoting women’s issues but almost sub-consciously and serving own interests, bringing women into her lab, win-win-win team working style; how she includes her undergrad researchers into work;21:35 Her academic children and grandchildren all over the world22:30 Now 25 years at Oregon State; Taking more academic risks after tenure; Considering it a badge of honour if she gets all 1s on a paper ... 5s are good too … but shows she is ‘out there’;24:45 Whenever she says ‘yes’ she has to have a reason; Reasons for saying yes and for not saying yes27:25 Reflecting on ways she has changed – loves taking risks academically. GenderMag as an example; the beginnings of GenderMag, with Laura Beckwith, looking at software and whether there were gender biases at the user-facing part of it; reading literature from diverse disciplines, hypotheses ‘dropping into her lap’; clustering tendencies, women tend to take a bursty style, men tend to take a tight iteration style when problem solving; gender differences in the way people use software, spending about 10 years running studies31:20 Working with a medical company where (mostly women) practitioners hated their software; collaborators especially Simone Stumpf very good at helping keep an eye on the practicality32:50 Led to method, GenderMag – gender inclusiveness magnifier – now downloadable, and a CHI17 paper about research-backed personas built into a method and a vocabulary about problem solving and information processing style; study with Nicola Marsden, multi-personas that don’t invoke stereotyping37:00 The story of a Distinguished Speaker talk on GenderMag- changing the language from ‘you’ to the personal ‘Abby’; average is 1 feature out of every 3 they evaluate they find a gender inclusiveness problem with their own software39:18 Not advocating for a pink or blue version but thinking of it as a bug; “If there is a feature that is not gender inclusive then…there is a barrier to some segment of the population”; tooltips as an example; also risk aversion42:15 Getting the toolkit and methodology out into the world – still learning; GenderMag teach resources; talking to industry; downloadable kit; needing top-down and grassroots interest; call to listeners who might have ideas for changing policy, changing the world46:24 When people change their products [to be gender inclusive] everyone likes them better47:00 “Try to do something every day that makes me feel like the world is a little better” – something ‘that counts’49:20 Dove-tailing work strategies through setting up collaborations, and saying no - “No one person can do everything. My bit is GenderMag … that’s my corner of the diversity world.”  Drawing the boundaries, the purposeful yes.51:40 Managing the group: weekly group meeting, project sub group meetings, various GenderMag meetings, one-on-one meetings with graduate students; collaborative writing style; involving students in reviewing papers (mentoring dove-tailing with professional workload)55:10 Other mentoring strategies – ‘pushing’ people forward, encouraging people to consider ‘the brain is a muscle’ and it’s ok to be ‘bad’ initially;59:30 Managing life and work with kids – drawing fences around the day, avoids “always feeling like it is the wrong thing”, but no extra hobbies until after the kids graduated; “don’t have the fences anymore because I don’t need them so much anymore and energy patterns have changed”01:04:04 EndRelated LinksMargaret’s home pages - http://eecs.oregonstate.edu/people/burnett-margaret ; http://web.engr.oregonstate.edu/~burnett/The Lawrence Women’s Network - https://www.lawrencewomensnetwork.org   The GenderMag Project - http://gendermag.orgLaura Beckwith - http://hciresearcher.com//Simone Stumpf - http://www.city.ac.uk/people/academics/simone-stumpfNicola Marsden - https://www.hs-heilbronn.de/nicola.marsdenCHI2017 paper: “Gender-Inclusiveness Personas vs. Stereotyping: Can We Have it Both Ways?” - http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=3025453.3025609ACM Distinguished Speaker - http://www.dsp.acm.org/view_lecturer.cfm?lecturer_id=3543#lecturer_id#