Rough day at the office. It's hard not to feel like I'm not being given the pathways I need to get promoted and after having spent a week and a half marking 90 final research projects, feeling a bit fragile.

Since publishing that Conversation piece, I've done 2 radio spots, including RNZ. Still working things out, but being a performer (including open mic comedy) makes these a bit less nerve wracking than they might be.

Crazy how Labor's best ever result in seats is like the third biggest story #SAVotes

Mali reading poetry in his victory speech is getting into very South Australian areas here at the moment.

Seeing the panel ugly laugh at the ABC response to the technical difficulties for the One Nation live cross #SAVotes

This election has some messy counts #SAVotes

Jesus the ABC asking about the ankle bracelet to Nick McBride is full on #SAVotes

One Nation is looking to clear the % of 1998 QLD which suggests the polls are on to something and this is real #SAVotes

Slow count! #SAVotes

Now they're asking the pollies their TikTok habits. We need some votes soon #SAVotes

I have consumed a pizza and not a vote is counted. Oops #SAVotes

First time I get to see @caseybriggs.com on TV for Election analysis and I love his little platform #SAVotes

Election watching time #SAVotes #SAparli

Wrote my first Conversation article on truth in political advertising in South Australia! Based on my book chapter, it's the first time I've done something like this and ended up on WA radio. Not too bad for a day at work. theconversation.com/south-austra...

South Australians have truth in political advertising laws. Why doesn’t everyone else?

The laws are time-consuming and labour-intensive to uphold. But their mere presence can elevate the tone of political campaigns.

theconversation.com

I've been telling people I've been studying/teaching politics for over a decade and I've never had any response other than "well it's an interesting time to be studying/teaching politics!"

Jeff Lazarus@jlazarus.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Twice this week when meeting a new person I've gotten an excited "Wow, it must be an exciting time to be a political scientist!" and both times I've answered "Not really. That's like telling someone it's an exciting to be a surgeon when there's a 63 car pileup on the highway."

Gonna need to add a bit more to this work in progress, huh?

Long weekend in Sydney was sorely needed. Ready to really get back into it.

I too am tired of GenAI, but one unintended effect is universities have to actually reckon with what they are teaching and it's revitalised education-focussed folk. I've been on the edges of APSA's Teaching and Learning Caucus when it was like, 4 people in a room. At the last APSA, it was 40.

Academic reviews paper citing a paper “by” reviewer that doesn’t exist. Discovers a version of the nonexistent paper in Google Scholar cited 42 times, including by a “metaanalysis”, that “gold standard” of research. The paper does not exist. Nobody citing it could have read it as it does not exist.

Ben Williamson@benpatrickwill.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Closing out my year with a journal editor shocker 🧵 Checking new manuscripts today I reviewed a paper attributing 2 papers to me I did not write. A daft thing for an author to do of course. But intrigued I web searched up one of the titles and that's when it got real weird...

Education Focussed Academics: How do you deal with December? I am absolutely shattered and trying desperately to do anything of productivity and failing hard.

Although I've got that post-semester cold/flu, stumbled in to End of Year drinks masked-up and was thrilled to get an Honourable Mention for SSPS Teaching Excellence in Tutoring. This is student-nominated so I am so thankful for my students for putting me forward :)

I enjoy conferencing. Especially because it feels like my people and nice to make good of my 20% research allocation :) #AusPSA

I'm manning the desks at APSA this year before my talk. If I'm honest, the semester has taken its toll and I'm definitely feeling it, but really cool to welcome folks to University of Melbourne and introduce them to the joys of trying to find the George Loughlin Room in BioSciences 4 :)

When I am in the throes of marking, I hyperfocus on a specific song for each semester. This time around it's Wham's 'A Ray of Sunshine' BUT specifically the version they performed on The Tube in 1983. www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQnI...

Wham! - A Ray of Sunshine (Live from The Tube 1983)

YouTube video by WhamVEVO

youtube.com

Academia is knowing who the guy in the box seat to be the Dutch PM is because you've been tracking him in your database of Queer MPs for 2 years and recognise his name.

While my colleagues are doing great work as the semester winds down, I'm going to start writing up my qualitative analysis of my case study next week. Which coffee is the best at Melbourne Uni Parkville? Watch this space!

Great two days as part of the @auspsa.bsky.social Teaching and Learning Workshop on Digital Transformation. I spoke about the incoming assured assessment policy at UniMelb and some early adoptions and challenges. All I got was this artistic photo at the lifts, but amazing talks all around :)

I honestly think this is something we should remind our students about the power of curiosity. From STRANGE ÆONS on YouTube (www.youtube.com/@STRANGEONS)

First week back after three weeks in Europe and not gonna lie fam, the weather in Melbourne has really got to me.

Getting sick before I even started marking is just not fair.