I did my undergrad in chemical engineering. At the time, my university’s school of chemistry and chemical engineering was considered one of the toughest if not THE toughest nationally.
For my Distillation final exam, I had to program an N-component, M-plates tower.
24 hours.
I did not sleep for 24 hours in order to be able to submit my program on time (I aced the exam and got the highest grade and GPA of my cohort, yes, but I sacrificed health, sleep and my own well being to achieve this).
This is no way to do an undergrad.
I am a professor.
I chose this profession to help brilliant minds achieve success in their chosen careers.
I didn’t do it to make them suffer.
My courses are intense and intensive but I give ample space for thinking growth and avoiding as much pain as possible.
I’m against academic hazing.
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Today is the second (and final) day of this project management for graduate (doctoral) students, and I wanted to comment on a question that I was asked yesterday, during Day 1.
An attendee told me that it was clear that I love what I do and that I am very passionate about it.
1) First and foremost, my own mother. Dr. Obdulia Vega-Lopez (*NOT* MRS), who undertook her PhD against all odds, moved to Madrid all by herself to study at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid after having raised 5 kids.
2) My students. Throughout my career, my students at every institution I have taught (ITESM, ITAM, CIDE, @UBC, @IHEAL_CREDA, @FlacsoMx) have inspired me. So many have overcome such difficult circumstances to get where they are. I am so proud of them.
.@Aleparramunoz nos habla sobre una ley que se está discutiendo que regula y prohibe el uso de artículos plásticos desechables en Chile.
Coincido con Alejandra y con @SRtoxics sobre el potencial de este reporte de @azuldotorg y @unep para facilitar el activismo ambiental.
.@andresdelcas nos explica la importancia de este reporte de @unep y @azuldotorg para potencialmente fortalecer las demandas de activistas para empujar la nocion de un acuerdo global de plasticos.
Tengo un montón de reflexiones en el tintero pero dos que me saltan de inmediato:
1) #QuedateEnCasa es una política absolutamente estúpida que realmente no lidia con el proceso de transmisión del SARS CoV2.
Quedarse en casa y no tener que salir a trabajar es un privilegio.
Sin apoyos económicos del gobierno y en un sinfín de sectores productivos, es prácticamente imposible quedarse en casa.
Esta contradicción era visible desde Marzo 2020. A un año del inicio de la pandemia en la escala global, es claro que NADIE se puede quedar encerrado 1 año.
2) qué ventajas tiene la etnografía urbana por encima de otros métodos de investigación en ciencias sociales, sobre todo para comprender la pandemia de COVID19?
Tener sensibilidad etnográfica y capacidad de observación analítica en sintonía con las comunidades bajo observación.
Today, I gave a talk on polycentricity as it applies to Mexican water governance and Mexican climate politics for students of Dr. Marcela Lopez-Vallejo. This particular class has students from @gpandtps and the Masters in International Economic Relations and Cooperation.
As most of you know, ever since I moved back from Canada to Mexico I had an opportunity to teach in English in a Spanish-speaking country. I was very heartened by the Masters in Global Politics and Transpacific Studies @gpandtps programme, which IS taught entirely in English.
When I was a professor at CIDE, I taught most courses entirely in English because I always felt I gave my students an opportunity to develop their thinking, reading and writing skills in that language should they choose to pursue grad school in an English-language country.
I am going to be teaching a workshop on how to write more strategically (basically, how not to beat ourselves up when we are not writing and how to make goals more realistic, particularly during a pandemic).
I have identified these challenges within myself, on this very topic.
1) I have a trillion things to do, and I feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of commitments I still have, despite having said NO to about a gazillion.
2) I have a full day of writing, and somehow, I am neither inspired, nor do I feel physically well enough to write.
3) The sequence of projects I NEED to tackle is different from that of those I WANT to tackle.
4) Everything is taking WAY longer than I expected it to, particularly with so many Zoom meetings that end up draining me of energy.