Jenni Harikrishna

Adding value to banana farming: Antibody production in post-harvest le... sciencedirect.com/science/articl… Congratulations to our graduate student Jas for this exiting study

@PMGilmartin @HotelChocolat Lift up the inner tray and push it out from underneath 😉

@Pathh1 Congratulations George!

An ultra-potent ethylene inhibitor - cell.com/plant-communic…… from the family! A new group of compounds controlling plant growth and germination, with huge potential in agriculture. Lovely study covers Dictyostelium, Arabidopsis, and molecular modelling.

Looking for advice - in peer reviewed publications should I now be using Rhizobium radiobacter in place of Agrobacterium tumefasciens? Thanks

@Andrew_Akbashev I used to reply to all but have stopped responding to those who just say “hi Prof” (not using my name) and do not include a personalised message of why they want to join my lab “I see you do great / interesting work” doesn’t cut it. Some even just send a CV :-(

You applied for a #PhD / postdoc position, but the professor does not reply to you. Why? As many students are concerned about the lack of response, let me try to explain this phenomenon point by point: ▫️ 1. In industry, recruiters and HR take care of the selection process. They are hired specifically for this. BUT in academia, it is the professor’s job to find and hire the right person (and find time for that). ▫️ 2. A typical faculty is HEAVILY overloaded by duties. It’s like being a CEO of a small company + HR + recruiting + R&D lead at the same time. As a result, faculties are often struggling with finding time to reply to each candidate. ▫️ 3. Many candidates ask for a response (and feedback) and expect engagement from the faculty. Now, imagine you are a professor. You’re getting 5-15 emails per HOUR from colleagues, collaborators, funding agency, admins, students, etc. But you can dedicate only 1-2 hours per day for ALL your emails. You will barely have time to scroll through your mailbox! ▫️ 4. The number of candidates can exceed 300-400 per position, with many emails from candidates who expect replies. So, as a result, professors often reply IF the candidate is of interest to them. Of course there are those who find time to send a short message to everyone, but such people are statistically rare. ▫️ So, my advice: 1️⃣ Apply and don’t wait for a reply. Submit your application to the groups that you would like to join. If you don’t get a reply, you can send a follow-up email but don’t do it many times. 2️⃣ Tailor your cover letter to the position, make it stand out. When competition is so high, you want your application to be memorable. 3️⃣ See the absence of reply as “no position”. And don’t stress over it. Finding the right fit takes time for all of us. 4️⃣ IF you are ready to invest into traveling: - You can say that you will in their city/town, and if they are interested, you can visit their group and give a research talk (without any obligations from their side). If they agree, it may be your chance to present yourself in person. ▫️ Unfortunately, the academic system is constantly overloading faculties. This causes a lot of misunderstanding. Many faculties wish they had that time to respond to everyone. I do my best to find this time. But it doesn’t always work out smoothly. #AcademicTwitter #AcademicChatter

@Maryamization I always ask if the host can fund my travel (economy) and accommodation (Uni hostels are fine). If not, I offer to give my presentation online (more acceptable since the pandemic). I am a senior academic staff but my salary is not enough for me to pay my own international travel

Senior academics, a lowley postdoc would like to know: how senior do I have to be to reach a level where when I am invited to give a talk, someone else books my flight and hotel and I just show up. Like when do I get out of this stupid reimbursement cycle

@HernaniFMO Yes - I actually wrote to the editors saying I accepted their decision but that next time please look carefully and reject in first review in a case like this (one ref said our paper did not have enough novelty- the should not asked to revise if they agreed on that

@SciSustAg Agree in general on this but please note that there is also sustainably produced palm oil where growers don’t cut down rainforests - soya bean crops require six of more times the land area to produce the same yield of oil - so please start supporting sustainably produced palm

COMMENT Why the EU needs to grow genetically-engineered crops Europe risks being left behind as a global revolution in plant breeding innovation gathers pace, warns international economist Steve E. Cerier. Read full article on the SSA website here: scienceforsustainableagriculture.com/stevencerier2

A new study has found a range of inequities across plant science literature – based on gender, nationality & more. Highlighting these issues is the first step, but we must continuously work towards a more equitable plant science sector. bit.ly/3Vm8jHJ | @michiganstateu

@Pathh1 Malaysia is even hotter and more humid and I carry fans and umbrellas for when I can’t be in air conditioning- no I don’t think you ever do adapt 😖

Normally I'd be fine working at 26-28C, but at 100% humidity I just get clammy & uncomfortable, almost claustrophobic, and need the a/c. Is this an environmental adaptation I would unlearn after 6months realising sweating has no effect?

@NoName_19871015 @stone_prof Mine would if no valid reason. I explain to them that degree qualified students can be reasonably expected by their employer to do the tasks assigned and on time. If they don’t learn it now, when they start work, they will not make it past probation - tough love

@stone_prof I didn’t know that professors would accept assignments after the due date. Don’t they just fail?

Awesome first #JAMSKL meeting in 2023! Thank you to our honoured speakers, audience, sponsors, and committee for making #microbiology discussion fun (and cozy!). Until next time! 🙌🦠🧫🔬

@SensaHealth Great if you only need to do 4 hours of work a day - who is this for actually?

If you’ve set to manage your ADHD better this year, Sensa is here to help turn your goals into plans! With our app, you’ll have access to tools and resources to help you stay focused, organized, and on top of your responsibilities. Use promo code NY23 to get a $15 discount.

@CovidDataReport ✋

ROLL CALL: If you are still masking raise your hand! 🖐️

@PhDVoice @PostdocVoice In many Asian countries the title is an important sign of respect - I am a Brit working in Asia. I hold the title Prof. and even I call my fellow colleagues Dr this or Prof that in certain settings. I am ok with my students not using my title but when other profs are present..

Anonymous question “If an esteemed professor signs an email with their first name, does that mean I should address them by their first name? Or should I stick to Dr. Lastname?” #PhDVoice @PostdocVoice

@DrSarahLiu It’s good for everyone to practice gratitude and humility but also everyone should try not to make assumptions about the journey of others… focus on doing your own best and remember to be kind to everyone- including yourself

Academics who announce their accomplishments should disclose their privileges. Do you come from an academic family? Are you white? Are you a man? Are you straight? Are you cis-gender? Are you able-bodied? Are you a citizen of where you work? All of the above? #AcademicChatter

⁦@ABSAOffice⁩

@PMGilmartin Yes - best of all with truffle marmite 😁

Good discussion with @JenniHarikrishn about follow-on work after our genome assembly publication on Boesenbergia, fingerroot ginger mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/1…

@PMGilmartin @jamesgarner08 Hi Phil - not too bad - lab is almost back to normal and I have new competency in online teaching and learning - so there’s a silver lining 🙃

Trying to explain the reach (and risks) of social media to my sons. Can you retweet and comment with your location? Let’s see how far this reaches! We are in Worthing (West Sussex)