my first publication

[northtwilight]

Definitely OT for my usual hangout here at GW ... but it looks like my first-ever publication is creating a little bit of a stir.

I work as a policy analyst for a small higher-education thinktank in Canada, and I've just co-written my first publication for general consumption, concerned with rankings systems (such as US News and World Report's best colleges guide)

You can see the publication here (http://www.educationalpolicy.org/pdf/World-of-Difference-200602162.pdf), and read an interview with my co-author here (http://insidehighered.com/news/2006/02/21/rankings).

Thanks for listening
Mass

[Grug]

Grats' mate.
Long read but I did a quick glance over, quite interesting.

Will anything come of your publication you think?

[northtwilight]

Cheers Grug!

Well, although it is a freebie, one of our colleagues at another thinktank in Washington has already offered some funds towards the next edition/revision, which perhaps might be in 6 months or so.

Another piece done by my co-author and an
ex-colleague (in grad school now) still gets hits on a regular basis, available here (http://www.educationalpolicy.org/globaldebt.html). So maybe :)

[Grug]

Don't suppose you could get me a job? :p

[northtwilight]

We've got an Australian office ...

[Grug]

Really?
In brisbane?

[northtwilight]

Uhm, it's a bit farther south. And west.

Melbourne :(

The head of the org (Ian) recently supplied the Australian with some stats to bolster our argument in the publication; you can see those stats here (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18228130%255E12332,00.html) and additional points on teaching quality here (http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/degree_programs/teach_rankings_05.htm)

What kind of work do you do?

[Grug]

No work at the moment, hence the stab in the dark. :p

I've currently got some educational qualifications in IT, some past work experience in retail, and a little bit in graphics design and photography.

I'm not sure where I'm going atm, I'd like to aspire to be a graphics designer and / or photographer. Yet things are all over the place for me at the moment, so I'm just looking for any job to get me on my feet again. =/

A mate of mine is an aspiring journalist though. Yet he's having trouble too, he has a form of muscular dystrophy however, thus finding it hard to accomplish or not worth it to continue. =|
He does some pretty good fanfiction pieces for stargate though, I think he submits them to the GateWorld website.

Good article though. :)

[northtwilight]

I share your pain. I didn't land this job until March last year, and also lacked focus for ... hm, since my first degree! I had this silly idea I was going to try to become a programmer or something. Dumb.

You know, I've always thought the Clockwork baby damned cool. If disturbing! :)

[Grug]

LoL. Da, love the baby, love the movie. ^.^

[northtwilight]

I'm just wondering what he's about to spear with the pink dagger there (no pun intended ;) ) ... methinks it ain't food.

[Grug]

LoL. I always liked to think it was attacking whoever was looking at the pic, hence you :p or whoever was forumiting(new word!) with me at the time. :p

[northtwilight]

So that would be my head at risk! Help!