When I started my PhD a lovely, warm, wise lady named Margaret was my supervisor, with Stuart as the associate supervisor. Stuart has been a constant the whole way through and that has been very valuable – but no one is perfect and he isn’t either. Margaret was replaced by Anna who really knew her stuff but wasn’t the warmest person. Still that Anna/Stuart team could have got me through it. Then Anna very sadly was unwell and then replaced by Nici.

Nici was absolutley amazing. She was practically perfect in every way. Unfortunatley she saw the worst parts of the university and the toxic culture meant she lasted less than 2 years. She’s moved on now and I am AGAIN in need of a new principle supervisor.

I had a list of possibiliities, even from a small university where there wasn’t that many options. My friend and co-author Sue Emmett was one posibility but she is just about to go on 9 months long service leave. That meant she really wasn’t a good choice.

I have however ended up with what I think is a really good choice and that is Amy Claughton. She is warm, kind and caring but I have no doubt she can kick my butt when that is needed too. I will be her first completion as principle I think so that is an honour. She was a little hesitant because she’s only just qualified to be principle but I have no doubts about her at all.

Our first meeting is next Thursday and I can’t wait!

In other news… the book chapter with Trixie is STILL not out yet. It was March, then April and now May. I have edits to do on an article with Sue Emmett. That is from the project where we talked to students transitioning from Vocational Training into university. We are working on edits for one article AND a conference submission at the same time… and trying to get the second article done before Sue goes on long service leave! Fun stuff!

The grant project is stalled at the moment. I need to find out about the funding. We have a research assisstant lined up and one focus group has been done. The book project with the Wellbeing SIG is coming along too. I’ve done the peer-reviews for my section and got revised versions of the chapters (4 in my section). Next I need to write an introduciton to the section and an “outro” which is essentially a summary including practical applications. It shouldn’t take me long but it FEELS like a complex task because the 4 chapters cover a LOT.

I have booked accommodation and paid registration for the Student Success conference AND NAEEA at the end of the year. For SS I had 4 submissions, 3 emerging initiaitives (short presentations) and a poster. The poster and the solo presentation were accepted with no edits. The one with Sue was accepted with edits and one was rejected (the meme project). Overall, I’d say 50% with no edits and 75% accepted is a jolly good rate. I’m happy anyway.

I will write again soon about some of the stuff I am diong in my classroom starting this term around self-efficacy. For now, I have to get back to marking – I’m almost done!