Well-Known

Researcher 1: "So, I just cracked a big math proof in my field." Researcher 2: "Oh yeah?" Researcher 1: "Yep, it's a well-known conjecture that I've been working on for years." Researcher 2: "How many people know about this conjecture?" Researcher 1: "Tons! At least ten."

I apologize to the mathematicians that may be offended. Don’t worry, my research problems are probably just as well known!

06 Nov 2019

Resiliency

On the left, a student complains about seeing a topic on the test which is slightly different than what they saw in class. On the right, the student sees this as a fun challenge.

I aspire to be the student on the right, but I know myself well enough to admit that my reaction is usually the one on the left.

04 Nov 2019

Lecture Audience

A three-panel progression of an audience during a lecture, from the perspective of the teacher. The audience starts attentive, and gradually the students fall off one by one.

I wonder if teachers play a mental game of seeing who can hang on in the lecture the longest.

01 Nov 2019

Science Costume

A scientist asks a friend what their costume is supposed to be, since they are only carrying a labeller. The friend replies that they are dressing as a scientist because labelling is pretty much all scientists do.

At least I didn’t show up with just a lab coat!

30 Oct 2019

Popular Physics

In the first panel, a student reads a popular physics book and enjoys the material. In the second panel, the student asks the teacher to skip the "boring" math stuff in order to get to the time travel and black holes.

“We can’t skip the mathematics. It’s the most important part!”

“If that was true, why didn’t my book mention any of that?”

28 Oct 2019

Applications

Researcher (while writing a paper): "Now for the most creative part of writing a paper: coming up with applications that are exciting but not too wild!"

I wonder if putting down “This may change the world” is too hyperbolic…

25 Oct 2019

Creative Writing

The professor: "To begin your training as a researcher, I've enrolled you in a creative writing class." Student: "Shouldn't I be doing science?" Professor: "No, no. You first have to be good at writing catchy titles so that people actually read your work!"

“This sounds more like manipulation than science.”

“Hey, I’m just looking out for you as your supervisor.”

23 Oct 2019

Legal Moves

The professor: "Is the next step we are going to take fully legal? Hell no. Are we going to do it anyway and save ten minutes of tedious busywork?" Rest of class: "Hell yes!"

Did you hear that? It’s the sound of mathematicians rolling around in their graves.

21 Oct 2019

Student Confidence

The professor asks two students if they need help with a difficult experiment, but one student replies confidently that they won't have any trouble. As soon as the professor leaves, the student who was confident asks the other what to do.

I mean, I’m sure you were listening when she explained what we had to do, right?

18 Oct 2019

Briefly Explain

A graph showing the relationship between understanding and the length of an answer. Decent knowledge can be shown with concise answers, but there comes a huge cliff in which students start writing a lot to cover up their ignorance.

Let’s hope the teacher is impressed by the amount of writing I’ve given. Surely that’s a signal for quality!

16 Oct 2019

To the past To the present