• About Me
  • Editing
  • Quality Matters
    • The Misrepresentation of Quality
  • Statistics
    • Data Types for Quantitative Analysis
    • Theme One: Pareto Analysis

Bronwyn Swartz

~ Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

Bronwyn Swartz

Monthly Archives: October 2019

Through the eyes of a new doctor

11 Friday Oct 2019

Posted by Bronwyn Swartz in General, My Adventures, Purely Academic, Quality Stuff

≈ 9 Comments

The world still looks the same. It’s still a beautiful struggle. A beautiful beautiful struggle.

I deliberately haven’t blogged for over a month because I’ve honestly just been adjusting. I’ve been fully immersed in what was going on around me. And there has been a great deal going on.

This is my attempt at a bullet point summary…

1) Emotional experience around getting the doctorate when it struck me that Mrs Cloete had to die for Dr Swartz to be born. It felt raw and I felt hollow. It signalled the commencement of the next stage in my journey – radical self acceptance. The shadow me, is also me.

2) I was a bit overwhelmed initially by all the attention I got when I got the doctorate, however after about two weeks that seemed to settle. Out of pure coincidence three major things culminated in my life more-or-less the same time. Within the space of ten days I heard:

a) I am a finalist for an international e-Learning Excellence Award. I was invited to Denmark to present my case study in November

b) I won the Faculty Teaching Excellence Award in the Engineering Faculty for 2019 at my university

c) I was graduating with the doctorate… and then I decided to graduate wearing white converse sneakers and a VannieKaap t-shirt (www.shop.vanniekaap.com) which said “Chise your dreams”. Chise your dreams is a colloquialism in my community which essentially means “Pursue your dreams”.

One day I'll find my Prince, but my Daddy will always be the King
One day I’ll find my Prince, but my Daddy will always be the King
My supervisor, Prof Shalini Singh reading my abstract
My supervisor, Prof Shalini Singh reading my abstract
Awê Masekind
Awê Masekind
Mission completed
Mission completed
Chise your dreams!
Chise your dreams!

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

3) Two articles about me were published on the university website. Here are the links them http://www.cput.ac.za/blogs/bulletin/2019/10/04/innovative-lecturer-shines-bright/ and  https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2635250656506113&id=166568333374370&anchor_composer=false#_=_ I’m just grateful.

4) I’ve successfully managed to secure funding via my university to go on a two legged trip. I’ll be presenting a paper in Dublin, Ireland on the 5th November and then participating in the e-Learning Excellence Awards on the 7-8th November in Copenhagen, Denmark. I applied for my visa on Wednesday morning.

5) I’ve been roped in at my university and got involved in the admin side of research in the Faculty. I’m simply LOVING it! I’m learning so much about the operational procedures required. It’s opened up a whole new world and perspective for me. I’ve only supervised students in the past. I’m now seeing the other end of things – understanding the engine that has to operate to get the vehicle from point A to point B. I was also once again asked by senior management to consider applying for the HoD position in my Department. Without a hint of hesitation I gracefully declined. I’m very pro-my university #MyCPUT. But I’m not yet ready for that, and quite frankly I’m not as interested in doing HoD work as I am about getting involved in research. I told my supervisor that I will have the greatest impact if I get involved with supporting the research program in my department. My heart burns to make a difference there – and I will.

6) I received ethical clearance for some more personal research that I want to do. Kinda excited about that.

7) I had a random horrible experience where I was ambushed during one of my lessons. A group of protesting students entered my class and violently disrupted it. In summary it was a traumatic experience and fortunately things did not turn out worse than what they did. All I want to do right now is get my students ready for final exams

8) Things are going ok with my own students. My stats students and BTech research students are managing. My MEng students are making good progress.

9) I’m the proud new owner of a MacBook Pro! Finally! And switching has been so easy. I’m simply loving it. The machine is so intuitive. It’s super fast too. What a pleasure. #NewToy

10) And finally…. just to remind me that as much as things might seem different, they really are still the same, my Bella reminds me of the real hierarchy in the world (and in my household) everyday. She is still the queen of everyone!

img_5509

And that’s all folks

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • September 2021
  • May 2021
  • February 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • May 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • September 2014
  • August 2014

Categories

  • Family and Friends
  • Funny
  • General
  • My Adventures
  • Opinion Post
  • Purely Academic
  • Quality Stuff
  • Statistics
  • Touchy-Feely Crap
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • Bronwyn Swartz
    • Join 68 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Bronwyn Swartz
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...