Universities X Factor: The ARWU Ranking

I love following University Rankings! Partly, because it quenches my competitive nature. Partly, because I've had my PhD from Cambridge and want to tease my Oxford friends. Plus it keeps me motivated and wanting to aim higher.

This ranking presented here is the ARWU and got just e-mailed to me by the UCL Provost, Malcom Grant. I am just copying the top 21 for your satisfaction. The ranking goes as follows. Obviously Harvard is on top again! Only three British Universities make it to the top 21, that is Cambridge (4th), Oxford (10th) and surprise UCL (21st)! The only non-American/non-British University that makes it just about to the top 20 is the Japanese University of Tokyo. In total, USA rules in research-based University Rankings (17/21 Universties = 80.95% domination). Any comments?

New ARWU Ranking published!
1 Harvard University*
2 Stanford University
3 University of California, Berkeley
4 University of Cambridge, UK *
5 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)*
6 California Institute of Technology
7 Columbia University
8 Princeton University
9 University of Chicago
10 University of Oxford,UK
11 Yale University
12 Cornell University
13 University of California, Los Angeles
14 University of California, San Diego
15 University of Pennsylvania
16 University of Washington
17 University of Wisconsin - Madison
18 University of California, San Francisco
19 The Johns Hopkins University
20 The University of Tokyo
21 University College London, UK *
22 University of Michigan

Asterisk (*) denotes any of my past/present affiliations or future/prospective univeristies I would like to go

Mission accomplished!

London Half Marathon "Run to the Beat"
Date:27, September, 2009
Place: 11.3miles around Greenwich, London and the O2 Arena
Who: Me, myself and I (why am I doing these things? On my own?)
Fundraising: 231£ for Fight for Sight (keep sponsoring www.justgiving.com/katbili)
Weather: Extrememly hot, dry and sunny
Comments: Very good organisation of the event. Importantly, lots of water stations. Not exactly the amount of music we were expecting along the route. Good support from the crowds. Route quite difficult, lots of uphill/downhill and turns, too crowded.
Time: 2hrs 14min

It's not denial. I am just selective about the reality I accept!

It's not denial. I am just selective about the reality I accept, said Bill Watterson. And what is the reality? What is true? And what is the exact truth that is invisible to me? How can I see the whole of reality? And why am I being selective about the reality I accept? I don't like bias. I am a scientist, damn it!

All I ever wanted in the past year was to finish my PhD and gain my degree. I thought all of my stress would be released and I would feel relieved. I submitted my thesis and had a very good viva examination with minor corrections, appraisal about my work and a job offer! I celebrated and partied, received all the congratulations from friends and family and social circle.

What am I going to do next? I need a challenge. Do I? I want to be happy. I want to have the life I was dreaming. What was it exactly I forgot! I used to say "when I finish my PhD". And now this time has come. Finished. Move on. Should I stay or should I go? Where is "happy" for me? I cannot decide. I can't hear what my heart is telling me cause my brain is talking all the time. Shall I just be intuitive? Shall I just be logical? Well, it is not the end of the world obviously, but this transition from a long student life (academic bubble) I was living into the real-life (career decisions) is really a challenge. Because I expect too much and I don't want to let myself/others down.

So, the system is currently under configuration, programs are being deleted, files are being scanned. The new operating system should hopefully be up and running soon. Stay tuned for the result. I will keep you posted.

Make me run faster!

On Sunday 27th September, I am running the "Run to the Beat" Half marathon in London to raise money for the Eye Research Funding Charity, Fight for Sight. This charity funds scientific projects and students around UK to promote research for people with eye sight problems. Fight for Sight funded my PhD studentship in Cambridge for 3 years so I felt more than indebted to them. I would like to run the half marathon as a gesture of appreciation to all those who have donated their money to Fight for Sight. Please continue to donate. Think how beautiful this world is and how every person should be able to see it with their own eyes.

Please visit my fundraising page to offer your donation. Every penny counts and it will make me run faster if I have people's support! Nomatter how small your contribution is, it is much appreciated!

http://www.justgiving.com/katbili/

I have run a marathon before (Paris, 2008 in 5hrs 20min) and two half marathons in 2009 (Rotterdam, 2:20; Cambridge 2:05). I am now aiming to run in 1hr 40min just for Fight for Sight! Your donations will motivate me more during my training and the race. I will be keeping you updated on my progress. I am so excited and will do my best to run as fast as humanly impossible!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now. Let me know if you want to donate by cash, cheque or direct debit.

If everything seems under control, you re just not going fast enough!

Hey, in my previous post, ten days ago I was going on about how comfy and cozy and happy my life has been in Athens during the past weeks. But one moment I am there enjoying mummy's food and sunny beaches, and the next moment I am off on the plane to Munich and from there on a train to Innsbruck, Austria and the Alps. I love kicking myself into new challenges, new trips! I loved everyone's astonishment in Greece when I informed them on my plans to go hiking on the alpine mountains..."So you re leaving sun and swimming to go in the Alps? Are you bloody serious? This is the summer, here and now! And you re leaving it?". Oh yes, yes I am serious. And you know what? I have had a great time in the mountains!

Took a flight from Athens and landed in Munich airport in two hours. From there took the S-Bahn to the city centre. Perfect sunny day. And pretty warm. I walked around Rosenheimer Platz to Marienplatz taking as many photos as possible. Proper tourist! I was asking for directions in English and people would reply in German. I wouldnt understand a thing but somehow I perfectly found my way around. I had an ice tea at the Karlsplatz admiring the Rathaus Cathedral. People were sitting outside in cafes enjoying the sunshine at lunch time. A band was playing live German music. I walked on to a spectacular fountain at the Karlstor and then on to Hauptbahnhof, the main train station. I travelled through Germany off to Austrian valleys through the mountains and arrived in Innsbruck in two hours.

The alpine surroundings were astonishing! It was a warm sunny day but rained hard during the night and there was snow on the tip of the mountains around us in the morning. We took a cable car and went up hiking on the snowy mountains, played snowball fighting while the sun was shining, enjoyed the view from the mountain-top down to the valleys. Other people were mountain biking while a guy nearby was preparing his gear for paragliding. In the afternoon we went back to the valley for swimming in a lake right in the woods (i call it my idea of heaven)...! Peaceful. The next day we took the train to Haiming, the Rafting base of the Feel Free Adventure Paradise. White-water (comparing to calm blue-water) rafting has always been an activity I had been avoiding, but secretly wanted to get bullied into doing. And so it happened. Cruising down in a raft down a part of the Inn river. Imposing waves, foaming white water, fast flowing currents! Apart from paddling down we also had the chance to jump out and swim along the raft for some parts. Cold refreshing water made every part of your body twitch! Adrenaline to the maximum, a mixed feeling of fear and pleasure that makes you feel content, alive. Nothing but excitement. And looking forward to doing it again…

It was a great experience and with the company of two good friends, I enjoyed this break more than anything else this year. Took the plane from Munich to fly back to Athens. As we were flying above the Alps, I took so many photos of the valleys, the snowy mountains, the lakes… I always used to admire this view from the plane, but now it feels like a part of me.

I ve been there. I've climbed this mountain. I've been in this lake. I've paddled down this river. I was it. And it was I. A part of me is left behind. And I took a part of it with me.

Never underestimate: London versus Athens life

I am in Greece on long holidays after spending 4 years in exile, which made me realize that there are some things I had taken for granted and shouldn’t; there is also a list of things I had forgotten how happy they make me.

I wouldn't change in the world...

- The ability to pop in to the New Acropolis Museum or the Acropolis monument in Athens, ten minutes from my parents' house, gain entry for 1 Euro and spend endless hours studying the treasures of the Hellenistic period

- The pleasure to go swimming every day at the nearby sea, playing rackets on the beach with friends or sunbathing while reading a book

- To sit at the balcony in the evenings,  listening to my parents chatting and laughing while I am reading and having coffee

- To enjoy freshly-cooked Mediterranean food and have it readily served by my mother (yes, my typical Greek mother who likes pampering me even now I am in my 30s)

- The happiness of visiting and having coffee at my sister's house and playing with my baby nephew

On the contrary, I miss...

- The good customer service and internet banking of my UK bank as opposed to the long and exhausting procedures in Greece (bureaucracy is their middle name)

- The numerous sushi places in London at affordable prices; this is still considered a luxury in Athens and is difficult to find a good take-away or sit-in place for good value

- The cool London weather and the long path along Thames that allowed me to go running in the mornings or evenings;  running in Athens in July is just impossible, due to extremely high temperatures and humid atmosphere, let alone lack of running routes

-The "chip and pin" system of paying by debit card in the UK, whereas everyone uses cash in Greece. And I am not used to carrying money on me

-The BBC iPlayer access in the UK, the live streaming of sports events; sadly I 've missed Wimbledon and Tour de France this year due to links not being legally available in Greece.

Closing a book of four years...

I am absolutely exhausted. But proud. Not exactly "relieved". I am not just "happy it's all over". I am content. It's been a worthwhile four years, through much effort, pressure, stress and sacrifice.I've earned this PhD, this title of Doctor of Philosophy. And no, that doesn't make me a philosopher, but it makes me a Dr!

And although it's been a one woman's battle and many times I felt I was on my own, I really need to acknowledge the kind support and genuine interest from people around me.

My good old friends, who have always been there for me even though I had distanced myself for a while. To the great new friends that I made throughout these 4 years who filled my time in Cambridge with great memories and hope I can enjoy their friendship for longer. My colleagues who have been supportive and created a pleasant working environment. To my boss who knows how to get the most and best out of me by motivating me for science and pushing my "competitive" button. To all of those who by a little text or call or note have expressed their interest and support, it has brightened my long stressful days and given me an extra push. To my dearest parents who have been my scaffold to climb higher, without them I would be nothing. To my sweet sister who teaches me what unconditional love is and made my life brighter by bringing her little son into life, to those who are not around and are dearly missed but never forgotten, I know they would be so proud and happy for me, I wish I could share this moment with them. Eternally indebted and always grateful to all...

So what now? While I was at the binders waiting for my thesis to be prepared, I was enjoying a fresh juice and watching Wimbledon on TV...It felt good to be relaxed again...Ah, so this is what normal people do in the evenings...Wait a minute, that feels weird to me!

PhD thesis writing for dummies

My mess.  My desk, where I live and write for the past months.

Or, HOW TO WRITE UP AND COMPLETE A PHD THESIS SUCCESFULLY! 

Not in one night but many ones.

My top list consists of those necessary couldn't-have-made-it-without things below:

• Apple Mac G5 computer, connected to a Time Capsule (backing up automatically every hour) and 1 TeraByte external memory drive
• Extra memory sticks for quick transfer of files from the laptop to the main computer or other devices, such as a microscope
• Scientific data, or results, properly archived per date of experiment and project
• Starbucks Tall Latte coffee (alternate doses with Red Bull)
• Sandwich with chicken/mozzarella/spinach for lunch
• Isostar power drink for extra stimulation
• Favourite photos and articles from newspapers on the wall for extra motivation; visualize where you can go after the Thesis submission; have images of marathon runners to remind you of perseverance; or have a written note of your name followed by the title "Doctor"
• A lot of courage (not shown in the photo)

Good luck and keep strong,

PS. Follow the bread crumbs on the floor and you will find me under the pile of books !

Running the last mile in the a.m.

Just a brief update. For the last two weeks I have been going to bed at the earliest at 5 in the morning, sometimes even at 8am. I allow myself to sleep for 5 hours and then off to the lab again for another long night. I ve written up most of my Thesis (capital T, due to its importance and significance). Not been to gym, not out for a run, no drinks (which is good for health, but socially catastrophic)...

It is funny when in the early morning hours I take the bus to go back home from the lab, I get to see a different view of London, I had never had the chance to see before. When everyone else is asleep, it is all quiet out there, the buses are still running, the Royal Mail guys wearing their uniforms like soldiers waiting at bus stops to commute to work-sometimes they talk to each other just by identifying themselves by the common outfit- cleaners and newspaper delivery men already working, the sun is coming up, the pigeons are strolling around the streets to look for leftover food before the humans wake up...I am not the only one working these hours. With the only exception, when they finish they go for a good meal, a beer and a goodnights sleep, while I am still there writing up.

I should be finished soon though and I will be back to the land of the living. I was just wondering, due to overload of work, WHO IS GOING TO CRASH FIRST ME OR MY MACBOOK? We re both robust hardware with complex software running simultaneously, but who of the two of us, if any, make it to the finish unscathed? This bloody thing has already crashed a couple of times and it scares me it will die before we submit, gosh, these machines dont know the word perseverence...
Speak soon
K

Hitting the wall

I am currently running the marathon of "PhD Thesis writing" and like most runners I have hit the wall just before the finish. No matter how well prepared I had been. I never thought I would get so overwhelmed with this. The final countdown to submission has officially started and I am halfway through my chapters. I have to keep on writing and writing. Less than 30 days away and I have to submit my dissertation to the Board of Graduate Studies of University of Cambridge. Gosh, it even sounds scary, imagine having to actually do it! My stress levels have hit the ceiling. Sometimes it feels I cant breath or that I will explode in a million flakes of stardust!

I ve been spending more than 14 hours a day writing. From work. I cant do it from home. Home is not perceived as a workplace in my mind so far, so it would be more difficult to concentrate. I would find a thousand things to do before sitting on my desk to write. But being at work keeps me disciplined. I usually have a 1 hr break during the day to go to the gym or go for a long run out. Gosh, I am so looking forward to this time of the day when I finally go out in the world. Today was the Eurovision Show and everyone was out in parties or pubs. I went to have dinner on my own and then back to the lab to write. It felt a bit pathetic but I keep reminding myself how important is what I do. I need to be focused. How much I want this. It is a battle against time and a battle against myself. I want to prove everyone wrong and make it. Because there is so many things out there I want to do. Experiments to finish, meetings to attend, books to read, people to interact with, family to meet, holidays to enjoy, myself to take care of. I have missed all these things lately...

In a parallel universe, the cycling competition Giro d' Italia has been taking place in Italy this past week. Exhausting miles through the mountains every day. Different stages to compete against time and other teams. One of guys in the peloton, Pedro Horrillo fell of a hill as he was cycling fast through a descent and suffered serious injuries. The hill was so steep, he was actually traced only after 20 minutes unconscious and had to be transfered by a helicopter to the hospital. He is fortunately alive and hopefully will recover soon. It just made me think, how great men, compete and race, risk their own life, go for the victory, get passionate, give everything! Even if they fall in the end and have to be carried away from the scene. These people in Greece we call "Heroes". And it is very inspirational to know that "heroes" still exist. So I go back to my writing.

Keep on rising...

I have started writing up my thesis. That means practically

a) all of the research that I've done in the past 4 years has now to be put in a written form in a comprehensive and scientifically approved way, task that demands my full concentration and energy

b) for the next month the keyboard and the mouse will constitute extensions of my hands

c) the only form of social life I will have until my submission is through virtual reality, I will be an e-person. I don't really mind. I actually enjoy it. It is a creative time. I feel as if I am pregnant with knowledge and have to deliver a beautiful baby-thesis in one month from now! This will be my baby, my results, my work, my late nights in the lab, my endless hours on the microscope, the countless experiments. All that I have devoted myself to in the last 4 years will be put in a book within a month! So looking forward to it.

My imprinted curiosity for everything made me log on to twitter. I had been ignoring this idea for ages, since I really didn't want to get involved with another virtual social network. But I did. I wanted to see what it is like to be "twitterific". And to be honest I enjoy it so far. Accidentally I came across Lance Armstrong's twitter page and decided to follow him. His athletic achievements are more than an inspiration to me (he's a 7-time Tour de France winner but also an ex-triathlete, which for me is the ultimate sports competition). He has fought with cancer at a young age and has survived. He is working on the fight against cancer on multiple fronts by his Livestrong Foundation. And his enthusiastic posts about the weather, the snowy Colorado, the bikes, the training, are cheerful and motivating. And I need some glow and motivation from big men like Lance at the moment and always I guess. Cause I always want to improve myself and there's no limit as to where we can go. Keep on rising...

I ve decided I am doing another marathon by the end of this summer. It was last April that I ran my first marathon in Paris. A year ago. I remember the day before the run, I was so nervous and totally didnt know what to expect. Would it hurt? How much? Would I make it to the end? Would I even make it to the half point? What is "the wall" like? What if I have a heart attack and die in some street in Paris? I was so sure that this would be my first and last marathon ever, why would I put myself through this again? I didnt even care if I would finish, even trying it and going through the training was good enough. And I did run my first marathon. The feeling of contentment is greater than any muscular pain. I didnt feel like hitting the wall as they say until very late. I was initially running to make it to the half-point. By reaching 21km, I thought to myself, this is now your marathon. At 30km, there is no stopping now. At 38km I wanted to die. I could see I was close to the finish, I felt I had made it, so there was no motivation to keep pushing. My whole body was screaming at me. I kept going, talking to myself, not looking around me. Crossing the finish line was a bless. And then the pain kicked in. 

 

The human body has great limits. And the human mind can conquer over the body. Together they can make great things, push the boundaries to where you didn't think you could. And so this time I want to push it a bit further and see where I can go. Such a great feeling. Makes you feel alive.

A day of vanity in the life of a scientist

Most of you know what a workaholic I am;  many (long) hours I spent in the lab and so good at finding excuses to miss out on a social event. Put it in other words, I have to be dragged out of the lab in order to take time off. There are some instances though I just cant say "no" to. One of them was an invitation to a free make-over and professional photoshoot session. Me. Who is usually all day in jeans and trainers covered by a white labcoat, no make-up, hair usually bundled up. Who gets grumpy at people taking photos of her. Who is usually unfriendly to and uncomfortable with strangers. Especially if they were to try and fix my hair, apply make up on my face and tell me how to pose? Oh well, yes, let's do it! Bring it on! 

One of my new year's resolutions was to try and do all those things I've been avoiding so far, to try and challenge myself physically, mentally, spiritually, re-examine my beliefs, get over my complexes and stupid prejudices. We all have some of these, no?

Obviously, saying yes to a makover and photoshoot is not a big decision/change in my life, but it falls in the category of these little things that are small steps and have a positive contribution towards a higher purpose. And although I would call such an event "vain and pointless" in the past, I would actually go for it now. Because I said so. This year I am going opposite my own stream.

And there I was. Waiting for my friend outside the studios. Common everyday people were going in and they would come out looking like celebrities, gorgeous and happy. A day of pampering for us. Friendly reception, soul music playing on, loads of beautiful women around waiting or having just finished their session, face treatments, hand massage, transforming make-up (I could not recognise it was me looking through the mirror), funky hair-style, changing of clothes, poses, backgrounds. I have to admit. It was good fun. Of course, I felt like running out of the studio or crying at some points, feeling uncomfortable. I have difficulty when people instruct me what to do and  expect me to do it right there, right now.  But no, I didn't run away, I didn't object. It was fun. After a while, you get into the zone and you just behave as if you had always been a professional model, you even feel like enjoying it, your glamorous vain projection is even friendly with the photographer! You feel sad it is over but also looking forward to seeing the final result.

I have to give credit to the models, it is actually a quite exhausting job. Me and my friend were starving and tired by the end, albeit we had a constant smile on our faces for the rest of the evening. We got some pretty impressive photos as well. And when there is dinner at one of the best Japanese places in London, lots of sushi, Apple & Vanilla Mojitos and girlie chating up for dessert? A great day out. Out of the routine and the labwork. Out of my usual self. Awesome!

(Thanx to lovely Ryan, DoubleTake studios, Nobu Restaurant, Black Cab taxi-driver for a wonderful day out)