000. My journey so far.

What Messi, Schrödinger, rejection and burnout taught me about academia

davide


001. The conference was great. I shouldn’t have been there.

A week in Potsdam taught me that a prestigious invitation might be a bad investment and that choosing when to decline an invitation may be as important as accepting it

potsdam


002. Academia is a game.

A recent conversation with one of my postdocs led me to write down some of my thoughts on securing a permanent position in academia.

edinburgh


003. Was this one of our last Freshers’ Weeks?

AI will bring an end to universities as we know them. I believe they are not ready to lead us into this new era.

Nature Index country tables for research output


004. I’ll be honest: I use ChatGPT for my Substack. But not in the way you’d think.

It starts with a mess of thoughts and ends with an articulated story: how AI helps me refine my thinking and could help you with yours

Durham Cathedral beneath a blue sky


005. Academia needs more cacio e pepe.

IgNobels, pasta sauces, and the need for unserious questions

The 2025 Ig Nobel ceremony with the cacio e pepe research team