r/AusAcademia

I live quite far south from the university I intend to do my PhD at so commuting would be difficult.
I’m extremely self- driven and organised so I’m not concerned about that, in fact I thrived during my MSc being left to my own devices- of course, with regular Teams contact with my supervisor.

I know that this is a conversation for my potential future supervisor, but before this happens I’d like to know if it’s even a possibility

Thanks!

PhD Candidate interested in research-only career. I understand it comes with its own extensive cons list (insecurity, constant grant applications etc).

However, everyone talks about publications (first author, co-authors from collaborations), applying for awards/grants. It seems like everyone else is doing the same, how do you stand out against the rest?

Anybody like to comment on making the switch from casual to permanent teaching at an Australian university? Been teaching casual for a long time myself (10+ years). Casual hours have been good lately. Obviously the hourly rate is very good, but there’s a slim chance at a conversion to permanent. I’ve met some colleagues who made the switch and regretted it, but it seems like a no brainer to me. Lower pay for more security, and some time off without risking never getting work again. What could possibly go wrong?