Radcafe Posted February 15, 2015 Posted February 15, 2015 Rdsull, I'm scanning the GSEA meeting notes and see something about a "final job talk"--is the Department hiring another professor right now? Hah, I read those too...yay over-preparedness! allplaideverything 1
rdsull89 Posted February 16, 2015 Author Posted February 16, 2015 Rdsull, I'm scanning the GSEA meeting notes and see something about a "final job talk"--is the Department hiring another professor right now? I think the ones on the website are from last year? What's the date on them? We don't have an open search at the moment--there are two targeted positions that might be cooperative or part time with English (one in queer chicano and one in LGBS/Trans studies) but those are still up in the air. The department is putting together proposals for new hires. UCR has a goal of hiring 300 professors in the next 3 years with some magic money from somewhere, so there is an expectation to get a few more soon, but the actual positions/fields are still a ways off from being determined. That said, for the past 3 years, we've had 2 hires a year, so it's a pretty healthy growth. Fearful at UCR 1
Appppplication Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 Just wanted to chime in and say hi. I was accepted last week in the UCR comp lit department! 1Q84 1
1Q84 Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 Some perhaps dumb questions: 1. I keep seeing talk about recently hired "rock stars." Can someone tell me who these profs are? I, unfortunately, am not one who keeps abreast of a wide-breadth of rock star scholars (I tend to only know the really big names or ones who are big in my field). 2. It looks like sci-fi and technoculture is a speciality of the department. Is that considered UCR's "specialty" among the UCs?
rdsull89 Posted February 16, 2015 Author Posted February 16, 2015 (edited) Just wanted to chime in and say hi. I was accepted last week in the UCR comp lit department! Congrats!! Some perhaps dumb questions: 1. I keep seeing talk about recently hired "rock stars." Can someone tell me who these profs are? I, unfortunately, am not one who keeps abreast of a wide-breadth of rock star scholars (I tend to only know the really big names or ones who are big in my field). 2. It looks like sci-fi and technoculture is a speciality of the department. Is that considered UCR's "specialty" among the UCs? 1. The "rock stars" often refer to David Lloyd and Fred Moten, but we also recently hired (in the last 3 yard) Sheryll Vint, Robb Hernandez, Emma Stapely, and Steven Sohn who are all amazing too. Moten and Lloyd are top scholars in their fields and very well established and respected. 2. SFTS is one of our specialties, and we are one of the leading schools for that in the nation. Part of that prominence is due to the Eaton Collection, which is one of the best science fiction collections in the world. I do believe they are starting to build that cluster more toward Science (and medicine) and literature too. That said, it is only a subset of our department and we have a wide array of other really strong areas too, and generally a really diverse program. In particular, we're very strong in ethnic literature and race and ethnic studies, feminism and queer theory, and book archive and manuscript studies, and those areas are only growing stronger. As a department we are very, very heavy into cultural studies in general, and tend to be pretty interdisciplinary. Edited February 16, 2015 by rdsull89 1Q84 1
circlewave Posted February 16, 2015 Posted February 16, 2015 To what degree is ecotheory/environmental humanities present in the Dept.? I know SFTS was a strong emphasis, but my conversations with the department about my own work (I'm into posthuman aesthetics, which means I touch on both eco stuff and technoculture) suggested that there were ongoing efforts to bring more environmental stuff to the table; is that true?
rdsull89 Posted February 16, 2015 Author Posted February 16, 2015 @circlewave - there's A LOT of work in the department on posthuman studies and biopolitics, particularly with Tobias, Zieger, Lloyd, and Vint, less so on ecotheory/environmental crit. We do have grad students in the department that do it--relating it to postcolonial theory, media/technoculture, and utopianism--and there are a lot of people working in related areas that have a lot of overlap. I think you would definitely find support, it's just not one of our biggest areas at the moment.
allplaideverything Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 Is anybody else here weighing other offers yet? I'm excited about Riverside, & I've got what I feel like is an impossible choice ahead of me.
circlewave Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 Is anybody else here weighing other offers yet? I'm excited about Riverside, & I've got what I feel like is an impossible choice ahead of me. I'm still waiting to hear back from 3 programs, but of the ones I've heard from so far, it's tough. I love Riverside's program, but I also got accepted to PSU, and my family and friends all live on the east coast. The prospect of picking up and moving that far is a little daunting... I'm also pretty concerned about the cost of living; the Riverside stipend is about the same as PSU's, and I'm sure that money doesn't carry you as far in S. California. Those who have been kind enough to answer the questions of us new admits - can anyone weigh in? @circlewave - there's A LOT of work in the department on posthuman studies and biopolitics, particularly with Tobias, Zieger, Lloyd, and Vint, less so on ecotheory/environmental crit. We do have grad students in the department that do it--relating it to postcolonial theory, media/technoculture, and utopianism--and there are a lot of people working in related areas that have a lot of overlap. I think you would definitely find support, it's just not one of our biggest areas at the moment. Thanks for the answer! That's great news to hear. I suppose I fall in between ecotheory and Marxism, with an interest in media culture, so it sounds like I'll be in good company.
rdsull89 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Posted February 17, 2015 @circlewave - based on a TA salary, you won't be wealthy, but it's not too bad. It usually means living with a roommate, though not strictly necessary. I don't know much about the cost of living around PSU, but it probably is a little cheaper. Here, after the second year you're eligible for summer school, which is an extra 4k a year if you get it (most, not all, do, particularly after year 3) and supplement with readerships, research assistantships, etc. It's hard, because I've lived in SoCal all my life, so I don't have much in terms of comparison. But, you're looking at 900-1100 for a good 1 bedroom apartment, or about 1250-1500 for a 2 bedroom apartment.
rdsull89 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Posted February 17, 2015 Oh, also, if you're interested in post-humanism, Jayna Brown in ethnic studies is fantastic!
allplaideverything Posted February 22, 2015 Posted February 22, 2015 I just read the Visiting Day email more closely yesterday, and yoooo the Zong! events should be so hot. That book is just wild-- an FMoten panel followed by a reading from M. NourbeSe Philip is so dope. It's going to be pretty expensive for me to get down there, but I'm definitely trying.
Radcafe Posted February 22, 2015 Posted February 22, 2015 I just read the Visiting Day email more closely yesterday, and yoooo the Zong! events should be so hot. That book is just wild-- an FMoten panel followed by a reading from M. NourbeSe Philip is so dope. It's going to be pretty expensive for me to get down there, but I'm definitely trying. I'm excited!! Hope to see you there
allplaideverything Posted March 2, 2015 Posted March 2, 2015 Who all is coming to the recruitment events? I can't wait!
1Q84 Posted March 2, 2015 Posted March 2, 2015 I believe I am! It's kind of a hike to get out there for me, though, as I don't have a car. allplaideverything 1
rdsull89 Posted March 3, 2015 Author Posted March 3, 2015 I believe I am! It's kind of a hike to get out there for me, though, as I don't have a car. Oh no! Ask HBH about helping fund that. Maybe a train part way and someone from here can pick you up? There are also students and faculty that commute from LA so we can definitely help figure out a ride. Just let HBH or me know if you want to. We're really looking forward to meeting you all! Just a heads up, GSEA is sponsoring a dinner for anyone who is around on Thursday at 5:30, and if anyone wants to see some of the town and where grad students tend to live, let me know and we can arrange it.
Radcafe Posted March 3, 2015 Posted March 3, 2015 I'm coming! I'm flying into Ontario 10:30 AM on Wednesday and might try to shuttle to UCR. allplaideverything 1
rdsull89 Posted March 3, 2015 Author Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) I'm coming! I'm flying into Ontario 10:30 AM on Wednesday and might try to shuttle to UCR. If you (or anyone) would prefer a grad student to pick you up from an airport, let me know, we can work to arrange it! Edited March 3, 2015 by rdsull89
allplaideverything Posted March 4, 2015 Posted March 4, 2015 Hm, my friend who was going to drive me from LA on Wednesday morning, and pick me up Thursday evening, got into a car accident today. He's fine! But now I need to figure out a new travel plan. 1Q84, have you figured anything out yet?
1Q84 Posted March 4, 2015 Posted March 4, 2015 I haven't. I'm actually waiting to hear back from "HBH" (love that acronym) about some questions I had about the program before I decide if I'm going to make the trek over. Tina said she would give me a call... hmm.... The plan for going, however, is to get to Union Station and take the train out. allplaideverything 1
rdsull89 Posted March 5, 2015 Author Posted March 5, 2015 I haven't. I'm actually waiting to hear back from "HBH" (love that acronym) about some questions I had about the program before I decide if I'm going to make the trek over. Tina said she would give me a call... hmm.... The plan for going, however, is to get to Union Station and take the train out. I know you're on her list to talk to next so she should be in contact very soon. Let me see if I can find anyone driving in from LA on Wednesday and we can see if we can get you both a ride.
rdsull89 Posted March 6, 2015 Author Posted March 6, 2015 So, I found a grad student who will be driving in from LA on Wednesday morning and is willing to give one or both of you a ride, if you'd like. PM me if you want and we can set it up! allplaideverything 1
Space_Elf Posted March 7, 2015 Posted March 7, 2015 So, I'm waitlisted at UCR, and obviously not invited to this shindig. But if I get in (fingers crossed!), I would definitely want to visit before making my choice. What happens in that case? Does anyone know? There's no way I could enter a program blindly. I've actually been to a couple of symposia/conferences there already (I'm local), so it's not completely foreign, but still.
rdsull89 Posted March 7, 2015 Author Posted March 7, 2015 So, I'm waitlisted at UCR, and obviously not invited to this shindig. But if I get in (fingers crossed!), I would definitely want to visit before making my choice. What happens in that case? Does anyone know? There's no way I could enter a program blindly. I've actually been to a couple of symposia/conferences there already (I'm local), so it's not completely foreign, but still. Yeah, definitely--I was in the same boat. Once you're in you can definitely let HBH know and we can arrange some stuff, like meeting with the Profs. you'd work with, sitting in on a class, meeting some grad students etc. Space_Elf 1
rdsull89 Posted March 9, 2015 Author Posted March 9, 2015 Looking forward to seeing everyone later this week! Feel free to email me if you need anything! 1Q84 1
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