photo credit: @andrewghayes I’m back from Buffalo, having attended a two day research symposium organized by the North American Association of Environmental Education (NAAEE). Held before the annual NAAEE conference, the research symposium is meant, as I understand it, to be an opportunity to talk meaningfully about “meaty” research issues and meet with a cross-section […]
Author: Gavan
Warblers, migration, birding & ethics
photo credit: kenschneiderusa In my dissertation, I write a bit about the ethical alignments that underpin birders’ behaviours (I asked birders what rules, if any, they followed while birding). Along a continuum from human-centred (anthropocentric) to nature-centred (biocentric), the birders I spoke with shared “rules” that ran from one end to the other. Here’s an […]
Hot millipede on millipede action?
Hot millipede on millipede action?, originally uploaded by Gavatron. Behold what *might* be millipede sex. As we were walking up Round Mountain, I noticed a millipede eating a small puffball. While I stopped to watch and try and photograph the event, another millipede sauntered up (not sure if millipedes saunter, but I digress) and started […]
York University Dissertation Template
photo credit: G A R N E T York University’s Faculty of Graduate Studies provides students with a list of formatting guidelines ((If you want the direct PDF link, here it is)) (requirements more like it) to assist graduate students with the preparation of their dissertation or thesis. The rules and regulations are somewhat convoluted […]
What big eyes you have…
What big eyes you have…, originally uploaded by Gavatron. This is some species of March Fly, a soft-bodied dipertan (more closely related to mosquitoes, midges & gnats then, say, house flies). On my recent trip to the Adirondacks, they were all over the summit of Whiteface mountain the morning we visited (not really sure the […]
Thinking about Next
photo credit: mikecogh With my dissertation all done but the crying defence, thoughts inevitably turn to answer the question, “What’s next?” I know that the sooner I have plans in place, the happier Gavan I am. I have, in fact, been thinking about this since early in the year, anticipating that I would be done […]
Wither Place and the Liveliness of Higher Education?
photo credit: MattSh ~ Roads Less Traveled Bill Gates is quoted today in a post on TechCrunch as saying that higher education needs to be less “place-based”. The post goes on to suggest that Gates thinks that “technology is the only way to bring education back under control and expand it”. An interesting assumption here, […]
Lightning quick review of Navigon’s Traffic Live add-on for Mobile Navigator
After five days with the add-on, my thoughts. Good: routed me off the DVP (and back on again) to successfully avoid a slow-down; it updated a route “en-route” due to new traffic information. Bad: doesn’t show that the Danforth is closed this weekend for Taste of the Danforth (the image below shows today’s data, Bloor […]
Giant Hogweed vs. Cow Parsnip vs. Water Hemlock vs. Wild Carrot
The Toronto media is ablaze with reports that Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) has been found within the borders of the GTA. Normally, when an invasive species is found, it does not generate this kind of buzz. Why the hubbub? The sap of Giant Hogweed, on the skin, can lead to a severe skin inflammation called […]
A crystallizing moment?
OK, I should be editing my dissertation at this very moment, but I came across videos of an event on July 4th, 2010 at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Japan, that I need to share. I found it to be disturbing, as a warning. There is no doubt in my mind, especially seeing an event like this, […]