Alexandre R.J. Francois

"In 1968 I ran into Steve Lacy on the street in Rome. I took out my pocket tape recorder and asked him to describe in fifteen seconds the difference between composition and improvisation. He answered: 'In fifteen seconds the difference between composition and improvisation is that in composition you have all the time you want to decide what to say in fifteen seconds, while in improvisation you have fifteen seconds.' His answer lasted exactly fifteen seconds." Frederic Rzewski

"In March of 2006, the Carnegie Foundation in partnership with the Sloan Foundation convened a group of distinguished participants active in each of these conversations, who created a vision of professional development to meet the challenges for the new academy (see the online Professional Development for a Changing Academy Report ). Six principles emerged from the discussions: 1. Begin professional development in college and intensify in graduate school. 2. Provide flexibility for work-and-life issues throughout the academic career. 3. Recognize, develop and reward multiple talents and contributions. 4. Foster long-term planning and preparation. 5. Cultivate leadership throughout faculty careers. 6. Strengthen networks that encourage learning." From "Integrating Work and Life: A Vision for a Changing Academy," by Pat Hutchings, Mary Taylor Huber, and Chris M. Golde; #28 in the monthly series called Carnegi...

Over the holidays, I read a very interesting book, that I would recommend to any scientist who has never heard of Jason (I was one of them): The Jasons - The secret History of Science's Postwar Elite by Ann Finkbeiner