Stanford

[chimerically]

I've decided to move to the Stanford Department of Communication next year. The decision was difficult and involved, but I think it's for the best. I am planning on keeping my Berkeley contacts alive, especially that with my current advisor, and I'll probably be back to sit in on a class or two as well (especially the one Jean Lave and Peter Lyman, though both retired, are planning for next spring). I've been doing lots of research on what classes are offered, who teaches them, and what professors and peers I could work with at both places. Danah and David helped me focus in by suggested a few pointed questions to ask myself: where can I find a community I want to work with? who will help me with the inevitable bureaucracy? where can I learn the skills I want to have? whose job would I love to have, and how do I get there? Ultimately, I know that I can't make a fully-informed decision since I haven't attended Stanford and can't possibly learn everything about it and can't know what will come up at Berkeley that I don't yet know about. Both schools have their strengths and weaknesses, and I'd very likely follow different paths at each. But all things considered, Stanford's resources in various areas put it ahead of Berkeley.

Comments

[hukuma.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on making such a difficult decision! I actually think that, all things being equal, it's good to switch departments, since you get to meet a bunch of new people to work with while still maintaining ties with people back in Berkeley.

[zapophenia.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on a decision! I am sad you won't be at Berkeley, but i _fully_ understand.

[chimerically.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :~) And I do hope to keep up Berkeley contacts. BTW, I heard a talk this afternoon by Mark Andrejevic, who discussed MySpace among other things, and I mentioned afterward that you were deeply involved (but also that you likely wouldn't have time to talk with him about it until after quals) -- I hope that's okay! There's just so much interesting stuff going on in that area and I'm always excited to be able to connect people with similar interests.

[zapophenia.livejournal.com]

Totally cool to mention it - i just feel guilty being so far underground these days. Silly qualifying exams.

[ephermata.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on deciding. Glad to hear you'll still be around here.

[janviere.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on the decision, and good luck with the switch. Are you moving to Palo Alto?

[chimerically.livejournal.com]

We will eventually. Our lease (which we actually asked our old landlord for, to avoid being kicked out by the new owners after the sale) is up in December, but the new owners may be more than happy to nullify it so they can either raise the rent or move in themselves. (They're currently planning on moving in downstairs ... with their two-year-old who yelled nonstop while they were looking at all of the units with an inspector. Though I love this place, I'm not looking forward to that.) I looked around a couple of the more Berkeley-esque areas of Palo Alto today (e.g. College Terrace) and was reasonably happy with what I saw, so there are options ... even though I'll miss having my Berkeley friends over all of the time!

[linley.livejournal.com]

Congrats on finally making a decision! I think it will be good for you to try out a different school--and being able to do it without leaving the general area is a bonus. :)

[threadwalker.livejournal.com]

I remember an LJ way back on this debate, and I'm glad you're moving. Good luck with all!

[ghosthacked.livejournal.com]

Going to Cal has made me appreciate Stanford so much more. Stanford is cool =).

[jofish22.livejournal.com]

congratulations. a difficult decision but i think a good one. who will you be working with over there?

[chimerically.livejournal.com]

I'm somewhere in the space between Fred Turner and Cliff Nass, and I've been corresponding mostly with Fred. Jean Lave has also pointed me at James Ferguson, Sarah Jain, Carol Delaney, Akhil Gupta, Purnima Mankekar, Liisa Malkki, Raymond McDermott, Penelope Eckert, and Stephen Barley as other possible collaborators in anthropology and STS. So seems like lots of options! Know any of them?

[jofish22.livejournal.com]

ps. coming to chi?

[chimerically.livejournal.com]

Yes! You? I'll be an SV, so I'm arriving the Friday before and leaving the Sunday after (to give me a few days to, you know, see the city). If you're coming and also have a few days to spare, you're very welcome to wander around with us!

[jofish22.livejournal.com]

yes, totally. same schedule, ish. not sure when i'm heading back... it's a 5 hour drive, and not quite sure when we'll be doing it. should be fun. perhaps we can grab lunch on saturday?

[chimerically.livejournal.com]

That'd be great!

[caefus.livejournal.com]

Whoa, I almost felt the gravitational tides turn. Congratulations. You're such a brilliant kid! Rock it south and don't eva look back. ...I wish I were quoting a black rapstar, but I'm unfortunately not.

[bsittler.livejournal.com]

congratulations, and i hope stanford agrees with you :)

[(Anonymous)]

Oooh...we will miss you even more! on the other hand, sewing parties will now be an Excursion, and and Outing, and I like those!

-Ev

[chimerically.livejournal.com]

Yes! And I should remain fairly accessible by car and public transit, even though I'm on the other side of the Bay ...

[http://users.livejournal.com/shallwedance_/]

Awww! to you moving away.
Yay! to you staying in the bay area. :)

Glad you came to a decision, and hope it works out. Nothing like moving to a new school to give you a fresh start.

[temperategoddss.livejournal.com]

WOOOHOOOO!!! No more worrying about where you'll be for grad school! I'm happy you made a decision, and that you're positive about it. I personally think it's time to get the fuck out of Berkeley anyways, you seem to have had a fair number of negative experiences with the bureaucracy there as well as the staff. A fresh start is always a good thing.