In a recent email she said that if this is the end, she wants us to remember that she is a physics student, and that she wanted to teach others to be as inspired by science as she is.
9/N
This is just a tiny facet of some horrible ongoing thing.
But I hope that those students are okay.
And I hope that some day I can answer all of their questions, both about string theory and otherwise.
/end
Today I looked back at pictures of that room in IUG.
As I understand, Israeli airstrikes have largely destroyed the university. I don’t know if that room still exists.
I am terrified to think what is happening to the lovely students who asked me such wonderful questions.
7/N
I was deeply impressed by their dedication. Asking me detailed questions about my string theory lectures over the shitty Zoom link. Sending me their homework through cell phone pictures so I could mark it along with the rest. 5/N
These are all such minor academic things, made difficult only because the students were in Gaza.
We told them some day we would hold a school there so we could talk about physics in person. 6/N
For several years I co-organized a physics school in the West Bank of Palestine. We always had many applications to the school from physics students in Gaza, undergrads from the Islamic U. of Gaza and Al-Azhar U.
(Just checked my records — 15 in 2019). 2/N
So dedicated professors in IUG would arrange a room where all of their students could gather and watch together the lectures happening over Zoom.
(This was pre-pandemic, when this idea felt deservedly abnormal). 4/N
I was recently in touch with one of them. Just before the war started she was asking me typically academic questions about references etc. etc.
The topic of our correspondence has since shifted.
8/N
There is an epic crisis unfolding across UK universities.
Increasingly miserable pay and working conditions have forced staff to call a marking boycott. Exams aren’t marked. There is no way to award degrees this summer.
1/N
For those of you following the escalating situation at 145 UK Universities:
University management has now decided not to graduate students and hand out participation certificates instead.
Yes you read that correctly. It's beyond absurdity. I'm lost for words.
